The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1899-10-18

are only 1900 mounted men in the
Boer column Immediately north of
Ladysmith, but that there are large
numbers of men on foot. The horses
of the Beers are in wretchedly poor
condition, and the men look worn out
The Beers are robbing all natives
traversing the Transvaal.
The Cape Town correspondent of
The Daily News says that w. p.
Schreiner, the Cape Colony premier,
was only induced to sign the decree
proclaiming martial law in the north
ern parts of Cape Colony after Sir AL
fred Miner gave him the option of
signing or resigning. To save Mr..
Schreiner's fate the proclamation
specifically mentioned the fact that the
colony had been invaded by an enemy
A dispatch from Kimberley says: An
armored train, while reconnoitering
near Spytfontein, engaged the Beers,
killing five and wounding seven. The
British had no losses.
The skirmish near Spytfontein, says
a special dispatch from Cape Town,
was quite lively. The armored train,
with a detachment of the Lancashires,
approached unmolested, until within
range, when the Beers opened fire. The
Maxims were instantly set to work
and did great execution among the
burghers. The latteHNalso used artil-
lery, but ineffectively The armored
train returned to Kimberley unharmed.
The crew of the armored train say
the Beers fred 1S shells, but their aim
was wretched and not a single shot
struck the train. which then made
bold to approach nearer and opened
fire with the MaXims. The burgher5
replied with heavy rifles, again shoot
ing wildly. Only three or four bull
lets struck the train.
Subsequently the crew learned that
five Beers and two Boer horses were
killed, while several Beers and horses
were wounded. Not a member of the
British force was so much as touched
The fight with the armored train
from Kimberley, in which the Beers
lost more than they did at Majuba
Hill, is held to prove that their shoot
ing is not so good as it is reputed To
| be. 1t is the general belief that the
Beers actually attacked Mafeking and
were repulsed. The reports of fight
| ing continued there are regarded as
| proving that the Beers failed to scoIe
success.
The Beers seized the telephone at
Moder river Monday evening and at
| tempted to speak with Kimberley,
hoping to learn the disposition OF the
British forces there. The maneuver
was discovered and frustrated.
It is persistenely reported from
widely different sources that a large
force OF Beers resolutely attacked
Mafeking on Friday and after several
hours fighting were repulsed with a
heavy loss.
In the meeting of the house of com
mons yesterday Sir Henry Campbell
Zimmerman, the leader of the Liberal
opposition, said parliament had been
summoned to give its approval to the
early steps of war. Never had the
house met in circumstances more seri-
Gus or amid conditions engaging to a
greater degree the profound interest
of the British people. The demands
made by the government of the South
African republic were such as to make
1t impossible for the government OF
any self respecting country ever to
take them into consideration. Actual
hostilities have commenced" said Sir
Henry, "and an active aggression has
been committed which it is the plain
duty of our ministers, Of parliament
and Of the people to resist. There will
be no disposition on the part of this
house to place any obstacle in the way
of granting such supplies and such
powers to the crown as may be neces-
sary to secure the rapid and effective
prosecution Of war commenced tC
vindicate our rights. The campaign
should be vigorously and promptly
prosecuted, and nothing necessary fol
that purpose should be refused by th'
hotN8a OF -Gnm mona."