The record-union., 1899-10-17

diate center of interest. The last mes
sage from Kimberly prior to the cut
ting of the telegraph and the railway
line by the Beers said: 'All the troops
at Kimberly are WELL
As there are 5000 troops, there is lit
tie anxiety for the safety of the town,
especially as the Boer force is said to
be only of about the same strength.
Many stories of brisk fighting at that
point are in circulation. but although
the forces are likely to have come into
contact, all alleged details must be re-
garded as premature and speculative,
especially if the report be true that
the Orange Free State troops are now
in complete possession of the railway
from Kimberly to Orange River, sew
enty miles away The alleged virulence
of the Boer attacks upon Mafeking and
Kimberly can readily be understood,
when it is realized that Bechuanaland
is to the Beers what Alsace-L Lorraine
is to France 1t is, therefore, probable
that both towns will be forced to un-
dergo long and dreary investment be-
fore 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
outposts and have already come into
touch with them, and exchanged shots.
Therefore more stirring news is eX-
pected.
Advices from Cape Town relate that
excitement is kept up there by cease
less reports Of battles but that little
uneasiness is visible in official circles,
where the opinion prevails that Mafek-
ing and Kimberly are safe. 1t is
thought, too, that the Beers are not
likely to attack Vryburg, in Bechuana-
land, owing to the fact that the popu-
lation of that district is largely Dutch.
1t is assumed that the refusal of the
Beers to accept battle in Natal last
week, when General Sir George White
advanced and endeavored to draw them
through Van Reenan's Pass, indicates
their unwillingness to commence hos
tilities.
On the other hand, the Beers are
probably too astute to play the Brit
ish game at the risk of an engagement
on ground where artillery could be
brought into play and cavalry moved
rapidly.
The narrow city streets adjoining the
Guild Hall and the Stock Exchange
were crowded to-day The immediate
occasion was the meeting convened by
the Lord Mayor of London, Sir John
Voce Moore, to declare the confidence
Of business men in the city proper in
the South African policy of the Gov
ernment.
Hundreds of the members of the
Stock and Wool Exchanges and of the
great banking and underwriting firms
formed procession in front of their
various offices and marched to the
Guild Hall, singing the national airs
and waving flags, accommodating masses
of troops at every turn.
The Guild Hall was packed with peo-
pie. A band stationed in the orches-
| trail gallery led off in patriotic airs
which were taken up by the audience
amid the waving of numberless Union
Jacks
The Lord Mayor and Sheriffs were
loudly cheered on arriving, and the
name of President Kruger provoked a
storm of ''poohs.' A resolution extoll-
ing the Premier. Lord Salisbury, and
the Secretary of the State for the Col
onies, Mr.. Chamberlain, was proposed
John Lubbock, Unionist member OF
Parliament for London University, an6
enthusiastically adopted.
| Patriotic demonstrations took place
to-day at Birmingham, Crewe and other
towns, from which reserves started fol
Aldershot.
| The Atlantic Transport Company
| which gave the United States a trans.
port ship for hospital purposes, during
! the war with Spain, has now done
Great Britain a similar service. The
Admiralty has gladly accepted the ship
which is named the Maine.
| CAPE TOWN, Oct 16-The Orange
Free State troops have cut the tele
graph wires and destroyed the railroad
track at Norvalspont, just across the
Orange Free State southern borders.
| A dispatch from Dundee, Natal, say:
| that a Boer commando, estimated a
1000 men, with sixteen field guns, has
reached Dannhauser, northeast of Dun
dee, with the probable intention of sur
rounding Dundee and cutting off tht
garrison from communication will
Glencoe and Ladysmith.
1t is supposed that this force is com
manded by Commandant Viljoen anC
| comprises the German gunnerS. Tht
rest of the Boer force from Newcastle
is believed to be marching around Glen
coe to sever it's connection with Lady
/ smith. AS the refugees in Cape To>T
threaten to become troublesome, an(
have hooted and mobbed a number o.
| leading Dutchmen, there is some ex
pectation that martial law will be pro
| claimed.