Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1899-11-07
British Officials Admit Of Almost
Ridiculous UnderestImates
of Boer Strength.
$4,000 MEN IN THE FIELD
Fears That the Main Expedition
May Be Entirely Inadequate
For It's Task.

London. Nov. 7.-Such scanty in
telligenee as is fltering from the front
is generally accepted as reassuring,
although later reports agree that the
fighting outside OF Ladysmith Thurs
day and Friday was much more Sc
we're than indicated by official ac.
counts. There is no longer a disDosi-
tion to jump at the conclusion that a
crushing blow has been inflicted on
the Beers as shown before, The Bri-
tish contempt for the Burghers has
been modified by defeat. The best
informed are inclined TO discount the
stories Of the cutting up Of the Beers
until further confirmation is received.
But the mere fact that General White
has been enabled to undertake
series of successful reconnaisances is
taken as an Indication that the Boer
investment has been relaxed by
withdrawal Of portion Of Joubert's
force southwark. While however the
anxiety in regard 10 immediate stress
at Ladysmith is alleviated there is a
widespread fear OF the authorities
badly blundering and may find too
late that the main expedition viii
prove too weak to complete It's task
with safety and dispatch as the Natal
forco has already admittedly failed
TO perform what was expected OF it.
The confession last evening of Lord
Wolseley the commander-in-chief,
that the Boers are more powerful and
more numerous than anticipated suffi-
ciently explains the present happen
ings, and the war Office will hereafter
have an awkward question to answer
in regard 10 its apparent colossal ig-
Gorancc of the Doer strength, which
both in the numbers Of men and ex-
.cellence OF artillery is apparently a
complete surprise to the British mill
tary authorities. Mail news from
slcuth Africa shows how inaccurate
has been the estimates OF the iptelli |
Gonce department and government ex-
perts. 1t is cleaned therefrom that
"a fsi- estimate OF the Boer forces is
ias follows: Around Ladysmith, 25,
600; Travarsing Zululsnd, 4,oO0 ad-
vancing on Burghersdorp, 5000;
Colesburg 5000; Kimberly, 1900;
Mafa5ing, 4,5O0; On northern Trans
vaal border, 1000 Exact information
about Boer artillery is lacking but it
is known th-t Joubert's detachment
before it was reinforced, consisted of
sixteen Krupp field pieces OF the latest
pattern and two heavy Cruzot siege
guns which but for opportune arrival
of the British naval brigade could
have rendered Ladysmith untenable.
CAPE TOWN i4EW6.
Cape Town, Cape Colony, Nov. r
A dispatch received here from Kim
belly dated November l. says: "Ap-
parently the Boer reinforcements
from MafekiRg arrived as the Bur
ghers are more numerous and closer
all around Kimberly. About 1,200
made a demonstration three miles to
the eastward Of the Premier mine to-
day and opened fire on DeBeer's carts
but no damage was done The en-
plosion of a dynamite magazine
caused by the Beers firing the place
was terrific. The huts contained
thirty-fve tons OF dynamite valued at
G3,5O0 All the wounded are pro-
crossing satisfactory. A committee
to regulate the supply and price of
food is being formed. Mr. Rhodes is
making an avenue mile long at
Kenilworth to be called Siege avenue
A double row Of orange and vines will
be planted on either side with pepper
trees forming back ground
GERMANY REFUSED.
New York, Nov. IA dispatch to
the Tribune from London says: 1.-THE
st. Petersburg correspondent OF the
Morning Post throws light on the
policy of the European powers. He
states on authority that the govern
ments of Russia, France and Spain
had discussed the question of inter
tervention in the dispute between
England and the Transvaal and had
agreed to dispatch joint note sug-
gesting arbitration but condition of
this action was the cooperation of
Germany which was refused.
VOLUNTEERS SAFELY IN
Cape Town, Nov IA dispatch
IRON Ladysmith says Thursday after
noon the British cavalry charged the
Beers while the latter were manoeuv-
ering south Of town and cut their way
through them. A Long Tom posted
on Bmwain Hill shelled the town but
little damage was done. The enemy
ct Crobler's Kloof engaged company
OF the Royal Irish fusiliers and briss
firing occurred on both sides. An
arnored train with sixty infantrymen
on board drew the enemy's fire en-
abling the volunteers to make the
headquarters safely. The military
are eulogized for their timely help to
the volunteers.
FROM MAFEKING.
Cape Town, Nov IA dispatch
from Kuruman dated November 3D.
says q dispatch rider arrived from
Mafeking announcing that fighting is
occurring daily resulting in favor OF
the garrison. Natives report that
Col Plumer's force from Fort Tuli is