The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-11-14
BOER SUCCESS GROWING LESS.
Simultaneous Attacks Upon Mafeking Ladysnith
and Kimberley Have Disclosed This Fact

London, November 13.-The slmultans-
GUS attacks on Ladysmith, Matching AMI /
Kimberley, which were opened Thursday,
manifest full recognition by the Beers o,
the fact that every day lessons thd
chances of successful onslaught on am
Of the three strongholds. General Jou
berts chances of reaching Pietermaritz-
burg can be said TO have vanished This
is already reported to be admitted by Colo
mel Schiel. the German officer commanding
the Boer artillery who is supposed TO have
been largely the author of the Beer plan
of campaign and who in an interview is
alleged to have said: The Beer inten-
ton was to have captured Pietermaritz-
burg and then to dictate terms. But all
hope of accomplishing this must now be
abandoned.
There is no doubt that from a British
point of view the situation in Natal is
rapidly improving. Nearly 5000 troops
reached South Africa during the last forty
eight hours and by the end of the week
from six to seven thousand more will he
added to the British strength in Natal.
These will probably be pushed forward to
Estcourt. bringing the British force there
up TO 1000 men and making n general at
tack on Iadysmith by. General Jo1be t
very hazardous If the cavalry and arlil-
| lery belonging to General Methuen's di-
visions will not have arrived by then, The
advance from Estcourt must be delayed.
/ n. L., a al IN
municatlon with the beleaguered town a.
the earliest possible moment General
Methuen, ii Is believed, may decide to re
place the regular cavalry and artillery by
the Natal and Outlander mounted forces
aud the naval guards. In which case, II Is
claimed. II ought to be possible 10 occupy
Colenso and stretch out a hand to General
| White by Monday. though, It is added, the
course to be followed by General Methuen
must necessarily be dictated entirely by
official knowledge Of General Wnite's po-
siton and resources and the experts hope
General Methuen will be able to await the
concentrating ot the Whole division, thus
have "A better chance of dealing telling
blow 10 General Ioubert's main army,
which. il is asserted, will he caught be-
tween two British forces and compelled
l either to fight a general action or ro,irc
to their strongholds,
The Drakensburg dispatch by way o
Durham which was brought In b. . Kahn
reporting severe defeat OF the Beers a
Ladysmith Thursday may turn ont to bl
correct but in view OF previous experience
II must he received with caution. II ap'
pears. however. certain that heavy fight
Ing occurred. a belated dispatch from
Ladysmth dated November g. by way o.
Estcourt under date of November ., con
firms the idea that the temporary cessa
ton of the Boer homhardment was due L
General Joubert awaiting the arrival o.
other guns before attacking the work II
earnest 1t also says: Everyone Is cheer
full and confident. We can show rgit
, bomhardment has done little damage
! Yesterday the Beers sent In eight wound
! cd from Dundee, The Beers have beer
guilty OF ambushing thu Red Cross Nag
A number OF guns are In position aroun(
us. II i5 difficult AT first TO locate then
as they used smokeless explosives but
balloon managed to discover them Al
the news from Kimberley and Mafeklnt
continues to point TO the ability of thos
: places TO hold out until "a, plans OF relic
c now maturing have been consum mated
: Captain the Hon. Douglass Henry Mar,
+ shall. reported killed In the dispatches re.
+ ceived today from Colonel Baden Powell
y at Mafeking under date OF October 81 wa.
4 the third son OF Earl OF Romney. Captain
ri G. \. Petchell, also mentioned in the
D same dispatch as among the killed, hat
/ seen considerable service in India
/ London. November li.--4.bo a. m.--Ths
! paucity of news from the front still leaves
the CHER interest cenfered In the arrival
Of the reinforcements. Estcourt dispatcher