The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-11-15
BOer Forces Are Gradually Mar
rowing the Circle.
Which They Have Made Around
Kimberley and Mafeking.
TIRED OF FIGHTING.
British Are Weary of DOdging
the Shells.
Bombardment Reported to Have
Done Little Damage.

Cape Town, Friday, Nov 10.-A dis
patch received here from Pretoria un-
der date of Thursday, Nov. 8, says the
reports received there from Ladysnith
said heavy cannOnading started at day
break, that some of the Boer forces
We're within 1900 yards of the British
when the cannonading ceased and rife
fire commenced.
The Pretoria dispatch also announced
that all was quiet at Mafeking and
Kimberley.
An undated dispatch from NIafe1ing
received by a runner via Magalapye,
Wednesday. November s, says:
To-day all is quiet. We have been
bombarded pretty heavily all week
Friday night Capt. Fitz-Clarence and
Lieut. SWinburn, with D squadron CT
the prOtectOrate regiment made mag
nlncent bayOnet charge upon the Beers
entrenchment driving them from their
positions and bayOneting numbers of
the Beers who must have lost very
heavily. The charge was most gallant
and determined. The party could not
hold the trenches and lost six men kill
ed, two prisoners and nine wounded
in their retirement We expect gen
eraI attack tomorrow. The lombard
ment has been most Intellectual Every
one remains under shell-prOOf cover. So
far the shells have only wounded one
man.
The enemy is using one 94-pound
HOWitZer and seven other guns from
seven to fourteen Founders. The town
is most cheerful and determined to re
sist attack to the utmost. The Beers
are entrenched on every side in great
numbers and are pushing gradually
closer and closer to the town fortifica-
uonS- We are well or Tor PROVISIONS
and water, though very tired, lodging
shells and fighting. Quiet on civilized
lines, Gen. CrOnje has always given due
notice of a bOmbardment and allowed
an ambulance party two hours on Sat
urday to recover the bodies Of six dead
left in the vicinity of the Boer trenches.
ON Friday night Jan BOCha- the Wen
known BOer cOmmandant told a man
with the amt ulance party that their
loss had been very heavy and that his
The wounded include Capt. Fitz-Clar-
ence and Lieut.. SWinburn. both slightly.
In a skirnish at the OutpOsts yeSter-
day one trooper was killed and nine
were wounded.
Only 90 men of D. squadron We're en-
gagged in the attack. though they were
assisted by the hanking fire of the gun
of the Cape police. The Beers made a
desperate attempt to drive back the
British and their rear trenches opened
terrific fire in every direction, the
flash of the rifles lighting up the entire
position A hail of bullets ratified on
the roofs of the houses of the town.
Upon completing circuit of the Boer
front and the line of trenches the Brit
ish withdrew in independent lines of re
treat, covered by the flank fire from the
Cape police. The Beers continued to
volley at intervals during the night.
The Boer loss is estimated at 100 killed
and wounded. The BOer commander
informed an officer in charge of flag
of truce that he estimated the attack
ing squadron at 1000 and was not
aware that the BOer force at Mafeking
was SO large. The Beers were observed
from Mafeking burying their dead all
day long. a letter to the Times by an
officer on the transport Nubia, asserts
that ]. 500 ratiOnS of salt carriOn labelled
New York. 1899, had to be thrown over
board as it was full of disease adding
They only salt down the very worst
portions of very inferior beasts and
pigs" This has aroused a storm of in
dignation against the "rascaly con-
tractors and incapable admiralty
transport officers, who allowed filthy
salted brisket beef to be furnished to
the troops"
The war Office has accepted a gift of
10000 plum pGddings for the troops in
South Africa. These pUddings viii ag-
gregate upwards of ten tons in weight.
LONDON IS WORRIED.
London, Nov 15.-If the news con
tanned in the Pretoria dispatch of
Thursday, November 9. by way of Cape
Town, Friday, November 10, is correct
and there is every reason to believe it
is accurate as the BOer dispatches have
almost invariably hitherto rendered
fairly accurate accounts, it is claimed
here that it implies that a general as
sault on Ladysmith was pending when
Gen. Roberts report was sent off. At
tention is called to the fact that the
date November 9 is assumed to be she
date of Gen Whites last pigeon Dost
message announcing a renewal of the
bOmbardment. since which nothing has
been received except rumors from Est
court, that the bOmbardment was sus-
pended November 10.
1t is claimed that if the Beers get
their forces within 1900 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 Gen. W hite's
position
To successfully advance so close to
must have been most active in en-
trenching and the nearness of the be-
seiging lines. it is added, indicates their
readiness for the assault. Wnich. there
has been a disposition in military cir
cleS to believe the Beers were not will
ing to undertake.
It must, however. 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
VoIVing the pursuing British in the in
tr5eate 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 movement, is re-
garded here as an Indication either that
or that the result was indecisive other
wise, it is claimed, something further
would have leaked out before now
a Paris paper today gleefully an