Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-11-25
And Allows No News of
the Belmont Fight
TO REACH OUTER WORLD
Remarkable Qualities as Fighters
Were Shown by Both SideS-NO
B0er Guns Captured-Situati0n at
Mafeking is Serious.

London, Nov. %. 5 a. m.-Tnus far the
special dispatches describing the battle
OF belmont bear a stereotyped character,
proving that the hand of the censor has
been at work upon them. They are too
incoherent to enable the reader to form
an accurate idea of the event or to place
q proper estimate upon the value of the
victory. All the accounts agree respect
ing the splendid fighting qualities eXhib-
tied on both sides. Nothing could have
exceeded the steady courage and pluck
OF the British infantry in the face of the
terrific fire, While the Beers guns We're
splendldly served, the gunner standing
to them with logged determination, ex-
posing themselves until the very last
moment and then only becoming wild and
inaccurate in their aim in the final deadly
charge Of the British infantry.
All admit, however, that the victory
could not be properly followed up and
utilized, owing to the want of sufficient
cavalry. The pursuit of the defeated
enemy by the Fifth ~llncers was Evil
IDENTIFY not very effective and. curiously
enough, while the correspondents report
the capture of Boer guns. Lord Me-
thuens own report OinitS any mention
of such an achievement.
One statement says: THE remnant
Of the Boer army sought u escape to-
ward the Orange Free state territory
AS all the evidence tends to snow that
the enemy's retirement was orderly, he
will doubtless be heard Of elsewhere.
The correspondent Of the Times at Bel
mont says: After the battle the laager
was burned and the ammunition destroy
ed. Cavalry and mounted infantry on
both TANKS pursued the enemy but We're
unabl to oyertake re retreating Beers.
who got away with their transport. The
Boer rout was complete and their losses
are believed to equal ours. They used
some dumdum bullets. Everything was
in their favor. 1t is rumored thai there
have been some threats TO assasslnate
recalcitrant burghers, who are tired of
war and are DESERVING"
On the whole it seems safe to assume
that the Beers guns We're not captured.
The striking proof accorded of the eN-
cellent material General Methuen has in
his brigades is, however, a matter of
great satisfaction in London. There is
an unconfirmed rumor that the cores
pondence seized in the Boer camp con
tains evidence Of reasonable communi-
cation between the Beers ana the Dutch
cOlOnists.
General Whites dispatch Of Wednes-
day ef~fectually disposes of all rumors of
another sortie from Ladysmith and of
the defeat of the Beers. The situation
in Natal remains unchanged, the sortie
from Estcourt to Willow Grange having
! little effect.
The position of Mafeking is beginning
to be regarded with anxiety: in view Of
the impossibility of Lord Methuen be-
ing able to relieve hat town for some
time to come. Throngs of people were
waiting at the war office last evening
until a late hour faT the lists of those
killed, wounded sing in the battle
of Belmont. was published
in addition to c.. -- "A etluen's first dis
patch. -
I General Buffers destination is kept a
strict secret at Capetown, some reports
saying tina he has gone north and others
that he has gone to Durham, as already
cahled.
A dispatch to the Times from MOOT
river gives the British casualties in the
Willow Grange affair as three killed and
Al wounded. This is the first news OF
such a heavy loss and, If correct, sug-
gests a repetition Of General Whites
unfortunate action Of October 80.
The Pietermaritzsburg correspondent
of the Daily Mail, describing the same
sortie. says: THE British surprised the
Beers. carried their position, captured
all their equipment and returned to Est
court in safety. General Hildyard was
we'll satisfied with their work"
The Daily Mails correspondent at
Naauwpoort says: "An open, unsigned
letter. Struggled through from Colesburg.
SAYS Commandment Grobbler has arrested
10 prominent Englishmen and threatened
to shoot them If any harm. is done to van
Renseburg, ringleader of the Colesburg
rebels. who was captured by the BRUSH
and is to be tried for treason