The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-11-10
lHB TRANSVAAL WAR;
General Butler Probably Suppress
ing News For Strategic Reasons.
ALL DEPENDS ON LADYsMITH.

The Beers, II They Hope to Reduce the
Town. Must Do So Within a Week, A.
British Forces Are Being Rapidly
Forwarded to That Point.
London, Nov. 10-The scanty and
conflicting news from the seat OF war
and the fact that General White has not
yet said word about the alleged fight
ing around Ladysmith are again pro-
ducing a feeling OF gloom. 1t may be
that General White has sent news that
General Butler has thought best to
keep 1t to himself. Indeed, this 10 the
version that IL beginning to be believ-
ed, as 1t ia held to be impossible that
the news OF the heavy fighting brought
by kafifs In such circumstantial detail
can be wholly groundless. II this be
90 1t is ominous. for there could he no
ground for conceaiing favorable news.
1t cannot be long. however, before
change occurs. General Buffers forces
will soon arrive at Durham. and will
probably begin to advance to the relief
Of Ladysmith about Nov. 16.
The Beers, II they ever entertain the
idea Of q real invasion Of Cape Colony,
have probably abandoned 1t. and will
devote their whole energies to reduc-
ing Ladysmith. They have only about
q week In which to do this. The fact
that they are rather inactive indicates
that they are waiting for something
which they feel sure will justify their
delay. The latest EstGourt dispatches
seem to hint that the garrison 10 about
to retire further southwark.
Orders have been received at WOOL
witch and Devonsport for the inobiliza-
ton of siege train. which, 1t is sup
posed, Is intended for the purpose OF
Smelling Pretoria. The force manning
It will approximate to the strength OF
eight batteries. Its armament will be 81
officers and 1,104 non-commisaioned Of
fcsrs ana men. 80 howltgers, IA six
inch guns, 8 Ave inch guns, the whole
train Weighing over 5000 pounds. This
will be the first employment Of a mod
ernized siege train by any European
army. and the progress Of the reduc-
ton Of forts by lyddits shell IRE, a pre-
siiminary to storming by infantry, Will
be watched with interest and curiosity
by all professional soldiers.
The correspondent of The Daily Tel
agraph at Pietermaritzburg. telegraph
ing Monday, says: Escourt, Ptetermar-
itzburg and Ladysmith are all safe for
some time to come. Owing to the fact
that Ladysmith lies low and the Beers,
unluckily, have been permitted to oc-
cupy Mount Bulwan and other sur
rounding big hills, attempts to open
photographic communication have
proved failure.
The Times has the following dis
patch from Lourenzo Marques, dated
Nov. 6: Delagoa bay Is full Of secret
service police, getting information re-
garding the movements of the imperial
service troops. The wire between Del
agoa bay and Pretoria was broken dur
ing the hurricane. 1t was not cut as
was thought at first. There is Boer
contingent of $50 men near Komati
Poort. Women have been leaving Dur
ban for Pretoria with news. Passes
are too easily granted at Durham. 1t
is said that a contingent from Colenso
Is marcing toward Greytown, and Jo-
hannesburg has been stripped of guns
and men, the police force being COM
posed of Russian Jews