The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-11-05
BRITISH LEAVE
TOWN OF C0LENS0
Making Relief Of White
Very Difficult.
BOERS MOVE CLOSER
70 Ladysmith and an Artillery Duel
Begins.
THE EVACUATION OF COLENSO
Is Serious Matter With the British
as Ii Completes the Investment
of Lafysmith, and Leaves
Joubert 10 send Part of
His Force 90 Pic
tcrinarltLburg.


nation to the euect that the British
troops have Withdrawn from Colenso and
have concentrated further south. but we
have no news Of any engagement in that
nelghborhood"
| Colenso is south of Ladysmith.
I.ADYsMITH. Nov. 2.-l0 a. M.-(Delay-
ed in transmissionl-An artillery duel mas
been in progress since 6 O'Clock this morn
Ing. but so far no damage has been done.
The British nre preventing the Boer guns
from making good practice.
Firm. has been heard in the direction
Of Colenso.
4 SERIOUS MATTER.
LONDON. Noy. 4-Another special dis
patch from Ladysmith, bearing date OF
| November 2d. says.
The artillery duel is proceeding s9len-
! didly. The BItish guns are firing three
! shots to the Boers one.
| \ special dispatch from Caoe Town.
date November a. says the Beers occu-
| pied Coesburg. cape Colony. on Wednes-
| day. meeting with no resistance from the
| local police who yielded to superior IoIce.
! LONDON, Nov. THE evacuation OK
/ matter for the British in Natal. as it not
only testides TO the complete Investment
| of Iadysmith by the Beers. but makes
the relief Of General Sir George Stewart
White an extremely difficult operation.
Coisenso Is the point where the railway
| from Ladysmith crosses the Tulega river,
which is now IN food. The town itself
Is OF small Importance. 1t IS dominated
by the hills on the north side Of the
river. and so was untenabie II the Beers
have advanced. as they seem 20 have
done. moreover, only a small naval and
colonial force was stationed at Colenso.
CAN SEIZE THE BRIDGE.
The seriousness Of the evacuation. how
ever, lies In the fact that Commandant-
General Joubert, while completely invest
Ing Sir George White AZ Ladysmith. can
seize this Tulega bridge. and, II he has
sufficient troops can detach force and
send il southwark on Pietermaritzburg.
and in any case. By destroying the bridge
and railway. can prevent any relief eXpe-
dition reaching Sir George White for some
time.
Military men optimiatically predict that
General Joubert will withdraw from
Natal Immediately Sir Redvers Buffers
force enters the Orange Free State, but
the latter cannot be far on his way Tor
at least three or four weeks, and even
then General Joubert may not decide 10
intercept the British on the Free States
omen Yeldts. which would suit the British
admirably. but he may wait until the last
moment. and then proceed by train back
10 Pretoria and take up strong defensive
positions on the range OF hills lying IN
front Of johannesburg and Pretoria.
CUT OFF RELIEF.
Thus General Joubcrt might remain in
Natal several weeks longer endeavoring
to force Sir George White into capitula-
tion the destruction Of the Tugela river
bridge helping him by cutting of British
relief. Moreover another BOer force is
reported TO have marched through Zulu
land in the direction Of Durham. and al
ready TO have reached the Natal frontier.
Thus lt will be seen the position in Natal
taking into consideration a possible upris-
ing of the disaffected Dutch. is most dis
ouietening. and. in fact. may be described
as critical. British reinforcements in any
number cannot reach Durham before the
end Of next week
ARTILLERY DUEL.
A special from I.adysmith, dated Nov.
"a (morning), says.
During the night the Beers moved
closer to the British positions and mount
ed guns IN fresh places. Meanwhile the
naval guns have been moved TO more
favorable positions near the town and
commanding some of the BOer batteries
"At 6 o'clock this morning General
White ordered the bombardment Of the
enemy and the blue jackets opened the
ball. The Beers replied vigorously. They
fred straight, and some OF the British
were hit.
"a terrible artillery duel has been pro-
ceeding for over three hours. SO far
the naval guns are the only ones that
have engaged the enemy"
EGERTON PROMOTED.
LONDON. Nov. 4-Gunnery Lieuten-
ant Egerton. Of the British cruiser Pow
erful. who was wounded by the ex9.o-
sion Of shell an the b0mbardment OF
Iadysmith. has been promoted "a the
rank Of commander FOR services In the
field His legs have been amDutated as
result of his wounds The officer is a
nephew of the Duke of Devopshire.
BELATED DISPATCHES.
FORT TULI. RuODESIA. oct 90
delayed in transmission)-The have
been few skirmishes with the Beers
whose main body has retired southwark.
LADYSMlTH, Nov 1.-tAfternoon, Via.
cape TOWN. -Four naval long-range
guns have been mounted here.
BEERS IN ZUZULAND.
CAPE TOWN. Nov. 2-Delayed In
transmission )-Accordlng to an undated
dispatch received here from Ladysmith
the body of General Kock the Boer COM
mander, who was wounded IN the battle
Of Glencoe, captured and taken 10 Lady
smith. where he died recently, has been
taken to Pretoria.
The dispatch added that the Ladysmth
townspeo pie including the women. wit
messed the battle al 1adysmith. II was
also said that the resumption Of fghting
was hourly expected.
The Beers are traversing Zululand
hosting flags over the British magis-
traces.
BUECHERSDORP, CAPE COLONY.
Nov. 2--(Delayed in transmission. )-The