The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-11-25

| London Nov. 25, a. m.-Thus far
| special dispatches describing the battle
of Belmont bear stereotyped cnarac-
| ter, proving that the hands of the CEN
| sor has been at work upon them. They
are too incoherent to enable the reader
| to form an accurate. idea of the event
or to place proper estimate upon lie
value of the victory. All the accounts
agree respecting the splendid fighting
! qualities exhibited on both sides. Moth
ing could have exceeded the steady
courage and pluck Of the British in
| fantry in the face of the terrific fire;
while the Boer guns were splendidly
served, the gunners standing to them
| with dogged determination, exposing
themselves until the very last moment
and only becoming wild and inaceu-
rate in their aim during the final deadly
charge Of the British infantry.
| All admit, however, that the victoly
could not be properly followed up and
utilized, owing to the want of sufficient
cavalry The pursuit CT the defeated
enemy by the Fifth lancers was evil
IDENTIFY not very effective and, curiously
| enough, while the correspondents re-
port the capture of Boer guns, Lord
Methuen's own reports omit any mem
tion of such an achievement.
1 One statement says: THE remnant
| Of the Boer army sought to escape to-
ward the Orange Free State, territory"
| AS all the evidence tends to show that
| the enemy's retirement was orderly,
he will doubtless be heard of elsewhere.
| The correspondent of the Times at Bel
mont says:
After the battle the laager was
burned and the ammunition destroyed.
| Cavalry and mounted infantry on both
l rr&Tr~ 4. l,,,A
unable to overtake the retreating Beers.
| The Boer rout was complete and their
losses are believed to equal ours. They
| used some dun-dum bullets. Every
thing was in their favor. 1t is rumored
| that there have been some threats to
assassinate the burghers. who are tired
| of war and are deserting."
On the whole 1t almost seems safe to
| assume that the Beers guns We're not
| captured. The striking proof accorded
Of the excellent material General Me-
thuen has in his brigades is, however, a
matter of great satisfaction in London.
| There is an unconf1rmed rumor that the
correspondence seized in the Boer camp
contains evidence of reasonable COM
'munication between the Beers and the
| Dutch colonists.
General Whites dispatch of Wednes-
day effectualiy disposes Of al rumors
| of another sortie from Ladysmith and
of. the defeat of the Beers The situa-
| tion in Natal remains unchanged, the
sortie from Estcourt to Willow Grange
having little effect.
The position of Mafeking is beginning
to be regarded with anxiety in view OF
the impossibility of Lord Methneu be-
| ing able to relieve the town for. some
| time to come. A crowd of people were
waiting at the war Office last evening
until late hour for the lists of those
killed, wounded or missing in the bat
| tie of Belmont, but nothing was pub
lished in addition to General Methuen's
| first dispatch. Buffers. destination is
| kept strict secret at Cape Town, some
reports saying that he has gone north
and others that he has gone to Durham,
as already cabled.
| A dispatch to the Times from Mooi
river gives the British. casualties in
the Willow Grange affair as three kill
ed and A wounded This is the first
news of such a. heavy loss and, if cor
| rect, suggests a repetition of General
| Whites unfortunate action of Oct. 30.
The Pietermaritzburg correspondent
| of the Daily Mail. describing the same
sortie, says: THE British surprised
the Beers. carried their position, cap
| tured all their equipment and returned
to Esstcourt in safety. General Hid
yard was well satisfied with their
| work"
The Daily Nails correspondent at
Naaumpoort says: "An open, unsigned
! letter, smuggled through from Coles
burg, says Commandant Cobbler has
arrested 10 prominent Englishmen and
threatened to shoot them il any harm
| is done to Van Renseburg ringleader Of
| the Colesburg rebels, who was captured
| by the British and is to be tried for
| treason