The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1899-11-11

...ro-<. May Not Reach Their
D..ur.+,on ON the Date First An
nounced, Is Taken to Indicate a
Change of Plans Necessitated by
the Bad Position of Affairs IN
t Big Force Concentrated
Against Kimberley.
London. Nov. 8. - This mornings
newspapers contain, as to hostliltles Ill
Sourh Africa, little farther than vac
nation of COlesburg and omper
Those movements, taken together with
the admiralty announcement that the
nublic must lot be disappointed
sEould the transports not reach their
destination on the dates Indicated on
the published list, may indicate some
change in plan necessitated by the bad
nmsition of affairs ut Natal. 1t was
expected that the army corps would
land near Cape Town for an INVASION
Of the T~ransvaal through the orange
Free State, but the landing may be
now diverted to Durham, Natal, where
is is further expected Gen. Ruiler Will
yo within a week or two to inspect the
situation for himself. There is also a
possibility of a movement through
Delagoa bay, and the admiralty notice
regarding the transports means In all
likelihood that new developments are
TO he expected. Stromberg was
stood to be the depot for stores, guns,
tents. ammunition and all government
commissariat for the Third division
that under Sir William Gatacre-were
in process of accumulation. The stores
have been removed to Queenstown,
and an obvious explanation of their re-
moyal arises out of the Boer advance
from Beaulieu and Aliwalnorth. In
view of the near approach of British
reirforrements q BOer advance upon
Cane Colony could hardly be regarded
yery seriously. There may, therefore,
he another reason for the withdrawal
and the stores destined for shipment
ut Queenstown may be intended for
East London or Durham. 1t may be
Gen. Buffers intention to send Oh Col.
Methune's division, composed of
guards and British brigades, to the
immediate assistance of Natal. In h
use of that division a diversion may be
intended on some of the stores Of the
Third division, which Ire in the handi-
est position to forward.
! Reports that Rosenead and Nauwn
Poort are to be also evacuated seem to
! corrcborate the idea that Gen. Buffers
first business will be to relieve Gen.
| White.
1t is believed that the Orange Free
State commanders now have 11,OO0
men concentrated against Kimberley
and on the Free State southern from
tier. Opposed to them are only 1000
British troops. The towns which lie
open to their attacks are Aliwalnorth.
Burghersdorp, Steinberg, Parkly and
Moelten.
A dispatch from Pietersmaritzburg,
dated Friday, reports that railway
communication with ~Ladysmith is sew
cred. the Beers having effected a lodge
ment Mt Nolth0rpe, south Of Ledy-
smith about seven miles. All the Cape
railways are now in the hands Of the
military. Five thousand tons of sup
plies were seized on board the steamer
Maria at Durham. consigned to Della
goa bay for the Trnnsvaal.
The Morning Post learns from Mas
cru. Basutoland, that the Boer attempt
to incite the natives against the Brit
ish has failed.
Lack of News Excites Rumors.
London, Nov. S.-The war office an
nounced at midnight that no dispatch
had been received beyond those al
ready made public, and that nothing
further would be issued before noon
to- day. Thus not a solitary official
item of news has been posted for near
ly twenty-four hours. This has given
rise to a crop of rumors that Lady
smiths ammunition Is exhausted; that
Sir George Stewart White Is mortally
wounded; that both facts are being
concealed, and that other unlucky
happenings have taken place. For all
of these reports there is absolutely no
foundation. At the same time the
Britisher has had little to stimulate
him within the past t%wenty-four hours,
except the news of the conflict be-
tween the Beers and the Ladysmith
! garrison and the latter's slight success
on Thursday last. The kilograms from
all parts Of South Africa are unpalata.
BILE, and everything points to a critical
situation in Natal and northern part Of
Cape Colony. likely to grow worse un-
til Gen. White is relieved or decisively
defeated. Nobody thinks he will ca
pitulate. Rather, it Is expected that
he intends as a last resort, IL Lady
smith becomes untenable to make q
desperate attempt to cut his way
through the Beers and get into lower
Natal. 1t is generally assumed, how
ever, that Gen. White, with the aid OF
the naval guns, will be able to cope
with any bombardment, and the idea
that the Beers could take Ladysmith
by assault is secuted as absurd.
Beers Suffer Great Loss.
Estcourt, Natal, Nov. 8.-A reliable
messenger has just arrived from Lady
smith, passing the Boer lines during
the night, who reports that heavy
fighting occurred OH Thursday around
Ladysmith. The hottest engagement
was on George Latham's farm, on the
Orange Free State side Of Besters.
The British drove the Beers back to
their camp. The enemy lost 500 In
killed, wounded and captured. The
fighting was resumed Friday, the
Beers firing from Noesvdotshan hill.
Again they were driven back with loss.
Tom Reeds Successor.
Portland, Me-, Nov. 8.-AmOs r. Al
len has been elected congressman from
the First Maine district to succeed T.
3. Reed, by a majority Of 4,65O, with
three or four small towns to hear from.
These cannot change the result more
I thu a IN - - as1EElE# &AHhFA- 49,