Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-10-13


LY--LAING'S MEX AND INGOGO
OCCUPIED = AN INVASION OF
CAPE COLONY FROM THE
SUOTHERN BORDER OF THE
ORANGE FREE STATE ALSO RE-
PORTED-A NATAL TRAIN CAP
TURED BY BURGHERS-BRIT-
ISH TROOPS DISPOSED so AS TO
RESIST A BOER INVASION OF
BECHUANA LAND.
LADYSMITH, Natal, October H.
TheBoers occupied Laing's Mex the mo-
ment the time limit of the Transvaal
ultimatum expired yesterday, and are
pouring into Natal. Ingogo Heights
have been occupied.
FTee State burghers have seized a
train at Harrismith, which was the
property of the Natal government.
Last night a mounted patrol was stoned
by Beers. The mems orders were not
to fire unless they were fired upon.
LONDON, October 12.-Oficial con-
frmation of the announcement that the
Orange Free State burghers have en-
tered Natal by way of Van Reenen's
pass is at hand. 1t leaves no further
room for doubt that acts of war have
already been committed and that the
campaign has begun.
News of an invasion on the northern
border is also generally accepted as re-
liable. 1t seems improbable, therefore,
that a clash between the forces of
Briton and Boer can long be delayed;
If, indeed, it has not occurred already
A dispatch from Mafeking under to-
days date, says that Col. Powell
has just sent a strong British force
from Mafeking towards the border,
with field guns and ambulances, pre-
sumably with view of occupying ad-
vantageous defensive high ground.
Dispatches from Durham, Natal, con-
firm the report that the Orange Free
State authorities seized the Natal train
that was leaving Ladysmith yesterday
morning for Harrismith. They also
stopped train due to leave Harri-
smith in the afternoon. All the roll
ing stocks has been ordered down the
country, out of reach of seizure. 1t is
understood that Geographic communf-
cation with the Transvaal ceased at 5
o'clock yesterday afternoon (Transvaal
time).
According to a dispatch from Cape
Town it is asserted there that the Beers
have arranged with Chief Linch-We, a
prominent chief on the northwestern
border, to take up arms against Great
Britain.
The Free State burghers, according
to private message, have crossed the
Orange river into Cape Colony and
have occupied Philipstown. Their OBJ
jeet, it is supposed, is to cut the rail-
way at De Aar junction, which is con-
slderesi an important strategic point
This mornings dispatches furnish de-
tails of the situation on the frontier
and enable clearer exposition of the
military status. 1t now seems that the
Beers intend to act in two columns,
those from the Transvaal working from
the north and those from the Orange
Free State working from the west with
the object of keeping the British forces
at Ladysmith and Dundee occupied,
while parties of Beers slip past to de-
stroy the bridges along the railway
forming the line of communication be-
cween the British at Durham, Natal, the
advanced base at Pietermaritzburg and
the front.
1t is regarded as possible that the
Beers will attempt to occupy Estcourt.
where there are only a hundred men
of the naval brigade; and the news
that the Beers are raiding Zululand in
the neighborhood of Eshowe is taken
as a confirmation of this possibility.
An easy road connects Eshowe and
Estcourt through Greytown and Pam
poennek, and from Greytown IL is all
SO an easy reach to Howick to the
south. Ii the bridges along tae I'm
gent river were destroyed this would
enormously increase the difficulty of
reinforcing the British
However, it is still suspected that the
entire Boer concentration on the from
tier of Natal may be merely al elabor-
ate feint to draw of attention from
Mafeking, which many experts regard
as the real objective Of the Beers. A
successful dash there would give the
Beers great prestige with the disaffect-
ed Afrikanders in Cape Colony. Col
Baden-Powelfs movement at Mafeking
this morning is held to indicate that
lie is not only prepared for sharp
fighting. but probably expects it at
that point.
All kinds of rumors are telegra2hed
from South Africa regarding the 3oer
movements. Apart II ~ the advance
of the Volksrust and Van Keenan, COM
mandoes. reports have arrived of the
concentration nf the Trfraaht apJ Urx-