The Topeka state journal., 1899-12-07
OPEN To
Gen. Methuen Reports That
Communication Is Restored.
Orange Free State Annexes
Some More Territory.
TUGELA BRIDGE RUIN
Beers Planting Shells In Lady
smith With Great Accuracy.
Much Firing Heard In the Di-
rectiOn of StOrmburg.

London Dec THE war Office has
received the following message from
General Forestier-Wall1er the British
commander at Cape Town:
Wednesday, Dec. General Me-
thuen wires today that he has resumed
command and is nightly in communica-
tiOn with Kimberley. The health of the
troops is excellent"
A SORTIE AT KIMBERLEY
Pretoria. Wednesday, Dec. 6.-Oficial
dispatches received here from the diff
ferert BeOr forces, say all is quiet, eX-
cept at Kimberley, where an armOred
train made a sortie this morning
The Orange Free State has proclaim
ed the annexation of DOrdrecht, about
so miles north of Queenstown, Cape
Colony.
The TugeIa bridge, it is also announc-
ed, is so completely ruined that it viii
be a work of great magnitude for either
belliSerent to restore it The British
fired on some Republican scouts of the
Tugela this morning. There were no
casualties.
a newspaper correspondent named
Lynch, who entered the BOer lines at
Ladysmith on Monday, with the alleged
purpose of exchanging newspapers, has
been made a prisoner and will be
brought to Pretoria.
EFFECTIVE BOER FIRE.
Iadysmith, Saturday, December 2
The hottest bOmbardment of the siege
took place last Thursday. The Beers
got a new big gun in position on Iom-
bard'S kOpje, completely commanding
the town. and Shelled our camp that
day and yesterday, planting shells with
great accuracy in the camp of the Cor
don Highlanders, and the Manchester
regiment. where there We're many mar
row escapes. Today the enemy resumed
the commandment, doing some very eff
fectiVe shooting. Several of our suns
have been shattered by the BOer big
gun.
FIGHTING ABOUT STORMBURG.
Queenstown. Cape Colony, Saturday,
Dec. 2.-The Beers have become very
active in the country around StOrmburS
Junction, to which General Getacre will
make his next move
The telegraph lines have been cut in
various places and communication with
Steinburg, DOrdrecht and Marazsburg,
has been severed. It is believed here
that the Beers have occupied Stems
burg Firing has been heard in the di-
rectiOn of StOrmburg, probably be
tween General Getacre's vanguard and
the BOer command.
CLOSING IN ON LADYSMITH.
London, Dec. 7.-Ladysmith has es-
tablished photographic communication
with Frere, and it is reported that all
was we'll up to Sunday. A dispatch from
the BOer laager by way of Lourenzo
Marques. dated Thursday, November
80, confirms the report that the com
mandOs have been closing in upon
Ladysmith and mounting big guns in
new positions
According to the same advices. a
heavy cannOnade has been maintained
ard general assault had been ordered
for Thursday morning, but was coun-
termanded at the last moment
MOdder river dispatches says that the
Beers are encamped amid the hills half
way to Kimberley: but it is also as
serted that a large body of the enemy
has gone in the direction of JacObsdale.
1t is possible, therefore, that Lord
Methuen may endeaVOr to clear his
RIGHT flank a a -T90nhS79 1a hafOra
continuing his advance. He is still
awaiting at MOdder river for stores,
guns and ammunition.
The SOrUie from Kimberley on No
vember % appears to have been much
more serious than had been supposed.
Details are now arriving of a recon
nOisSance in force by mounted troops
under Major Scott-Turner. at dawn in
the direction of a ridge near Carter's
farm, where the Beers We're strongly
entrenched. Finding the BOer pickets
asleep, Major ScOtt-Turner proceeded
along the ridge under cover and rushed
the BOer redOubts at BPS m, in the
face of hail of bullets.
The Beers hOiSted a white flag and
fired at the British under it's protection
before surrendering- Owing possibly
to the exhaustion of their ammunition,
the British were unable to follow up the
attack and to seize a large BOer Iaager
about 800 yards ahead, especially as
BOer reinfOrcements were seen ap-
preaching and the enemy was keeping
up heavy fire from the shelter of the
thick bush.
During the sortie an armored train
recOnnOitered north and south, while
a considerable force of British with
field guns and MaXims advanced tow
ard SpytzfOntein, holding the Beers in
check in that direction. Ten guns were
engaged simultaneously, and, viewed
from the coming tower, an artillery
duel seemed proceeding in every direc-
ton. except toward KenilWOrth the
fusillade being terrific.
At S O'Clock. having no force sufficient
to hold the position he had stOrmed.
Major ScOtt-Turner began gradually
retiring his men. He had horse shot
under him, and bullet went through
the fIeshy part of his shoulder.
Several men had terrible wounds
1t is alleged that the Beers used Mar
tinas and explosive bullets and that
they frequently fired at the British am
bulance wagons.
The British captured twenty eight of
the enemy.
There appears to be some doubt as to
whether this was the reconnaissance in
which, according to the announcement
of the war office, Major Scott-Turner
was killed or whether that officer met
his fate in a subsequent sOrtie.
Some of the special dispatches repre-
sent that he was killed while leading
the final attack on the BOer position on
November IS. If this be correct il. looks
like sOrtie concerted with Lord Meth
uen-
The Times prints a letter from an
American citizen who left Johannes
burg because he was liable to be i'm
pressed and who had learned that the
United States consul was unable to
protect him. He complains bitterly
that the American flag was not ras0acf-