Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1899-11-18
.THD BRITISH IN AFRICA.
Nearly Fourteen Thousand Rein
foroements Arrive at Cape Town.
SIX THOUSAND OFF FOR DURHAM

Tho Beers nj Dc Anr Have Got tho
Range of tho Mines and Are Con-
stnntly Throwing Shells at tile by
nnnito uuts, Doing Grent Damage.
London. Nov. 1.-THE paucity OF
news from the front still leaves the
chief interest conferred in the arrival
of the reinrorcements. Estcourt dis
patches say that heliograph commune
cation has been established with Lady
smith, but so far no news has been
received, the latest date being Nov.
6, which shows that the occupants OF
Ladysmith had no news of the outside
world since General French reached
Pietermaritzburg and that they were
puzzled at the inactivity of the Beers.
Everyone was confident and cheerful,
but all were suffering the inconyeni-
ence of the siege, bread selling at three
shilling per loaf.
Colonel Baden-Powell's dashing sor-
ties at Mafekng encouraged the hope
that the British garrisons along the
western border are all able to hold
out. Cecil Rhodes is employing 5000
men, black and white. at Kimberley
in road making, as remedy for des-
titution.
According to q dispatch from De
Aar the Beers at Kimberley have got
the exact ranee OF the mines and are
constantly throwing shells at the
dynamite nuts. Several of the latter
have been blown up and the damage
done to the mines already amounts to
many thousands of pounds.
!, Among the stories from Brussels IS
one that General Joubert and Sir
George White have been endeavorng
to negotiate for the capitulation Oh
Ladysmith, but have failed to come to
terms.
. The story CT Father Matthews, cabled
from Lorenzo Marques, regarding the
surrender at Nicholson's Mex, Is 100
vague to be very convincing. but IN
military circles it is considered I'M
pleasant reading, ard it will be I'M
possible to learn the facts until the
officer concerned has been court mar
tailed
Father Matthews, who has just ar
rived at Lorenzo Marques from Pre-
toria. says with reference to the sur
render of the Irish Fusileers and the
Worcestershire troops at Nicholson 5
Mex. that after the mules stampeded
the force got hard pressed by the en-
envy. They would have held out, how
over. but young lieutenant who
thought his batch OF ten men were the
sole survivors. without instructions.
hoisted flag of truce on his own
responsibility. Nothing then remain
ed but to surrender.
An armored train, with company o.
the Royal Dublin Fusileers, started
from Estcourt yesterday afternoon and
reached the break in the railway line,
about half mile from Colenso. with
out accident. Captain Hensley, with
several men. reconnoitered and met
native who said the Beers were &C.
cupviRg the town. While the CONVEX
sation was in progress the Beers OPEN
ed fire from Fort Wylie, but did no in
Jury. Captain Hensley thereupon re-
tired on the train. after which the
Fusileers volleyed on the fort. AS
there was no response the presump-
ton was that the Beers had retreated.
The armored train returned to EST
court at O'clock. Captain Hensley
learned from the native that the Beers
were numerous on the Ladysmith side
Of Colenso.
A dispatch from Cape Town an
nounces the arrival there of the troop
ships Armenian and Nubia. with ar
tillery and infantry. This brings the
total number of reinforcements to H.
SO2. of which about 5000 are already
on the way to Durham. Nine other
troopships. carrying 1000 men, are
due at Cape Town today.