, 1899-11-09
OERSAREADVANCIN
INVASION OF CAPE COLONY
BEGINS.
Briti.h Withdraw From Colesburg-Colen-
SO In Boer Hands Fighting Mt Lady
smith Continues.

Cane Town, Nov. 5.-After long hest
tatlon the Free State burghers have
commenced the invasion of Cape Col
ony with n strong force.
AS was expected they have chosen as
the scene of their operations the Coles
burg district which is the center of the
Afrikandcr dissatisfaction, IL where
n rising has been expected Mt any time.
The enemy had been concentrating
their forces at Bethulie and at Spring
fontein. They crossed the frontier
Wednesday Mt Norvals Point, on the
railway bridge over the Orange river,
and advanced along the railway and
highway.
They occupied ColesburG without re-
%sistance. The only force at ColeSburg
was Il mail squad of police under n ser
gcant. They surrendered and are now
prisoners of war. Colesburg has 1000
inhabitants, all Dutch. The British
troops are concentrating at De Aar
junction.
The New South Wales Lancer have
arrived at Cape Town, and were warm
ly greeted. They were sent in "A special
train Immediately to De Aar.
a number of British wounded from
Ladysmith have arrived at Cape Town.
Large crowds at the docks cheered and
encouraged the sufferers as they We're
carried ashore. The crowds sang Rule
Britannia" and the soldiers of the
Queen, some wounded, Joined feebly
in the singing.
The British wounded prisoners were
landed at the d~ockyard at Simonstown,
near Cape Town. There was no
demonstration.
The large British camp at Stormherg
Junction has been broken up by order
of General Butler, and the guns and
stores nave been removed to Queens
town, fifty miles southeast. The enc
my appears to be awaiting information
before making any further move south.
The impression here is that the re-
nova of the Stormberg camp may re-
suit in n large number of colonial Beers
joining the enemy. and the English sec
lion is utterly upset Mt the withdrawal
of the British troops and the serious
news from Natal.
Lisbon, Nov. persistent reports
are in circulation here that General Sir
George tuart White, British com
mander in Natal, has c%apitulated to the
Beers.
London, Nov. G-The war office is.
sued the following ut 11:4 last night:
Butler to the Secretary of State for
War:
Cape Town, Nov. $50 p. m.-The
c"ommandant Mt Durham sends the fol-
lowing, received from Lndysmith, by
pigeon post, dated November 3rd:
Yesterday General French went
out with cavalry and field artillery and
effectively shellcd the Boer laager,
without loss on our side.
Lieutenant Egerton. of he Power
full. is dead. General Joubert sent in
Major G. S. Kincaid of the Royal Irish
Fusiliers, and line wounded prisoners.
Eight Beers were sent out in exchange,
no Others being fit to travel.
Colonel Breck'churst, with caval-
ry, field artillery, the Imperial Light
Horse and the Natal mounted volun-
teers, was engaged to-day with the en-
envy TO the southwest of Ladysmith.
The fighting lasted several hours. Our
loss was very small.
"Ihe bombardment of Ladysmith
continued yesterday and to-day, many
Boer shells being pitched into the
town.
"'Our troops are in good health and
spirits, and the wounded are doing
we'll
Il think General French's name is
given by mi. take for that of Breckle-
hurst"
London, Nov. 1.-The war office has
issued the following announcement:
The colonial office has received in
formation TO the effect that the troops
have withdrawn from Colenso and
have concentrates farther south. but
we have no news of any engagement in
that neighbOrhoud."
The evacuation of Colenso is un-
doubtedly n most serious matter for the
British in Natal, as it not only t~estifies
TO the complete investment of Lady
smith by the Beers. but makes the re-
lief of Genera Sir George Stuart White
an extremely difficult operation.
Colcnso is the point where the rail.
way from ladysmith crosses the IIl.
CELIA river, which is now In flood. The
town Itself is of small Importance. Ii
is dominated by the hills on the north
side of the river and so was untenable
If the Beers have advanced. MS they
seem TO have done. Moreover, only n
small naval and colouiul force was sta
TONED nj COlenso.
The seriousness of the evacuation.
however, lies in the fact that Com
General ,Joubcrt. while com
pletely investing Sir George White Mt
lGldySmith, can seize this Tulegn
bridge and, If he has sufficient troops.
can dctach n force and send it south
ward on Pictcrmaritzburg and, in any
ease, by destroying the bridge and rail
way. can prevent any relief expedition
reaching Sir George White for some
time.
"iiilhlN HltL hlIlHllStltlllN predict
that General Ioubert will withdraw
from Natal Immediately after Sir Red
Vers Buller's force enters the Orange
Free State. but the latter cannot be far
on his way for at least three or four
weeks, II even then General .Ioubert
may not decide TO intercept the British
on the Free States open belt. which
would suit the British admirably, but
he may wait until the last momen and
then proceed 10y train back TO Pretoria
and lake up strong defensive positions
on the range of hills lying in front OF
johannesburg and Pretoria.
Thus General Joubcrt might remaln
in Natal several weeks longer. endeay-
oring to force Sir George White into
cnpitulation, the destruction of the tn
gcla river bridge helping him by cut
ting of British relief.
Moreover, another Ruor force is re.
ported TO have marched hIr0ugh Zulu
land i'm thp direction uf --urI,bn ,rl 81