The Monticellonian., 1899-11-03
Remarkably, Rapid rran-mi..ion.

London, Oct. 31.-A press dispatch
from Ladysmith, which was sent at
express rates. came through in the re-
nGrliable time of two hours. 1t shows
the crisis which the present stage of
Wy operations has reached. and that
tia expected attack on Ladysmith by
tie Joint Boer forces has opened.
No Damage was Done.
4 dispatch from Durham, timed Q: 81
a M supplements the press dispatch
with the information that the Boer
shells were chiefly directed at the stu
tien, and that no damage was done up
10 the time the message from Durham
WIS forwarded
Matter of Surprise.
That the heavy guns of the Beers,
from which so much was expected,
should be silenced so speedily as indi-
eated in the press dispatch from Lady
smith, is a matter of great surprise;
bnt the subsequent advance of the
hurgher force on the British left flank
shows the attackers were in no way
dismayed thereby. and were still full
o. the same self-confidence and daring
shef have already exhibited on various
occasions.
For Supreme Effort.
Apparently. the Beers have concen.
t1ated for supreme effort at Lady
smith. The have withdrawn their
forces from other points. which they
consider, momentarily, to be of less
Importance. The ease with which they
feereanized the German sorps, which
MIS- almost annihlated at Glands.
laagte. and Gen. Lucas Meyers col
nnan. shattered at Talana hill, show
10" great are their reeuperatise pow
efs and their fertility of resource.
Boer Persescrance.
The perseverance the Beers have
shown in transporting heavy ordnance
aHa posting il in commanding posi-
items has forced admiration even from
Heir enemies. Unless the present at
tack is merely a feint to occupy the
British wEde the invaders are shutting
oil COMMUNICATION southwark, the bat
tic may decide the issue of the war,
80 fer as fighting i'll the open is con-
ccIneG, as, unless the $4,000 or 90, 900
Beers about Ladysmith are able to de.
s;roy the 1000 British there, they can
hardly hope to cope with Gen. Buffers
army corps; so it may be expected
the Beers will return to the attack
Of Ladysmith, after they are beaten
on. SO long as they have a gun in PC
siticn and men willing to face the
British, for they must be fully cog
INFANT that the news of their success
viii bring thousands of svmpathizers
md aGventurerS to their standard.
Modern Cavalry Operations.
The active operations of the last few
days have shown cavalry. under mod
prn conditions, armed with long range
weapons in an entirely new light prov
in9 them able to work as infantry,
both alone and in conjunction with
foot soldiers Those cavalry have
shows themselves able to hold infen-
try position against mounted infantry
which, under previous conditions, they
would have been forced to relinquisb,
while the actual assault an Glands
laagte was led by dismounted cavalry
An Eminent Consulting Surgeon.
Another eminent civilian, Dr. Fred.
erck Treves, surgeon in ordinary to
the duke of York, and surgeon of the
London hospital, has been appointed
consulting surgeon, with the troops
In South Africa. He starts immediate
". The true inwardneSs of these APP
polntments seems the recognition by
the authorities that the senior mill
tary medical officers are behind the
times. and as the latter would consid-
er it beneath their dignity to call in
consultation junior officers, more con.
sersant with modern practice, the dis.
ficGlty has been overcome by the APP.
pointment of civilians at an enormous
cost.
MafeI<ing and Kimberley.
The latest news from the western
border has apparently treasured the
British authorities as to the ability of
M#feking and Kimberley to withstand
assaults.
\ ditpateh from Fort Tuli, forward
ed during the evening of October a.
ntnetnces that Black burns force in
The skirmish at Rhodes Drift, killed
J. Beers.
4 Katfir spy reported that many
more Bsers <Eere lying in the drift, dy
ing. blackburn died of his wounds
on returning to Fort Tuli. Scouts
there report that the Beers are con,
centrating strongly ON the Rhodesian
herGer, with MaNims.