Delaware gazette and state journal., 1899-11-16
NATAL SITUATION BETTER
By The End Of the Week, the British
Forces Will be Greatly Strengthened.
WILL Be PUSHED TO ESTGOURT
General Attack on Ladysnnith
VIII be Hazardous.
BOERS BETWEEN TWO BRITISH FORCES

London, Eng, Nov. Is. The War
Office, this morning. published the fol-
lowing dispatch. received from Gen.
Butler:
Cape Town, Sunday, Nov. 12, night.
The following reports have been re-
ceiy led from Col. Baden -Powell
Mafeking, Monday, Oct 80. --All
well here. Enemy apparently shy of
attacking Now closing to invest us.
Are today destroying railway two miles
tinued. Doing very little HARM
Tuesday, Oct. 81. Enemy attempt-
ed assault today on Cannon kopIe and
southeast corner of town. A AttackeC,
most brilliantly, notwithstanding ho-
shell fire by the British South African
police, under Walford. Enemy lost
heavily. Our casualties five killed and
five wounded. Killed.: Capts. Hon. ID.
ii. Marshem, Fourth Bedfordshire;
@. A. Petchell, Third Kings Rifles: a
sergeant-major and two troopers. The
wounded: Five non commissioned
officers and troopers, all British South
African police. !"
The War Office has also published
the following dispatch from Gen.
Butler:
.'Buluwayo, Sunday, Nov. 5.-The
following is from Gen. Baden-P Powell.
'Mafeking, Wednesday, Oct. %. =.
All well here. Enemy still shelling.
We made successful night attack on
his advanced trenches last night, getting
ip with bayonets Our loss, six men
of the Proteotoiate Regiment killed
and nine wounded, Including Cant.
Fitclarence, Third Royal Fusileers, and
Lieut.. Swinton. Enemy's loss un-..
known, but considerable Enemy have
vacated Signal Hill and Laagered,
respectively two miles northeast of
tcwn and two miles southeast.
special dispatch from Durham,
Natal, dated Thursday evening, Nov.
9th. says: Native runners, who have
JUST arrived here, report that the Boers
suffered a severe defeat at Lad, smith
this morning. The Boer guns were
silenced after four hours fighting, dur.
ing which the Boer losses were heavy.
No detailshave been received. ~
BoERs CAN'T REACH PIETERMARIrzBuRG
The Simultaneous attacks on Lady
smith, Mafebing and Kimberley, which
began Thursday, manifest fully recoani-
tion by the Beers of the fact that every
day lessons their chances of a success
iul onslaught on any of the three
British strongholds. Gen. Joubert,s
chances cf reaching Pietermaritzburg
can be said to have vanished. This is
already reported to be admitted by Col.
Schiel the Ger man officer commanding
the Boer artillery, who is supposed to
have been largely the author of the
Boer plan of campaign, and who, in an
interview, is alleged to have said
The Boer intention was to have cap
tured Pietermaritzhurg, and then 10
dictate terms, but all hope of accom-.
plishing this must how be abandoned. y
There is no doubt that, from the
British Point of view, the general
situation in Natal is rapidly improving.
Nearly 5000 troops reached South
Africa during the last as houfs, and by
the END Of the week from G, 900 to 1000
more will be added to the British
strength in Natal These will probably
be Eushed forward to Estcourt, bring.
ing the British force there up to 10, O00
men, and making "a general attack on
Ladysmith by Gen. Joubert very
hazardous. VIII Ey
TO DEAL A TELLING BLOW AT JoUBERT.
As the cavalry and artillery belong-
ing to Gen. Methuens S division will
not have arrived by then, the advance
from Estcourt may be delayed; but, as
it is deemed essential to open com
muuication with tho beleaguered town
ut the earliest possible moment, Gen.
Methuen, it is believed, may decide to
replace the regular cavalry and artillery
by the Natal and Outlander mounted
forces and the naval guns, in which
case, it is claimed, it ought to ba pos.
sible 10 reoccupy Colenso and stretch
out hand 10 Gen. White by Monday,
Al. l. I II. ".
followed by Gen. Methuen must neces-
salily be dictated entirely by official
knowledge of Gen. Whites position
and resources, anu the experts hope
Cor. Methuen will be able to await
tho concentration of the whole division
before advancing, and thus have
better chance of dealing telling blow
at Gen. Joubeit's main army, which,
it is asserted, will he caught between
two British forces and compelled eithe
to fight general action or refine.