The times., 1899-11-08
CALLING ON THE RESERVES.
The second and Third Army Corps
Ordered 80 Mobilize.

The Second and Third Army Corps
Ordered TO Mobilize.
LONDON. Nov S.-The Mail prints
story to the effect that the Government has
decided to mobilize Immediately the Sec
ond and Third army corps and send 10000
additional men to South Africa without
delay. The Second corps. which IS roughly
estimated at 40. GEO. will be mobilized and
sent to Aldershot. The Third corps will
not exceed 25,O0O. as the 10000 men above
referred to are included in this division.
This will uecessitate the summoning Of all
The militia, in addition to the militia re-
serves which are already in service. The
Third corps. it is stated, viii be used
solely for garrison purposes. Nearly
every military station in the country viii
be denuded Of troops when the Second
corps is modified at Aldershot. The
Mail" says that the mobilization of the
Second and Thirds corps is unprecedented
in the history OF Great Britain. Il is i'm
possible TO say how far the foregoing
statements are accurate.
The Daily News" confirms them from
official sources" to the extent that pre-
paratlons are being made for the forward
ing and summoning of further reserves
numbering 1000. The News says: "Of
course a division may not be required but
the authorities are quite right in making
preparations, and especially after Lord
WoIseley's speech on Monday. The cost
Of transporting the men would not be very
heavy. as the transports have already been
hired for three months. 1t is believed that
by the time the new division is mobiIzed
the first transports viii have landed the
troops in South Africa, and will be on the
way back 10 England
It is apparent that the stories about the
utter rout of the Beers with great sIaugh-
ter" in the neighborhood of Ladysmith on
November and are based on the slight
est foundation. The most reliable reports
reveal the fact that the engag agements were
nothing more than skirmishes. All The rest
appears to be nothing more than native
gossip amplided by the imagination of its
hearers. a reliable correspondent Of the
standard. at Ladysmith sends report
dated November 3, which corresponds with
the report made by the British officer at
Estcourt and issued by the War ONCE yes
terday afternoon The officer is apparently
not a general. but an infantry captain,
Wolfe Murray According to his report
the Beers big gun, which has been re-
peatedly referred to by correspondents OF
English papers as having been disabled,
was in active service all day Friday. The
Beers aimed it chiefly at the forts and the
British naval guns. The Beers hold their
former positions, but the investment is not
SO strict as to prevent excursions to the
westward being made with comparative
safety.
The correspondent adds the following:
"A number Of Beers with horses were cap
tured today by the cavalry and mounted in
fautry. Two batteries were in a smart
action near Potgieters Farm" From other
sources it is learned that Pietermaritz-
burg is threatened not only from the north
ward but by a Boer commando, which is
advancing via Greytown and York The
| towns position in a cup-lilte hollow is not
favorable to successful defence. A