The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-11-13
LACK OF PROVISIONS May
FORCE THE BQERS TO RETREAT
Rumored That They Are in Straits for Food-Artilery
Trains Have Proven to Be of No Advantage to the
Boers-Destroyed Their Mobility Without
compromising Advantages Ac-
tivity on the Western Frontier.

4 London. New. 10. 4:Se g. m.-This
mornings news from the seat of war
/ in South Africa continues fairly satis-
I factory. The official cables are not
/ very detailed with regard to the Bel
mont incident. which. except for the
loss of Colonel Keith-Falconer. was
not a very serious affair.
There are signs of greatly increased
/ Boer activity in Natal and along the
western frontier. All the dispatches
tend to show that the British are hold
! ting out ably. Colonel Baden-Powell
reports that all was we'll a. Mafeking
on Nov. 6. Ladysmith's latest date is
Nov. 4, while nothing adverse is heard
from the latter point and confidence is
felt in General Whites ability, pre-
vious experience having shown that
the Boer artillery is not very effective.
1t is beginning to be proved that the
acquisition of artillery, which has de-
stroyed the former mobility of the
Boer forces, has also failed to give
them any compensating advantage. On
the contrary, the reverse is the case
1t is held here that if the Beers had
not been hampered by the transport
of heavy guns and their rescue from
tight places General Joubert might ere
this have been in Pietermaritzburg
Unless the Beers heavy artillery justi-
ffes itself by reducing Ladysmith it
will again hamper him in the eventual
retreat from Natal, when General Bull
Ter sends the relieving force.
1t is believed that the Beer retreat
will be made over the Drakensburg
range into the Ioutpansberg district,
nrPn9rQfinnC iS 1i,,sy
and maintaining the Beers is said to
have been made for the last stand and
where 1t will be difficult to dislodge
them. Already it is rumored that they
are in straits for food around Lady
smith and may, therefore, be obliged to
abandon the siege.
The fact that the latest two official
dispatches were received from General
Sir Forestier-Walkera and not from Gen
eral Butler. seems to indicate that the
latter may have already left Cape
Town. A Brussels telegram asserts
that he has actually reached Durham.
This is certainly premature, but he may
have started.
Dispatches from Estcourt say it has
been ascertained that the British have
laid concrete beds for firing the lyd-
dtte naval guns, showing that there is
no foundation for the fear that the lyd-
dtte ammunition at Ladysmith has been
SAIauSleQ. IL is also reported from tne
same quarter that some of the Of
fcers have been seen in Ladysmith, in
dieating that the Boer bombardment
has been to some extent effective.
A special dispatch from Cape Town
confirms the earlier report that it was
General Butler who ordered the Brit
tsh evacuation of Stormberg. 1t is nm
derstood, however, that Naauport will
be occupied again as soon as the ad-
vance from Queenstown is ordered.
Strong bids are being made by the
Beers for the support of the Cape
Dutch but without much success, al
though 1t is believed that the Dutch
farmers, especially in the Piequetberg
district, are armed with Mausers and
are watching the course of events be-
fore joining the Beers. From Stormberg
It is reported that the Free State forces
are working slowly toward Dordrecht,
with view of attacking Queenstown
and cutting off the towns in the north
ern district of Cape Colony.
The wounded are recovering in a re-
markabIe manner. The Mauser wounds
are small and heal rapidly. Many of
the wounded apply for permission to re-
lurn to the front.