The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-11-06

date of Nov. 3 confirms the report Of artil-
lery exchanges. He says: 1.-The investment
Of the town is now practically complete.
Last night the enemy tapped the wires In
our rear. He can therefore cut our COM
munication whenever he pleases. 1t is sug-
gested. however that the Beers believe
that Ladysmith Is in their power. and that
they are therefore anxious to have US get
mp all cur military stores before they at
tack US A reconnaissance by Lancashires
and a field battery to-day found a Free
State lasger. which the British shelled
heavily. driving the Beers out"
The Cape Town correspondent OF the
Standard. telegraphing Wednesday. says:
~The British first-class protected cruiser
Terrible is steaming at full speed from
Simon's Town, Cape Colony. for Durham,
Natal. There Is some disquietude here in
consequence of a message from Pretoria
giving Commandant Cronje's report of his
| operations against Mafeking. The grand
stand is only about mile from Mafeking
and if cronje's account is to be believed the
Beers must De very close"
THURSDAYS ARTILLERY DUEL.
\ special dispatch from Ladysmith. de-
scribing Thursdays fighting. says: THE
artillery duel at dawn in which the Boer's
guns were silenced. was intended to occupy
| the Beers and TO enable Sir George Stewart
White to achieve his chief purpose-the
| capture of the Boer camp behind Bester's
hill. For this purpose the Lancers. Hussars.
Natal Carbineers and Natal Border Rifles
started under General French at sunrise,
and got within striking distance before the
enemy was aware of their presence. A
| field battery was also sent, and 1t secured
a good position, ommanding the enemy's
scamp. which was a large one laagered with
/ army wagons and other vehicles. Bester's
| hill was we'll fortified and provided with
| good guns AT o'clock the British opened
! fire. the Beers replying with spirit but bad
aim The British quickly sent forty-two-
pound shell into the camp. inflicting ter
| rible loss and spreading panic among the
L
sition. the Beers fleeing precipitately. leav-
ing many dead and wounded, as we'll as the
whole camp and equipment. In the hands
OF the British. Their success will upset the
ers, and possibly will prevent them giving
the Sritish further trouble from the west"
The Times publishes a dispatch from
Pietermaritzburg. Natal. dated Nov. 3.
have received news of a sanguinary battle
fought yesterday. probably between Lady
smith and Coenso. A large number of the
Beers were killed. many being relatives Of
English residents have no knowledge Of any
engagement"
Advices from Mafeking received at Cape
Town announce that the Beers placed In
position big Pretoria gun seven miles from
Mafeking. firing sixteen shots at the town.
Only one reached the mark. resulting in the
burning of Wells store. The garrison. hav-
Ing suffered no harm thus far, Is jubilant,
pected.
A dispatch to the Daily Mail from Kuru-
man, British Bechuanaland, dated Nov. 2,
says: Three hundred Bechuanaland Beers
have Joined Commandant Delarey's force,
which has gone to Kimberley. leaving only
two hundred men at vreyburg."
BOERS ARE GOOD MARKSMEN.
G. w. Stevens, describing for the Daily
Mail the affair at Nicholson's Mex, says:
''The Beers shot magnifcently. The mo-
ment a Britisher raised his head to see
where the enemy were he instantly fell
back with bullet In 1t. On the other hand,
after the engagement the Beers acted with
the greatest kindness to wounded and un-
wounded. They spent the afternoon singing
doleful hymns under the trees, and they
had reason to be doleful, for they had lost
many men,
The Daily Mail publishes the following
dispatch from Burghersdorp. dated Nov. 2:
THE large British camp at Stromberg
Junction has been broken up by the order
of Sir Redvers Butler. Everything, includ-
ing guns. stores. tents and the usual para
phernalia of camp, is being removed to
Queenstown, about fifty miles southeast Of
Stromberg. An Orange Free State force
, about $500 strong, with several guns, which
for some time was concentrated just across
the Orange river, has crossed the bridge
at Bethulie. destroying portions of the rail.
way on its march. This Is obviously with
the intention of checking the coming ad-
vance Of our army corps. The enemy now
appear to be awaiting information before
making a further move to the south. The
impression here Is that the removal OF
! Stromberg camp may result in a large mum.
Der of the colonial Beers joining the enemy
The English section is utterly upset at the
withdrawal of the British troops and the
> serious news from Natal"
, The Cape Town correspondent of the
Daily Mail says he understands that in ad.
dition 10 Stromberg. Rosmead Junction ant
Naauwpoort are TO be evacuated.