New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-10-30
THE NEWS FROM NATAL.
GENERAL WHITE NOW HAS
FIFTEEN THOUSAND MEN.
BOER COLUMNS SAID TO HAVE UNITED
BEFORE LADYSMITH- GENERAL
JOUBERTS TACTICS.
LnY cARLE TO TIE rnInrNr.l

and local levies from Pietermartzburg until It
includes fully 5000 men. with additional bat
talions moving up from the coast
The censorship has been screwed UP TO the
highest tension in the last three days, but the
object Of the British reconnaissance in force from
Ladysmth is readily explained by military writ
ers for to-day's London papers It was an at
tempt 10 draw the Boer force, which had been
twice attacked. into another engagement before
& could be- heavily reinforced from the main
body under Joubert General White had not
succeeded in his purpose Saturday. and, while
the War Onlce was suspected Of suppressing
important dispatches. the situation in Natal
was unchanged BY the scanty news re-
ceived yesterday great battle still seems Inn
minont, since two large Boer forces are report
cd near Ladysmith. even If General White has
not made a determined attack on the enemy's
position.
not LIKELY TO INITIATE SHERMAN.
General Joubert is credited by more than one
military writer with using Fabian tactics at
I.adysmlth. where General Whites force be
masked by an army Of equal strength acting on
the defensive and also with the bold maneuvre
Of overrunning Natal with the remainder Of his
troops and striking at PietermartZburg and
Durham. It is not easy to believe that he will
cut off his own communications with Laing's
Mex and march TO the sea. Sherman set out
from Atlanta for the coast. and there IS one
sharp line Of div argence between the two mill
tary situations. Sherman knew that ne would
have command OF the sea when he reached Sa-
vannah. but Joubert at Durham would be
posed to attack from the British feet.
a rumor has reached London that consider
able Boer force Is moving from Vryheid on Mel
moth. IN Zululand. wherce the distance to Dur
ban would boz something over hundred miles, but
this is a slender foundation for the theory that
the Beers may repeat Shermans strategy and
make bold dash for the sea What the" are
more likely to do is TO break off the communica-
tions Of Ladysmith with the by sending
body Of raiders from the Free State mountain
passes to blow up the bridges over the streams,
which are now swollen with the rains. when
this has been done and every wire to the coast
cut Joub4rts forces can be concentrated against
General Whites army and all supplies and rein
forcements for Ladysmith be intercepted This
Is what some Of the shrewdest military experts
are expecting But they are undertaking Gen
eral Whites vigilance and intelligence and are
giving the Boer commanders more credit for
strategica skill mobility and manPuvring
power than has yet been displayed. While Cen
eral White is compelled to defend Ladysmith
and protect his lines Of communication with the
coast. General Joubert can operate In any drec-
tion I'm Natal without being exposed t. flank
attack and without having his retreat to Dutch
/ territory cut Off The best explanation Of Cen
era Whites second reconnaissance in force is
that ne suspects General Jouberts intention Of
throwing a large force between him AMI his
coast base and is eager t. draw the Beers into
n pitched battle near Ladysmth and inflict a
crushing defeat
LITTLE NEWS FROM THE WEST.
There is little news from the western border
where there are three weak garrisons completely
isolated from one another and cut off from rapid
communication with the coast Tho Roers have
tapped the water supply Of Mafeking and are
slowly closing in upon the plucky garrison Mill
tary writer's for the press profess confidence to-
day in Baden-Powels ability to hold out A
less optimistic view is that the town will speedily
/ be burned and the garrison forced TO surrender
All military operations in that quarter are kept
back by impossible roads ana flooding rivers
There Is little new respecting the menace IF an
uprising of black races against the whites
now fehting battle for supremacy. The Basu-
tos. who have 10000 warriors are reported TO be
less excited and more Indifferent to the issue Of
the white mems warfare II is this black menace
that sobers every rejecting Enslishman when
he attempts TO forecast the chances Of war in
Africa.
Little now appears in print about naval prep
aratons This Is because the Government
learned from the comments of the Continental
press that the signs or unwonted activity were
exciting suspicion. and the Admiralty AT once
took effective measures for preventing leakage
Of naval news There are 20 fresh rumors ~
Russian or French intrigue and there IS no
/ probability that any coalition Will hr formed
against England or that any organized attempt
will be made TO bring into operation the aroi;ra-
ton machinery improvised hy the Peace COM
rnissioners. The American Peace Commissioners
AZ Paris established the principle once for all
that arbitration must preceGe not follow an out
break - hostilities. This truth il beginning to
be discerned IN every capital II the Continent
Lord Salisbury took a long look ahead before
Mr. Chamberlain and SIR Alfred Miner opened
negotiations with President KrNger, and II
&c evident that he cleared the field for
action 10y secret understanding with Ger
many which would enectually prevent Eu-
ropean Interference or complications Nhi'
Mr. chamberlain commands much attention
/ I'm these days az q great lHpeTlaIl1t' rms
/ ushmen have not forgotten that they nave ]"
/ Lord Salisbury the most sasacious master VI
/ diplomacy now living.
one other fact is equally apparent hhs'''"
+ intends 10 be thorough TINS time j" SUNNI
once for all the question of race supfem"'' ''
south Africa and the Cape-t'-Oalro
and no European Power VIII DE '''''
,erfere at any stage.
A FREE HAND FOR GhNhNA"
Although to-day's newspapers agree ','a' ,,'s
news of an important battle near i'i'
must arrive at any moment up T." Wv
sending this dispatch there IS niue 'll'''''-
Of a rositi.e character to chronicle. me
apparently are closing IN upon Lazy S''''',r
: ~ - -,-- .-..-.L. L sDnna ,rhera Is Rrent