The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-10-24
BRITISH IN A TIGHT PLACE


Ao'AeA hHht W al OHice hs AEepurhhS .M'
Public Mind for Bad News-Littl'
Light Thrown on the esituation-Natnl
Forces Mny be Compelled TO With
draw Roers Thought to be Advancing 6
In Overwhelming Observation-Disclosures
ley Holding Out.
London, Oct 24.--No news yet receiv-
ed tends to quite dispel the apprehen-
sion caused by Lord Wolseley's brief
summary of the situation in parliament
to-day. A Pietermaritzburg despatch
says that the censor now permits no
messages to be sent from the front.
Other dispatches represent the Beers
as boasting that Dundee is absolutely
cut off and assert that despite the Brit
ish victories the situation is still uncer-
tain.
The Pretoria despatch giving the re-
port of General Joubert to the govern
ment evidently refers to the first bat
tie at Glencoe and the reasons why
Commandant Erasmus failed to come to
the assistance of Commandant Meyer
cannot be fathomed. Had he done so,
the British victory might have been
still more dearly bought Probably
Commandant Meyer having arrived at
the rendezvous first sought to get the
glory of wiping out the British himself
oo1y
the others. If so, the Beers suffered
badly by his hastiness.
1t appears certain, however, that the
brilliant victory at Elanslaagate was
productive of no effect or the relief of
Glencoe, and the very reticence and
brevity of Lord Wolseley's communl-
cation is only too ominous. 1t seems
to be worded to prepare the public Tor
bad news, and 1t is only too likely that
General Yufe has been compelled to
abandon the wounded and the prison.
ers at Dundee because his force is too
weak to hold the four and half miles
separating Dundee from Glencoe Prob
ably General Yuie believes that he can
not better prevent the enemy advancing
from the northwest than by concentrat-
ing all his strength at Glencoe, In the
meantime efforts will be made to reopen
the railway to get reinforcements from
Ladysmith.
1t is expected that Commandant Err
mastus has by this time Joined General
Joubert and that their combined col
umns amount to 11,000 or $4,000 men,
while the Free State Beers are now
Ladysmith from the east
and a column is reported to be coming
through Zululand.
The enemy, although their plan,
which is supposed to have been formed
by Colonel Schiels, failed, may be fairly
credited with having isolated General
Yule's brigade and divided the British
forces in Natal. General Yule may
find himself in a tight place. 1t is
quite evident that the war office has
news which has been withheld from the
public and if the situation as here
sketched is confirmed Boer divisions
may be expected at other frontier
points. Up to midnight the war office
was besieged with anxious inquiries. |
The heavy list of British losses caused |
much heart-burning. "If this said |
one workingman who was reading the |
list SIS the price of suzerainty, Good |
Lord, we are paying in full 1t Is |
regarded as not impossible that General |
White may yet be compelled to with
draw all the forces at Ladysmith and
await the arrival of the army corps.
The war office has received this des-
patch from General Sir George Stewart |
White, British commander-in-chief in |
Natal, dated at Ladysmith camp at
L:45 %. M: General Yule telegraphed |
ne yesterday evening that the wound
ID at Dundee were doing well" This
partly relieves the anxiety re-
Glencoe, as the British there
lad evidently not been ATTACKED up to
asst evening.
A despatch from Ladysmith, Natal,
lated Ais yesterday afternoon has just
,een received. 1t is a reiteration of
,ape Towns Glencoe advices of yester-
Law and it is regarded as somewhat
,minous that nothing has since been
eceiyed respecting the result, and es-
,ecially when viewed in the light of
,ord Wolseley's statement that Gener-
il Yule's force felt it necessary to re-
ire from Dundee to Glencoe junction.
,eneral Yule evidently is in a tight
orner, as he now has or had to face
|
seneral Sir Stewart White, the British
chief in Natal, will un-
detach part of the force
which was victorious at Elandslaagte
, his assistance. Such a detachment
owever, will leave Ladysmith poorly .
rotected against the threatened attack
rom the west as General Hunter on
aturday, taking his force to Glands
aagte left him only couple of battal-
ms of regulars, a mountain battery
nd FIVE hundred Natal volunteers to
efend the town, which is the British
liltary base in North Natal Further
ews, therefore, is anxiously awaited. Z
O Attack ON Glencoe Camp Saturday,
Advices Referred to Fridays Battle.