St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1899-11-01
WAR IN THE TRANSVAAL.

London, Oct. Silt Is believed that
terrific battle Is raging around Lady
smith. The Beers are pressing in to cap
ture the place at all costs, and General
White and his command are in position
Of great peril.
The opinion Is general that the fight
ing at Ladysmith yesterday was in
reality defeat for the British troops.
AS a result there is much gloom and anx-
iety everywhere, and much fear Is ex-
pressed for the safety of General White
and his command.
Many fear that the rumor which was
circulated to the effect that the forces
at Ladysmith had been compelled to
surrender may soon prove a terrible
reality.
The belief that the British were
worsted Is based not alone on frag-
mentary dispatches which arrived dur
ing the evening, but on the official dis
patch Of General White himself.
1t Is openly asserted that no British
commander ever sent such gloomy,
unsatisfactory report unless the tide was
setting very much against him.
Twice In the dispatch he speaks of the
enemy being "in great numbers" He
says the enemy had many guns" and
what Is more significant, he says the
enemy had the better artillery.
On reading between the lines one sees
the possibility Of great disaster to the
British troops. 1t seems almost GER
tainty that two whole battalions, with
mountain battery, have been cut off
and captured or destroyed by the Beers.
General White says that the two bat
talions advanced against Boer position
Sunday night, and that during the night
firing the battery mules stampeded with
some Of the guns" Then he adds: THE
two battalions have not yet returned, but
are expected this evening" The opinion
| Is general that the Beers have got the
guns and the mules and the battalions.
| He also speaks Of pushing the Beers
back" but yet says that he withdrew his
troops to their former positions. He
| says he could not reach the Boer lager,
and the Interpretation given this part of
his dispatch is that he was compelled to
retreat before the enemy, who showed
in great numbers and had many guns"
The Beers seem to be adopting willy
tactics. They pretend to occupy posi-
ton, but when sought they are not there
1t is evident from General Whites dis
patch that they have been bombarding
the town for several hours, and that they
are still at 1t. A general attack seems
likely at any moment, and it Is believed
that fearful battle Is on at the present
moment.
1t Is disappointing to the British pub
lie, as again revealing tactical skill of an
unexpectedly high order on the side Of
the Beers. In addition to a number of
heavy guns, the transport of which
causes wonderment here, they have
available marvellous ability. Unless
commanded by skillful European off,
GERS, it Is hardly considered probable
that Boer farmers would have assumed
feigned position, as they evidently did,
in front Of the right column, with the
intention Of retreating from it to their
real line Of defense and of inducing the
British to attack over a fire-swept zone.
The special dispatches describing the
engagement again fail to confirm GEN
eral Whites official account, that the
Beers were pushed back several miles.
When 1t is considered that the censor
ship Is very severe, the only conclusion
that can be arrived at is that the action
was extremely conclusive.
The fighting began with frontal at.
tack on the main Roer position, which,
however was found evacuated. The
enemy, having retired, now made a
change of 'front.' and developed heavy
attack on Colonel Grimwood's brigade.
To meet this, the British artillery, which
had been Smelling the evacuated posi-
ton, also changed front.
Grimwoods brigade was promptly re-
inforced, but soon was obliged to fall
back rapidly, with consequences which
might have been serious had not the
Fifty-t third field battery plrckily COW
cred the movement at considerable loss
to itself
1t Is quite certain that General White
failed to accomplish the object he in
tended, and yesterdays proceedings are
an instructive example of the difficulty
of operations when an enemy holds ar
extended position, from which he is able
to make sudden and unexpected develop
ments and changes of front.
General Butler cannot arrive at the
scene of lighting until the end Of thi.
week. In the meantime General White
will need all his resources to prevent
the Beers around Ladysmith linking
their forces.
The omission of all details likely t
give a true idea of the position from
General Whites dispatches may be due
to his reticence, but editing by war Off
Gals is likely to be again severely com
mented upon
Except a vague reference in The
Standard none of the special dispatches
mention the two missing battalions
statements regarding them evidently
having been excised by the censor.
Ferrybca Sunk BY Steamer.
New York, Oct. 31.-The Pennsylvania
ferryboat Chicago was cut in two by
steamer said to belong to the Old Do