The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-10-20
THE FORCES OF THE PARTIES HERE
ABOUT EQUAL
NO PITCHED BATTLE REPORTED
engagements at Several Points Limit
ed TO Meetingsof Outpoets-Heavies
Fighting Before Kimberley end Ma
fekfng Newcastle Abandoned by the
British-Boers Advance Beyond This
Point-RafIway and Telegraph Conn
munication Cut

London, October 1.-THE Cape Town
correspondent of The Morning Leader
tlegraphing Sunday night says: 1t is
reported that fighting began at Kim
berley this morning. The railway has
been cut at Belmont. A special dispatch
filed at Dundee, Natal, Sunday after
noon, reports that Commandant VII
joen's force has left Newcastle for
Dannhauser, where the Transvaal flag
has been hoisted over the town hall.
The gradual cutting off of outlying
points at the scene of hostilities in
South Africa from telegraph communi-
cation reduces the accurate news OBJ
tainable to "a minimum. Thus, far,
however, no reliable information has
been received of any actual fighting
outside Of h affair at Kraaipan and
occasional exchanges of shots at va
rious outposts.
The only, salient facts in this morn
ing'S kilograms are that the Beers
ave advanced beyond Newcastle, which
they captured Saturday, and formed a
lager nea Dannhauser, abou twelve
miles north Of Dundee, and that Kim
berley is isolated and probably invest
Ell. hlInDeTley mas mus become the
immediate center of interest.
AS there are 5000 troops there, little
anxiety is felt for the safety of the
town, es~pecially~as the Boer forces are
said to De only of about the same
strength. Many stories of brisk fight
ing at hat point are in circulation.
The alleged virulence of the Boo at
tacks upon Mafeking and Kimberley
can readily be understood when it is
~@oI.-~1 Io@ 1--l - 49,
Beers what AlSace-Loraine is to
France. 1t is, therefore, probable that
both towns will be forced to undergo
a long and dreary investment before
the British are in a position to send a
relieving column.
On the other side of the country, the
Beers are closing around the British
OntpOstS and had already come into
touch with them and exchanged shots
Durham, October 1.-two eXtraordi-
nary gazetteS have been issued. The
first proclaims martial law in the New
castle, Dundee, Kip River, Unsiga and
Upper Tugila divisions. The reason
given is a belief that Natal subjects
have Joined the invading Beers and as.
sisted the enemy.
The other gazette reminds British
subjects of their obligation to the queer
and warns them to abstain from inter
| COuISc anu IIdUe Will The lTdlSNdd
and the Orange Free State.
Fifteen refugees from Harrismitt
have reached Ladysmith. Among them
is the guard of the Natal train which
was commandered by the Orange Free
State. He says that the English driv.
er and fireman were detained to worl
the train, which is used in carrying
troops to Van Reenen's ass where
earthworks have been thrown up anC
two guns placed.
Cape Town, October 16.-The Orange
Free State troops lave cut the tele'
graph wires and destroyed the railway
track at Norvals point, just across tn,
Free State southern border.
A dispatch from Dundee, Natal, sayi
that a Boer commando, estimated a
1000 men, with sixteen field guns, ha.
reached Dannhauser, northeast O
Dundee, with the probable intention O
surrounding Dundee.
London, October 1.-THE war offic,
has issued the following note this af
ternoon with respect to the situation il
South Africa:
1.-The dispatches received do not poin
to any material change in the militar.
situation. Small bodies of Beers ar,
reported to nave crossed the Nata
frontier at various points, and en-
trenchments are said to have beef
thrown up at "a Reenen's pass"