The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-10-14
BOERS Arb BEATEN
SUFFERED SEVERE REFUSES IN
SEVERAL ATTACKS MADE
UPON MAFEKING
Big BATTLE His BEEN FOUGHT
REPORT TO THAT EFFECT HAS
REACHED LONDON, AND IS
PARTIALLY VERIFIED
ARMORED TRAIN DESTROYED

TransvnaI Forces Remove a Rail,
Ditch the Train, and Then Shell
the Wreck From Safe Distance
Gen. Sir George Stewart White
Makes Reconnaissance in Force
activity Among Warsh1ps.
LONDON. Oct. 14-An Edinburgh pa
per, the Scotsman, this morning asserts
that a battle has taken place between
Gen. Sir Stewart White, commanding the
forces in Natal, and the Beers, who en-
tered Natal by way of Van Remnants
pass. Gen. White, the Scotsman says,
is very sanguine of success of the Brit
ish movement.
The foregoing report is considered cor
rect, as the war office has news of a
British advance from Ladysmith, and
was hourly expecting intelligence.
1t is reported that the Beers have
crossed the border at Inggo, and that the
Free State government has taken pos
session of the railway to Vanreenen and
seized a Natal government train.
y dispatch to the Daily Telegraph from
its correspondent at Ladysmith, dated
at noon on Friday, says:
"A strong mobile column, under Gen.
Sir George Stewart White, accompanied
by Gen. Sir Archibald Hunter, proceeded
before daybreak this morning towards
Acton Homes for the purpose of recon-
noitering Gen. Whites object was to
observe what was going on, and also to
test the mobility and efficiency of his
forces. All the men are we'll and the
weather is row fine"
According to a dispatch from Lady
smith to the Standard and the Daily
Telegram, dated Thursday, heavy storms
have begun, and forage is scarce on the
veldt. Therefore nothing is expected to
happen for a few days, unless the Beers,
who were reported to be advancing,
should threaten the British line of de-
fense drawn from Glencoe Junction to
I4adysmith In this case, according to the
dispatch, apprehension is felt as to the
result Gen. White has twelve guns and
The Beers eleven.
The Daily Nails Cape Town correspond
ent, telegraphing Friday evening, says:
II learn on good authority that the
Beers are attacking Mafeking. They are
reported to have already suffered several
repulses. 1t is generally admitted that
Vreyburg cannot stand a strong Boer at
tack"
CAPE COLONY'S COURSE.
According to the Daily Nails Cape
Town correspondent, Mr.. Schreiner,
premier of Cape Colony will undoubt-
edly support the imperial government.
His previous reserve was dictated by a
desire not to drive the extreme Dutch
residents to excuses.
According to the same authority the
railway department had early intimation
of the intention of the Beers to destroy
railway bridges over fourteen streams,
and sent adequate forces to protect these
points. The result was that the Beers
postponed their attempts.
Evart Groebler, member of the volks-
raad for PhilopoHs, has been elected com
mandant general of the Free Trade
forces. He is only thirty-ftve years of
age, is well educated, and was Free
State delegate to the Chicago exhibition.
The correspondent of the Daily Mail
further says that the Free State forces
have completed all preparations for the
destruction of the Bothie bridge, when
that action becomes necessary.
The Prince of Wales has promised to see
Gen. Sir Redvers Butler and his staff Of
from the Waterloo station today. A big
demonstration is expected. 1t is an in
teresting fact that Lord Edward Cecil
son of the Marquis of Salisbury, is with
Col. Baden-Powen at Mafeking.
The Daily Mail correspondent at Dun
dee, Natal, says:
Reports are circulated here that the
Beers have reached Newcastle, but nc
confirmation of either this or of reports
of fighting at Mafeking or Ladysm1tt
are yet arriving
SITUATION IS GRAVE.
The Times this morning discussn the
situation, says:
1T is idle to ignore the fact that if
the Beers make q determined advance, on
q large scale, into Natal, as appears to
be the case, a sustained condition of mas
terly inactivity might become hopelessly
out of the question. We have no means
of ascertaining exactly the number Of
troops at Ladysmith GLENCOE and Dun
dee, and, if we had, it would not be ex-
pedient to discuss the point But if
1200O Free State troops are to be encoun-
tered, in addition to Commandant
General Jouberts command, the
situation is undoubtedly grave.
and further details will be await,
ed with anxiety. A point in ia,
vor of the defense is that the Free
State and Transvaal Beers are not ac-
customed to working in unison, and that
any attempt on their part to apply the
principle of converging columns to an at
tack on Ladysmith would not be likely
to meet with complete success.
The armOred train incident IS re-
grettable, but it is scarcely disastrous.
except that it tends to cut off Mafek ng
with touch with Plumbers force in
Rhodesia.''
GENERAL ATTACK EXPECTED.
The Ladysrith correspondent of the
Daily News telegraphs his paper under
date of Thursday that it is anticipated
the enemy will attack simultaneously
Dundee, Glencoe and Ladysmith. The
defending force, he says, includes the
Natal mounted infantry and ca b;re RS.
all remarkably smart and workmanlike.
The main Boer force of II, 900 men is at
Sandspruit. The correspond ant adds:
Much discomfort exists here owing ia
the presence of suspected Boer sympa-
thizers. The troops are kept under arms
and the volunteers are ordered to sleep
booted and spurred, ready for instant
call"
KIPLING SUPPORTS GOVERNMENT
LONDON, Oct bat Brighton this