Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-11-08
Two battles NEAR LHDYSNITH

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Continued from First Page)
text Of dispatch from General Butler
from Cape Town, dated November Z,
1885 p. M:
The following dispatch has been re-
csiyed from the General commanding
at Estcourt, dated November 9Th:
Since Friday there has been a ces-
1ation of hostilitles. A note was sent
that day to General Joubert by General
White, at the request Of the Mayor,
asking permission for the non-com-
batants sick and wounded, to go South.
Gen. Joubert refused the request, but
agreed to allow them to go TO special
camp four miles from Ladysmith. The
towns people refused to accept this Of
Ter. The sick and wounded, and q. few
Of the inhabitants were moved yester-
day. a few shots were exchanged yes
terday, at the outpcstS. Fridays bonn
bardment was heavy. Shells fell in the
hospital, and one burst IN hotel, dur
ing luncheon. No one was injured The
only casualty in the town from the
Shells thus far is a Kaffir killed
There was q smart action Friday
toward Dewdrop. The troops under
General Brocklehurst drove the Beers
back considerable distance and dis
abled gun.
There was also fighting near Bull
OuA iOSS illOBelNGTH IL eight
Killed and about twenty wounded.
Nfnety-etght Dundee wounded have ar
rived. They were sent here SATURDAY..
All are doing well.
The position here is now believed
to be entirely safe. 1t has been great
~ strengthened during the last 81
hours The people have deserted their
dwellings. and are living In bomb proof
places, safe from shell fire. There is
plenty OF good stores of all kinds
Captain Knapp and Lieutenant
Brabant were killed in Fridays action
me foregoing is an exact copy of
a press censor telegram brought here
=. by KafIir runner There is no other
official news"
DUTCH SIDE WITH BoERs.
Estcourt. Natal. 10 a. M. Sunday.
NOV. 5.-An armorcd train went over
the Tugela bridge yesterday, found
Colenso intact and also found the road
ana railway bridges strong. An Or
ange Free State force was sighted six
miles from Colenso, on the LadysmIth
side. 1t was supposed to have been en-
gagged with the British forces from
i.adysmith Thursday. The Beers suf-
fered heavily 1t is rumored that tbe
Natal Dutch took part in the enga re
ment. siding with the invading Beers.
ARBITRATION PROJECT Dis
CLAIMED.
Berlin. Nov 7.--Regardingg- tAe-al--
legged scheme for arbitrating the
Transvnal question Il semi-ofTicial
statement axe has been issued as follows:
Nothing, whatever Is known hera of
any common plan of action upon Inc
part OF Russia, France or Spain I'm The
Transvaal question. In any case. II
may be most positively stated that no
such plans have been brought r. Tho
knowledge of the German Goyernmrnt
from any quarter whatever and. there
Iore. 1t has not been in position to re-
1ect any such or similar proposals."
THE BOER ARTILLERY FIRE.
Estcourt, Natal. Nov. 5-(Evening)-
1t Is now possible to furnish official
details of Fridays fighting around
Ladysmith. The Boer artillery fire was
accurate and we'll sustained. but in
effective. The British cavalry was
constantly out, the investment not be-
ing close enough to prevent this.
Cavalry and artillery, under Colonel
Rrocklehurst, about noon drove the
enemy toward harrisburg. Our artil-
lery shelled three OF the enemy's guns
into silence. The British casualties
were slight.
The Beers are now Smelling the town
Their artillery ID we'll handledi but is
doing little damage.
The Beers prohted by a flag of truce
on Thursday to send in Transvaal
artillery officer disguised as an am
bulance driver, with the wounded, to
observe the action Of the Boer artillery
fire.
4 LORD WOLsELEY'S CONFESSION.
london, Nov. 1.-THE confession last
evening of General Lord WoIseley, the
ccmmander4in-chief, that the Beers
were more powerful and more numer-
Gus than had been ANTICIPATED sufTi-
GENTLY explains the present happen
ings, and the War Office will here.
after have awkward questions to an
swer in regard to Its apparent colossal
ignorance OF the Boer strength. which.
both In number of men and eXceIlcnce
of artillery, is apparently complete
: surprise to the British military au-
thorities. Mail news from South Africa
shows how inaccurate have been the
estimate of the intelligence department.
and the governmental experts
STRENGTH OF THE BOERS.
1t is cleaned therefrom that a fair
z estimate OF the Boer forces Is as fol-
lows:
Around Ladysmith, 25. 900; traversine
zululand, 1000; advancing on Burgh-
Z .ersdorp. 5000: Colesburg, 1900: KIM
berley. 1000; Mafeklng. 1900; and on
the Northern Transyaal border, 1000,
Exact information about the Boer mr..
u tfll0Ty lie lacking but It In knnru,,9 tbo&