The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-11-13
Signs Of Greatly Increased Boer Activity In
Natal.
DISPATCHES Tend to Show That the
British Are Holding Out Ably
Colonel Baden-Powe1 Reports
All Well at Mafeking on No
vember 9Th and the Latest News
From Ladysmith is November
9th.

LONDON, Nov. IL, 4:oO a. m-1HiS
mornings news from the seat OF war
in South Africa continues fairly sat
isfactory. The official dispatches are
not very detailed with regard to the
Belmont incident, which, except for the
loss of Colonel Keith alconer, was not
a very serious affair.
There are signs of greatly increased
Boer activity in Natal and along the
Western frontier. All the dispatches
tend to show that the British are hold
ing out ably. Colonel Baden-PoWell
reports that all was well at Mafeking
on November 9th. Ladysmith's latest
date is November 9th. While nothing
adverse is heard from the latter point
and confidence is felt in General
Whites ability, previous experience
having shown that the Boer artillery
is not very effective, it Is beginning to
be proved that the acquisition of ar
tillery. which has destroyed the former
mobility of the Boer forcest has also
failed to give them any compensating
advantage On the contrary, the re-
verse is the case 1t is held here that
If the Beers had not been hampered by
the transport of heavy guns and their
rescue from tight places, General Jou-
bert might ere this have been in Pieter-
martizburg. Unless the Beers heavy
artillery justifies itself by reducing
Ladysmith. it will again hamper him
in the eventual retreat from Natal
when General Butler sends the reliev-
ing force 1t is believed that the Boer
retreat will be made over the Drakens-
burg Range into the South Pansberg
district, where preparation for provis-
ioning and maintaining the Beers is
said to have beens made for the last
stand, and where it will be difficult to
dislodge them. Already it is runaered
that they are in straits for food around
Ladysmith and may, therefore, be
obliged to abandon the siege.
The fact that the latest two official
dispatches were received from General
Forester Walker and not from General
Butler, seems to indicate that the lat
ter may have already left Cape Town.
A Brussels telegram asserts that he
has actually reached Durham. This Is
certainly premature, but he may have
started.
Dispatches from Estcourt say it has
been ascertained that the British have
laid concrete beds for firing the lyddite
naval guns showing that there is no
foundation for the fear that the lyd-
dite ammunition at LadySmith has been
exhausted. 1t is also reported from
the same quarter that some fires have
been seen in Ladysmith, indicating that
the Boer bombardment has been to
some extent effective. A special dis
patch from Cape Town confirms the
earlier report that it was General Butler
who ordered the British evacuation of
Stormberg and Naauwpoort as he con-
sidered the frontier line too weak and
too much extended II is understood,
however, that Naauwpoort will be oc-
cupied again as soon as the advance
from Queenstown is ordered.
Strong bids are being made by the
Beers for the support of the Cape
Dutch, but without much success, al
though it is believed that the Dutch
farmers. especially in Picquetberg Dis
trict, are armed with Mausers, and are
watching the course of events before
joining the Beers. From Stormberg it
is reported that the Free State forces
are working slowly toward Dordrecht,
with view of attacking Quee nstown
and cutting off the towns in the north
ern districts of Cape Colony.
The wounded are recovering in re-
are small and heal rapidly Many of
the wounded Apply fer permission to re-
turn to the front.