Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1899-11-07
COLENSO IS ABANDONED,
British Troops Give Up Town
Near Ladysmith.
WAR OFFICE ADMITS IT
Whites Army May Still be at Lady
smith and May Have
Reiterated.

London, Nov At is officially an
nounced that the British have evacuated
Colenso, south of Ladysmith.
Burghersdorp Cape Colony, Nov. .
delayed in transmission)-The Beers
crossed Bethulie bridge this morning.
About 300 more OF them are expected to
cross this afternoon.
The war office has issued the following
announcements:
The colonial office has received infor
nation TO the effect that the British
troops have withdrawn from Colenso and
have concentrated further south; but we
have no news Of any engagement in that
hborhOOd.
To 1avade Cape Colony.
The dispatches today show that forces
of the Orange Free State are ut length
prepared to invade Cape Colony. These
forces are not overwhelming, but the
Dutch in the neighborhood of Colesburg
and Burghersdorp are exceptionally pro-
Boer and their support is evidently ex
pected. The objective point of this force
of Beers will probably be Naauw Poort
one of the most important strategic rail
road points in South Africa. and which
will probably be the first advanced de-
pot Of the second division of the army
corps. Naauw Poort is understood TO be
well garrisOned and able to take care of
itself. Trains thence to Colesburg have
been almost suspended
The dispatches from Ladysmith.
though three days old, are regarded here
as being more cheering. and as indicating
that the Beers are not disposed to come
TO close quarters. On the other hand,
some people assert it is more probable
that the Beers are recuperating prior to
fresh onslaught on Ladysmith, as ac-
cOrding to the latest news, after the ar
tillery duel and ineffective skirmish OF
Tuesday. the Beers took up good posi-
tons on Signal hill and Umbulwani
mountain.
Exchange of Courtesies.
The commanders continue to exchange
courtesies. Gen. White, i'll response to
Gen. Joubert's request Tuesday, lent the
Beers an ambulance to assist in the con
yeyance of the BOer wounded.
1t Is understood that the feeling Of Sc
curity at Ladysmith has been greatly in
creased since all the Natal guns have
been mounted there in spite of the knowl-
edge that the Beers will attempt TO cut
the railroad south.
Advices from Cape Town show that
the people there are beginning to realize
the seriousness Of the situation in Natal.
The merchants are apprehensiye of the
Beers Over-running the entire country
have instructed their representatives to
leave Pietermaritzburg.
In spite of the optimism Of the military
men, there is a feeling Of general anxiety
1T Cape Town. The Orange river is re-
ported to be so swollen that the drifts
are impossible and the Beers hold the
wagon bridge at Philippolis, which is the
only means of crossing.
Another Bitter Pill.
News that Colenso has been evacuated
was another bitter pill for the British
public and is arOuSng fears that the con-
tlnental statements of a second serious
defeat OF Gen. White may prove true.
A significant fact is that the war office
does not say when Colenso was evacu-
ated so that statement which emanatc1
Thursday from DR.. Leyds the diplomatic
representative of the Transvaal who is
located at Brussels, that the Beers had
occupied Coenso, was possibly true
There is much apprehension that the war
office is suppressing bad news.