The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-11-17
LADYSMITH
SURROUNDED.
Beers Have Completely EnCir-
cIed the Town.
Are Pouring In Shot and She'll
From Big Guns.
BRITISH ENTRAPPED.
Armored Train Is Attacked
With Disastrous Results.
Lieutenant Winston Churchill
Is Made Prisoner.

Pretoria, Thursday. Nov. 9-The fol-
lowing dispatch has been received from
the Boer camp at Elandslaagte, under
todays date:
Ladysmith has been completely en-
circled by the Boer forces. our second
big gun was successfully placed in po-
sition on Bulwan Hill in front of Lady
smith. The firing of heavy guns com
menced early this morning with no
casualties to the burghers up TO the
present.
.sBotha has photographed from the
south of Ladysmith that the British
batteries opened a heavy fire with big
guns and continuously dropped shells
into the works around Ladysmith. The
Pretoria force was in a tight place hav-
ing taken up a position commanded by
the British ire which was so hot that
the position became untenable. me
big gun however saved the situation.
WALKED INTO A TRAP.
London. Nov. 17.-NisfOrtune stead
fastIy pursues British employment OF
armored trains. the fascination .L IoL
which has given the Beers their Hrst
and latest victories. On this last Occa-
sion the British seem to have walked
into a deliberate trap, with the result
that according to the best accounts,
80 men are either killed, wounded or
missing OF these the FuSileerS claim
80 and the Durham infantry 40 It IS be
ueVed that few escaped ana IhaL the
others are prisoners in the hands OF the
Beers.
Many of the wounded were brought
back on the locomotive and tender OF
the armOred train. Captain Haldande,
of the Gordon HighlanderS was attach
ed to the Fusilers and other officers
were with them. The list OF casualties
is awaited with great anxiety. In time
of trouble Lieutenant Winston Church
i'll has proved himself more soldier
than a. correspondent and his gauantry
is highly praised on all sides.
The rumOr of the death of General
JOubert is discredited. 1t is understood
that the war Office has news that he IS
still directing affairs. 1t is also ru-
mored from Pietermaritzburg that the
Boer losses at Ladysmith on Thursday
We're heavy and included Gen. Lucas
Meyer who was either killed or wound
ed. The report as to Gen. JOubert pro-
badly arose from the fact that his wife
has left the BOer camp at LadySmith
of the Free State.
According to the Pietermaritzburg
correspondent of the London outlook,
rumors are current in the Natal capital
that the BOerS contemplate a retreat
1t is needless, however, to attach i'm
pOrtance to such reports, which are
spread in all proba bility with a view of
luripg Gen. White. if possible to aban-
don his defensive attitude. Similar ru-
mOrs are current regarding the Beers
at Mafekir and are spread Industrious
" by native spies.
Special dispatches from LourenzO
Marqueg say that the TransvaaI gov
ernment is exercising a severe censor
ship over all war news and viii not al
low newspapers to leave the country.
one correspondent says the Beers are
hurrying new commanders to Lady
smith and are declaring that the place
must fail speedily. in order to Hberate
their forces 50 that these may go to
met Gen. Buffers advance.
The latest dispatches from EstcOurt
regarding the armOred train engage
ment say that the train was capsized
by an explosion, presumably dynamite.
The engine returned to EstcOurt with
two dead Fusileers and the following
wounded hanging on:
Captain Wylie. three nOn-cOmmiS-
stoned officers and nine privatess all be
longing to the Durham volunteers.
Another EstcOurt correspondent says:
a BOer contingent of 500 men came
south of F'reec on Wednesday and two
companies of mounted troops, Imperial
light horse and Natal carbineers engag-
ed them three miles from EstcOurt The
Boers occupied strong position on a
hopJe- The carbIneers worked around
on their right and drove the enemy
back, whereupon the Imperial light
horse opened a brisk fire at a medium
range, killing several. One man of the
imperial light horse was wounded
The West Yorkshire regiment the
Prince of Wales own commanded by
Col Kitchener. brother of Lord Kitch-
ener, of KhartOum, has arrived al Est
court from Durham. The troops there
sleep in their boots and the utmost
u
mored that some important movement
is imminent.
According to a special dispatch from
Lourenzo Marquee, General Lucas
Meyer has gone to Pretoria for his
health However, a difference of ODin-
ion exists among the commanders The
BOer military council wants the army
moved elsewhere. but General Joubert
insists that LadySmith must fall first
The postal authorities atDurban Open
and inspect all letters from Delagoa
bay.
The Times publishes the following
dispatch from Pietermaritzburg dated
Wednesday, November Is:
EstcOurt is short or artillery The
garrison may retire to the AIoOi river
southwark, tonight, in case a strong
force of Beers should advance. The
enemy's intention is to keep back the
British relieving column
HEAVY COMMANDMENT
LoureEzo Marquee DeIagoa Bav
NOV IA local newspaper reports
That Ladysmith was subjected 70 a very
heaFy mbardment all day Tuesday
and that at midnight all the cannon on
the hills surrounding the town opened
ire simultaneously, pouring shells from
all points OF the compass Several
buildings afire, the newspaper asserts.
could be distinctly seen from Bulwana
Hill.
CHURCHILL A PRISONER.
EstcOUrt, Nov. 1T.-Seven of the Dur
bans have just come in making twenty
Inns have returned The Natal 7-pouud-
er which was in front of the truck had
fired three shots when it was shattered
RT the BO6r artillery. The 7r-rr7Orod an