Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1899-10-21

maintained stout resistance. The fir
Ing was heavy. The country about Ac.
ton Homes being more open, the British
mounted volunteers there are retiring
Upon Dewdrop. Two thousand Beers
were engaged at Acton Homes, and
rather fewer at Bester's station. 1t Is
reported that the enemy there is hemmed
In and suffering severely.
The Daily Telegraph. commenting up
on the foregoing dispatch. says: 1t is
difficult to understand the references to
Glencoe and Bester's Station. except
upon the theory that Commandant Gen.
eral Joubert Is dividing his forces.
The Cape Town correspondent Of The
Times, under date of Tuesday. says:
All Is we'll at Kimberly. though COM
municat tion is almost entirely cut. There
Is no means of learning anything that
happens north Of the Orange river. un-
less. perhaps, by way Of RhOdesia and
Beira.
A considerable engagement Is antici-
pated in the vicinity of Ladysmith to-
day. The combined advance of Boel
and Free State troops in this direction
has been executed with not incOnsider-
able skill. and shows clear apprecia-
ton of the British position. General
White has 1000 men and 46 guns avail
able, besides considerable of volunteers
to hold Ladysmith. and no anxiety Is felt
on his account, for the Natal country
where the engagement is expected is
fairly open, and, although the work Of
moving them will be difficult, the guns
are likely to do good work.
The country is not favorable for Boer
tactics, and it will be very difficult for
them to avoid the exposure of flanks
to attack by vigorous and mobile
enemy already occupying: useful posi-
tiOns, that is, supposing they really mean
to fight and not merely to attempt to
draw General White further out, with a
view of surrounding him.
General White has a large body of ex-
cellent cavalry, which will be put to
good use.
1t Is stated that the enemys scouts are
almost in touch with the Outposts at
Glencoe. The Beers are working around
both sides with the idea of getting south
Of Ladysmith and attacking in force,
with the cooperation of Comma ndant
General Joubert.
At Glencoe, the British patrol covered
a wide area in order to prevent outfiank-
ing and were subjected to hot fire in
persistent skirmishing.
No confirmation has been received Of
the report Of serious Boer losses at
Mafeking, but stories arriving from
various points are so persistent and cir
cumstantial that 1t appears probabl the
burghers have met with some measure
of reverse. Accounts Of the action at
Mafeking are now beginning to arrive
from Pretoria. Therefore, IL the Beers
had any success. 1t Is bound soon to be
known. As foreshadowed yesterday,
they have succeeded in cutting off the
water supply at Mafeking, but 1t is said
that there are sufficient wells In the town
to supply the inhabitants.
A new and serious element In the mill
tary situation is the rising Of the war;
like tribe Of Basutos. under Chief
Moheko, against the Orange Free State.
The British must keep the Basutuos
quiet. The paramount chief, Lerothodi,
has thus far behaved well. Reports are
current, however, that the other chiefs
may follow the example of Moheko.
Moreover. the unrest among the tribes-
men Is spreading into Zululand.
Advices from Pretoria, summarizing
the reports to the Transvaal government
from General Cronje, in command at the
chief laager, on the west side. announce
that the Marico and Rustenburg COM
manders, with field telegraph occupied
Burmann's drift, near the outskirts Of
Mafeking, on Monday, and took possess
sion Of fountain In the neighborhood,
thus cutting off the water supply of the
town. The Boer artillery then began
shelling, but the British did not reply.
The havoc the Beers are making with
the railway and telegraph lines will seri-
ously impede the movements of General
Buffers army corps There are conflict
Ing reports as to. whether the Beers have
or have not occupied Helpmakaar. Ac-
cording to the best accounts the rumor
that they have done SO is untrue: but II
the Beers have succeeded in this
maneuver they are completely around
the right Of General Whites position and
will be able either to attack him at an
advantage or move down into Natal be-
hind him. The Daily News points this
out and seems to think that IL the Beers
loop their way through Zulu territory or
Basutoland the natives ought to be per-
mitted to exact respect for their own
territory.
The Morning Post criticizes Englands
apparent weakness for defensive actions
with inadequate forces. and says that II
Colonel Baden-Pswell holds his own 1t
Will be because his assailants are be-
meath contempt. .
The Times editorially complains of the
lax observance of neutrality on the part
OF some OF the states i'm permitting the
systematic recruiting and enlistment Of
men openly and ostentatiouslyf for service
against England in South Africa. Re.