Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-10-30
NEWS WAS RUSHED THROUGH.
Account of Battle at Ladysmith Came
Through in Two Hours.


LONDON. October 3O-The dispatch of
the Associated Press from Ladysmith this
morning. which was sent at express rates,
came through in the remarkable time of
two hours 1t shows the crisis which the
sent stage of the war operations has
reached and that the expected attack on
Ladysmith by the joint Bocr forces has
opened.
A dispatch from Durham, timed go
o'clock this morning, supplements the As
socfated Press dispatch with the informa-
tion that the Boer shells were chiefly di-
rected at the station and that no damage
vas done up to the time the message from
Durham was forwarded
That the heavy guns of the Beers, from
which so much was expected, should be 81
Ienced so speedily. as indicated in the As
sociated Press dispatch from Ladysmith.
is matter Of great surprise, but the sub
sequent advance Of the Burgher force on
the British left flank shows the attackers
Y ere in no way dismayed thereby and We're
still full of the same self-cGnfidence and
daring they have already exhibited on
various occasions, Apparently, the Beers
have concentrated for supreme effort at
Ladys1nith They have withdrawn their
forces from other points. which they con-
slider nomentariIy to be of less Importance
The ease with which thty reorganized the
German corps. which was almost annihilat-
ed at F,laudslaagte. and Gen. Lucas May
er's column. shattered at Talana hill, show
how great are their recuperaJive powers
and their fertility of resource The perse-
verance the Beers have shown in trans
porting heavy ordnance and posting it in
commanding positions has forced admira-
ton even from their enemies.
Significance of the Attack.
Unless the present attack is merely
feint to occupy the British while the in
vaders are cutting off communication
southwark the battle which opened this
morning may decide the issue of war, so
far as fighting in the open is concerned, as
unless the eighteen or twenty thousand
Beers about Ladysmith are able to destroy
the twelve thousand British there they can
hardly hope to cope with Gen. Buffers
army corps; so it may be expected the
Boers will return to the attack of Lady
smith after they are beaten off. so long as
they have gun in position and men will
ing To face the British for they must be
fully cognizant that the news Of their sue
cess will bring thousands Of sympathzers
and adventurers to their STANDARD.
The active operations Of the last few
:
conditions armed with long-range weap-
ons. in an entirely new light. proving them
able to work as infantry both alone and in
conjunction with foot soldiers. Those cav
aIrymen have shown themselves able to
hold infantry positions against mounted
infantry, which under previous conditions,
they would have been forced to reIinquish,
while the actual assault on Elandslaagte
was led by diSmoUnted cavalry.
Another eminent civilian. Dr. Frederick
Treves. surgeon-in-ordinary to the Duke
of York. and surgeon Of the London Hospi-
al, has been appointed consulting surgeon
with the troops in South Africa He starts
Immediately. The true inwardness of these
appointments seems to be the recognition
by the authorities that the senior military
medical officers are behind the times, and
as the latter would consider it beneath
their dignity TO call in consultation junior
officers more conversant with modern
practice, the difficulty has been overcome
by the appointment of civilians at an enor-
nous cost.
Assuring News From Western Border.
The latest news from the western border
has apparently reassured the British au-
thorities as to the ability of Mafekine and
Kimberley to withstand assaults.
A dispatch from Fort Tun. forwarded
during the evening of October "a. an.
nounces that Blackburn's force, in tbs
skirmish at Rhodes Drift killed twelv,
Beers. Kaffir spy reported that man,
more Beers We're lying in the drift dying
Blackburn died of his Wounds on returnin.
to Fort Tuu. Scouts there report that tn