The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-11-16
Buffers Arrangements Said TO Be
Practically Completed.
A Paris Papers Announcement
That Ladysmith Has Been Cap
tured. by the Beers Causes No
Excitement-C0nd at Ma
feking and Kimberley Altogeth-
er Favorable for the British.

LONDON, Nov. 1916 a. m.-The
most interesting and in fact the only
news of the war now comes from the
western frontier, the accounts OF COZ
onel Baden-Powell's brilliant exploits
at Mafeking forming quite long,
quite lively and encouraging reading
Trench work is quite novel in Boer tao
tics, and some curiosity is evlnced as
to who may be directing them and as
to what is still to be shown.
Nevertheless both at Mafeking ana
Kimberley conditions seem altogether
favorable So far as Natal is con-
cerned the British must possess his
soul in patience and trust to General
Butler.
Beated dispatches from Ladysmith,
dated November It'll, tell of a languid
bombardment, and of a native rumor
that the Basutos are on the warpath,
which is supposed, according to one COR
respondent, to have had the effect of in
ducing some of the Orange Free State
troops to abandon the siege and to re-
turn to their own territory, and also
to be accountable for the slackness of
the attempts on the Ladysmith de-
fences.
Another correspondent says it is re-
ported that in the attack upon the Free
State forces at Dewdrop the Beers had
800 in killed and wounded.
The statement that the Beers are en-
trenched so closely to Ladysmith is
held in some quarters to indicate that
they are running short of ammunition
for guns.
All General Buffers arrangements
for the advance from Durham it is rum
ored are practically completed, and
news of it may be expected in a few
days. The War Office has received sew
eral dispatches dealing with military
details, but it is not likely that these
will be published. The whereabouts of
General Butler is not publicly known
here but he is believed to be up coun-
try somewhere.
The Admiralty has engaged the fast
steamers Gaul, Norman, Donneeastle
and Avondale Castle, to embark the
greater part of the fifth division of
10000 troops at Southampton for the
Cape.
A dispatch to the Daily Mail" dated
at Kimberley Friday, November 10th,
by way of Cape Town, reports an ex-
change of artillery with the Beers that
morning, no damage being done to the
town. Subsequently an armored train
went toward Deconfield, where it was
fired upon by the Beers, after which it
returned to Kimberley in safety.
BOER ASSAULT ON LADYSMITH.
LONDON, Nov. 15.-If the news con-
tanned in the Pretoria dispatch Of
Thursday, November 9th. by way of
Cape Town, Friday November 10th, is
correct and there is reason to believe
it is accurate, as the Boer dispatches
nave almost invariably hitherto rem
dered fairly accurate accounts, it is
claimed here that it implies a gem
eral assault on Ladysmith was
pending when General Joubert's report
was sent off. Attention is called to the
fact that the date, November 9th, is as
sumed to be the date of General
Whites pigeon post message, announc-
ing renewal of the bombardment,
since which nothing has been received
except rumors from Estcourt that the
bombardment was suspended November
10th. 1t is claimed that if the Beers got
their forces within 1,500 yards of the
British position, it shows they fully
realized the necessity of utilizing the
brief interval before the arrival of the
British reinforcements to make a de-
termined attempt to storm General
Whites position.
To successfully advance so close to
Ladysmith the Beers must have been
most active in entrenching, and the
nearness of the beseiging lines, it is
added, indicates their readiness for the
assault which, there has been dispo-
sition in military circles to believe, the
Beers were not willing to undertake.
1t must, however, have been patent to
General Joubert that Ladysmith would
not fall to the fire of his artillery, and
therefore he had no choice but to as
sault the place or retire to the passes
of the Drakensburg. in the hope of in
.volving the pursuing British in the
intricate Businesses of the mountains.
The cessation of the cannonade men
toned in the dispatch, and the opening
of musketry fire, implies, it is claimed,
that the Beers We're obliged to stop
their artillery for fear of hitting their
own men, and that nothing further has
been heard from this moment is regard
ed here as an indication either that the
threatened assault was postponed, or
that the result was indecisive, other
wise it is claimed something further
would have leaked out before now.
A Paris paper to-day gleefully an
nounces the fall and capture of Lady
smith, but reports from this source 70
longer cause a ripple of excitement.
Nevertheless, there will be considerable
anxiety here until the War Office or
some independent version of the latest
developments at Ladysmith is known.
private dispatch from Mafeklng re-
ports that all was we'll there Monday,
November 6th-the details of the fight
ing at Mafeking. received by way of
Cape Town and Magalapye relate to the
engagement of October 18th. already
reported. The story, however, is pleas
ant reading to the British, as it shows
the garrison was cheerful. well pro-
visioned and confident. The possible
revolt of the Basluto chief Joel, who. it
has been announced may join the Beers,
is attributed to tribal jealousy There
has been long a feud between the halt
brothers, Jonathan and Joel, the latter
refusing to recognize his brothers nom-