Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-10-21

story has the British displaying white
flag over the town. The only thing
that was certain about the matter as
indicated in the dispatches published
Wednesday, was that there had been
fighting.
The German steamer Kaiser left
Hamburg few days ago with cargo
of ammunition consigned to the Trans
vaal. 1t was the intention of the
shippers to have the ammunition land
ed at Delegoa bay from the shore of
which it would be transported to the
interior. The British government,
however, got wind of the shipment,
and for fear of seizure by British cruis-
ers while passing through the Red
Sea, the Kaiser unloaded its cargo at
Suez. 1t is understood that another
German vessel will reship the cargo
and try to carry it on to its destina-
ton.
The British parliament convened in
extraordinary session on Tuesday to
consider the Transvaal situation. The
speech from the throne said that the
condition of affairs in South Africa
was the sole reason for calling the ex-
ira session, and the most vigorous ac-
ton was urged. A resolution con-
demning the course of the government
was overwhelmingly voted down 322
to 54, showing that there is but little
difference of opinion as to the desira-
bility of conquering the Beers. The
Marquis of Salisbury, prime minister,
made speech in which be laid all the
blame of the war on the Transvaal
government. He said that the Beers
desired above all else to get rid of
British suzerainty, and that they had
been expressing the Outlanders with a
view to forcing this concession. He
claimed that war was entirely in behalf
of the liberties of all the whites of the
Transvaal.
Dispatches of Wednesday, published
Thursday morning, indicated an i'm
portant engagement to come off in the
vicinity of Ladysmith, in Natal, south
of the Transvaal. General Sir George
Stewart White was there with $4,000
men and 46 guns, and the Beers were
centering on him from all sides. The
British professed that they were not
at all uneasy about the situation. They
did not think that the Beers could
bring to bear superior force, and they
also claimed that the country was not
especially favorable to Boer tactics.
General Joubert, however, has person
al command of the Boer forces in the
vicinity, and it is probable that he
will push the fighting with great
energy.
The papers of yesterday morning
publish dispatches from Cape Town, by
way of London, which give rumor to
the effect that the Beers met with an
overwhelming disaster at Mafeking.
The story is that the Beers attacked
Mafeking furiously, and were forced
to retreat. The British followed for
some distance, when the Beers turned
and the British went back. The Beers
followed until they were over some
mines of Lyddite that had been laid
by the British for the protection of the
town. The manoeuvers of the British
was to get the Beers over these mines,
and it is claimed that 1,500 Beers were
killed by the explosion. 1t is quite
probable that this story isan invention.
The town of Kimberly is now isola-
ted from any hope of immediate help.
Railroad bridges have been burned on
both sides, and the telegraph wires
have been cut. As to whether the
Beers have captured the town is not
known.