The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-11-07
|1HE PLANS OF GEN. BUTLER
HE Is PROBABLY GOING TO MOVE
IN FROM THE EAST COAST
To Give Assistance to the Entrappcd
Commander of the Garrison mt
Ladysmith.

London, November z, 4:30 a. m.-This
mornings news carries public knoledge
with respect to hostilities in South Africa
very little further than the evacuation
OF Colenso and Stormburg. These move
ments, taken together with the admiralty g
announcement that the public must not be
disappointed II the transports should not
reach Capetown as soon as expected, may
may indicate some change of plan neces-
STATED by the position of affairs in Natal.
1t was expected that the army corps would
land near Capetown for an invasion Of the
Transvaal through the Orange Free State,
but the landing may noW be diverted to
Durham, Natal whittier 1t is fully expected
Lieutenant General Sir Redvers Butler
will 10 within u week or two to investigate
the situation for himself. There is also a
possibility OF a movement through Delagoa
bay and the admiraltys notice regarding
the transports simply means in all like
lihood that news or their movements is to
be suppressed. Stormburg was unuer-
stood to be the depot where stores, tents,
guns, ammunition and all the commissa-
riat detail OF the Third division-that I'M
der Sir William Gatacre--was in process
of accumulation. The stores will be re-
moved to Queenstown and an object for
their removal is found in the Boer attack
on Bettenlie and Alwalnorth. In view of
the near approach of the British rein
forcements a Boer invasion of Cape Colony
could be hardly regarded very seriously.
There may, therefore, be another reason
for the withdrawal and the stores de-
signed by removal to Queenstown may be
intended for East London or Durham. 1t
may be General Buffers intention to send
on Colonel Paul Methuen's division COM
posed of guards and British brigades to
the Immediate assistance of Natal. For the
use of that division a diversion may be
intended of some of the stores OF the
Third division, which are in the handiest
position to be forwarded. Reports that
Rossmead and Naauwapoort are also to
be evacuated seem to corooborate the idea
that General Buffers first business will
be to relieve Sir George Stewart White.
1t is said the Free State commanders now
have IL 900 men concentrated against KIM
berley and on the Free States southern
frontier. Opposed to them are only 1000
British troops The towns which lie open
to their attack are: Aliwalnorth, Burg
hersdorp, Steyhberg, Barley and Molteno.
dispatch from Pietermaritzburg dated
Friday reports that railway communica-
tion with Ladysmth Is severed, the Beers
having effected Judgment at Nolthorp
south of Ladysmith about seven miles,
Among those invested at Ladysmith are
Colonel Rhodes, brother Of Cecil Rhodes,
Sir John Willoughby and 1t is believed DIN
Jameson, as well as most Of the press cor
respondents, and probably the Earl of Ava,
son OF the Marquis of Dufferin and Ava.
All the Cape railroads are now in the
hands OF the military authorities. Five
tons of foodstuffs was seized on board
the steamer Maria at Durham consigned to
Delagoa bay for the Transvaal. Twenty
missionaries have arrived at Durham from
Swazeeland after many narrow escapes.
It Is reported from Boer sources that
the big gun with which General Cronje
had hoped to demolish Mafeking Is not
success 1t is believed to be Snider-
Canet gun weighing with the carriage
about ten tons. The recoil is so tremen-
dous as to throw the gun out OF gear every
time 1t is used. After using the weapon
two days the Beers gave it up,
The Morning Post hears from Maseru,
Basutoland that the Boer attempts to in
cite the Basutos against the British have
failed
1t is understood that when the time
comes to arrange terms OF peace Natal will
claim an apportionment of territory which.
besides recompensating the colony for
losses sustained, will place it in a posi-.
tion less open to attack in the future
There are renewed rumors of an en-
gagement at Elandslaagte with severe
Boer losses.
It is reported from Capetown that Ger,
man steamer for Zanzibar arrived at Port
Said with passengers and having en-
barked thirty there she sailed. followed I
and watched by the British cruiser Fear
less