Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-10-05
Beers Made First Advance
Yesterday With a General
Artillery Movement.
OCCUPY LAING's NECK.
No British Troops Arc Nearer Than
Ladysmith = Preparations Being
Made to Abandon the Natal
Frontier and dNewcastle.

Press.)-The Daily Telegraph this
morning published the following dis
patch from New Castle. Natal, dated
yesterday: 'The Boer advance began
yesterday with a general movement of
the artillery. The Beers are occupying
Laing's Neck nightly and now hold the
mountains to the southwest of Volks-
! rust. There are no British troops
nearer than Ladysmith and prepara-
tions are being made to abandon Natal
from the frontier to Glencoe. The in
habitants of Newcastle met today and
decided not to attempt to defend the
town in the event of Boer advance
in force. Gen. Symons is prepared to
evacuate within twenty-four hours.
News is Contradictory.
| London, Oct. 5.--(By Associated
| Press. )-Although today's news from
South Africa is Enthusiastically grave,
advocates of peace still derive
glimpse of hope from some dispatches
which say that the stage of negotia-
tion lis not yet fully terminated.
The news is contradictory. Side by
side with it is the announcement that
the Beers occupied Laing's Neck. A
dispatch from Pretoria states thar the
4 Transvaal has issued = strict inillnc-
tion to the commandants that British
lterritory must not be invaded, aud that
General Joubert has issued a nrocla-
nation threatening to shoot aay man
who crossed the border. Scarcely had
i the advocates of peace exchanged cons
gratulations over the announcement
| from Pretoria that J. Ii. Hoffmeyer,
the Afrikander leader. and w. r..
Schreiner, the Cape premier. had un-
dertaken a joint semi-otiicial peace
| mission and actually started from Pre-
toria. where they ought to have arriv-
ed last evening, when later a ,nessen-
ger declared that the Boer government
knew nothing of the alleged mission
4 and that, in any event, nothing could
l.preserve peace, but 4 withdrawal of
the British demands. Up to o'clock
this afternoon nothing had arrived to
/ confirm the dispatch announcing that
a general advance of the Boer forces
had begun yesterday. The war and
Icolonial Offices profess entire ignorance
of the matter. but this is in conso-
nance with their attitude towards the
press. Latera New Castle special con-
tradicts the first and declares that all
was quiet on the border last evening,
and that there is no sign of a Boer adj
vance.
Gloomy outlook.
Press. )-The alleged Rser advance
comedies curiously with simultaneous
telegrams from various quarters re-
. garding the Boer ultimatum and the
expiration of the time limit last even
ing. a distinctly serious and ugly
statement comes from Newcastle to
the effect that armed Kaffirs accom-
panied the Boer commanders. This
, would be an absolute breach of the
conditions supposed to govern warfare
among civilized nations: and, it true,
presages scenes worse than even the
: @ioomieEt forecasts. From other New
castle advices it appears that the pre-
mier of Natal has telegraphed the mil
Il itary authorities that he can render
Newcastle no assistance. adding that
I. Iif the. Beers attack the town, resist
ance would be futile; that the wome,,
: and children should lie sent away and
, the town surrendered. There is an un.
confirmed report that martial law has
been proclaimed in the Trqnsvaal.
: Rombay Raises Kate.
Bombay, Oct 5.-CBy Associated
Press.)-The Bank of Bombay's rate
of discount has been raised from tc
!. 6 per cent.
t British Delay Dangerous.
= London. Oct 5.--By Associated
y ! Press from Cape Tewr
includes an official denial of the rumol
) that the British have crossed the
Transyaal. frontier near Kimberley
There is very definite feeling
:. throughout the Cape that the British
delay in Forwarding reinforcements j.
very dangerous. The utmost enthusi
: asm prevails. and many are anxious t,
: place their services at the disposal O
f the government.
Conductor brown Promoted
Charles l.. Brown, formerly conduc
| no I.I,,