Omaha daily bee., 1899-12-04
BIG BATTLE In SIGHT
Beers Are Reconcentrating at Their Old
Position Near 0olenso.
TO PREVENT BRITISH CROSSING TUGELA
Reports Of Wanton Destruction of Property
by Beers Are Confirmed,
COUNCIL OF WAR HELD AT KIMBERLEY
English Make sortie, Supported by Cannon
and Maxims
OUNClL OF WAR HELD AT KIMBERLEY
ADVANCE IN DIRECTION OF BLoEMH F
Encounter Two Hundred BurGhers,
killing Nine ana Wounding Sew
entccn, while british Only
Lose Two Men.

Copyright, 1899, by Press Publishing Coz
LONDON, Dec. 3.--(New York World Ca
blegram-Special Telegram)-The Posts
military expert says
Since the mutny no war we have waged
has involved so wide range of interest and
many of our campaigns have not cost what
we lose in single battle in South Africa.
There Is still no news of any advance
from the heads of either column along the
Orange river. The recent kilograms refer
to a dsaffection of the Cape Dutch, affecting
only the younger members Of the community,
but it is certain the commanders that are
restraining our advance upon Queenstown
and Naauwport must draw their strength
principally from Natal.
THE report of the most Importance is the
blowing up of the Colenso bridge. II that
be so, it is evident that the last Of the Beers
are across the Tugela river and that General
Joubert intends to oppose the crossing of
the British from the northern side. His
mobilizing ability will give him immense
advantage"
Delayed News from Colenso.
Copyright, 1899 by Press Publishing Coz
LONDON, Dec. 3.-(New York World Ca
blegram-Special Telegram -tMessage held
back five days by British censors and evil
IDENTIFY edited-dated at the British camp
at Freere Station Natal, twenty miles south
of badysmith, November % at noon.)-
have just received private advtces from
Ladysmith by native runner. These ad-
vices, dated Friday, November "a, report
that all the British in the camp and town
are well and also cheerful. But, having been
closely besieged since october 30, they
naturally are anxious to hear from the out
side world
"a British column OF 500 cavalry and
mounted infantry, supported by two bat
teries of field artillery, left Freere camp at
a. m. today to reconnoiter in the direction
of Ladysmith. The Beers were sighted in
force on a kopje (small rocky hilD a short
distance south of Colenso, and the British
batteries opened fire, Presently the Beers
retreated under cover Of the fire OF their
long-range guns that are in position at
Colenso. The big guns were dropping shells
at a range of six miles The British col
umn returned to Freere camp without having
sustained any loss.
Beers In Old Positions.
DURHAM, Natal, Tuesday, Nov. 2S.-The
Natal Mercury publishes the following dis
patch from it's correspondent at Freere:
THE Beers have reconcentrated at their
old positions near Colenso, back of Groblois-
KlOOI, anu everything pOlulS " uSlSl llilheu
attempt to prevent the British crossing the
Tugela Reports of wanton destruction of
property by Boer looters are confirmed"
FRBERE CAMP. Natal, Nov. 2S.-The
reconnaissance made today by General Hid
yard and Lord Dundonalds command, the
fact of which has already been cabled, gave
an excellent opportunity for studying the
country On approaching Colenso the British
found on every side scenes OF devastation
that testified to the thoroughness of Boer
lootlng The Williams farm and others had
been ransacked from end to end In some
cases the contents of every room Of the
farm house had been destroyed. The Beers
had evidently burned what they could not
carry off. The property of the Boer COM
missariat was testified to by the cornhusks
that were to be seen about the deserted
campfres of the enemy.
The wreck of the armored train, still
visible, showed that Boer shell had broken
an axle which had obviously caused the ac-
cident to one car that lay on its side. The
other car was upright, but both were com,
pletely riddled by the enemys bullets and
artillery fire,
Two graves nearby bore the inscription:
"Fallen soldiers"
The main Boer force is now gradually
getting near Chieveley station.
British Make SOrtie.
PRETORIA, Sunday. Nov, 26.-Command
ant Duttmot (probably Dutoi) sends the
following report to the council OF war from
Kimberley:
Early yesterday the British made a sortie
supported by cannon and MaXims. Under
cover of darkness they advanced in the di
rection OF Bloemhof Two hundred burgh
ors encountered them and l brought up an
additional 100. Nine burghers were killed
and seventeen wounded. The British left
two on the ground, but an ambulance re-
moved these"
PRETORIA, Nov. 2S.-The Boer laager at
Derderpoort was attacked last Saturday by
n strong force of the Natal mounted police. !
Mr. Barnard a member OF the Volksraad,
was killed.
More Troops Arrive at CaDetOwn.
CAPETOWN Tuesday, Nov. 2S,-The |
troopship Bavarian, from Queenstown Mo- |
yember 10, with Colonel Ivor Herbert, as |
sistant adjutant general for the home dis |
triet and the foreign military attaches. to-
gether with the Connaught Rangers, the !
First battalion of the Royal Dublin FusieeTs !
and a contingent of miscellaneous troops, in |
all more than 1000 men, arrived here to- |
day, Colonel Herbert and the military at |
taches Immediately landed and the BaVarian |
proceeded with the troops, presumably TO