The Elbert County tribune., 1899-11-09
BOERSAREADvAN(ING
INVASION OF CAPE COLONY
BEGINS.
Dritish wishd~~ From cols.burx-coisn-
so In Boer Hands-riEhtinE .. Lady
smith continues.

The enemy had been concentrating
their forces at Bethullc and at Spring
fontein. They crossed the frontier
Wednesday mt Noryals Point, on the
railway bridge over the Orange river.
and advanced along the railway and
highway.
They occupied Colesburg without re-
sistance. The only force at Colcshurg
was small squad OF police under SER
geant. They surrendered and are now
prisoners OF war. Colesburg has 1000
Inhabitants. all Dutch. The British
troops are concentrating Mt De Aar
Junction.
The New South Wales Lancers have
arrived at Cape Town. and We're warm
" greeted. They were sent In n special
train Immediately to DE Aar.
number OF British wounded from
Ladysmith have arrived at Cape Town.
Large crowds AT the docks cheered and
encouraged the sufferers ns they were
carried ashore. The crowds sang "Rulc
britannia" aud the soldiers OF the
Queen. some wounded, Joined feebiy
In the singing
The British wounded prisoners were
landed at the dOckyard Mt Slmonstown,
near Cape Town. There was no
demonstration.
The large British camp Mt Stormberg
Junction has been broken up by order
OF General Butler and the guns and
stores have been removed to Queens
town, fifty miles southeast. The enc
my appears TO he awaiting Information
before making any further move south.
The impression here Is that the re-
moval OF the Stormbcrg camp may re-
suit in large number OF colonial beers
! Joining the enemy, and the English sec
ton Is utterly upset at the withdrawal
OF the. British troops and the serious
news from Natal
The tension between the Dutch and
the English has been increasing here
during the last day or two. The news
OF the disaster TO Colonel Carlcton's
column has had anything but n good
effect on the Dutch In the districts thlr-
~ miles from Cape Town, and they
make no attempt to conceal their feel
lngs OF satisfaction at British re-
verses.
Lisbon, Nov. 5-Persistent reports
are In circulation here that General sir
George Stuart White, British com
mander In Natal has cnpltulatcd TO the
Beers.
| London, Nov. G-The war office Is
sued the following at 40 last night:
Butler to the Secretary of State for
War:
Cape Town, Nov. 5.-s:i0 u. m.-The
commandant at Durham sends the fol-
lowing, received from Ladysmith, by
pigeon post. dated November 3rd:
Yesterday General French went
out with cavalry and field artillery and
effectively shelled the Boer laager.
without loss ON our side.
Lieutenant Egcrton. of he Power.
full, Is dead. General .Ioubert sent IN
Major @. 8. Klncaid OF the Royal Irish
Fusillers. and nine wounded prisoners.
Eight Beers were sent out In exchange,
no others being flt to travel
Colonel Breck'ehurst, with cnval-
ry, field artillery the Imperial Light
horse and the Natal mounted yolun-
teers, was engaged to-day with the en-
emy TO the southwest OF I.adysmith
The fighting lasted several hours. Our
loss was very small.
"'The bombnrdmcnt OF Ladysmith
continued yesterday and to-day, many
Boer shells being pitched into the
town.
"'Our troops nre In good health and
spirits, and the wounded are doing
WELL
81 think General French's name is
| given by mi take for that of Brecklc-
hurst"
London. Nov. 4.-The war Office has
issued the following announcement:
The colonial Office has received In
formation TO the effect that the troops
have withdrawn from Colenso and
have concentrated farther south. but
we have no news OF any engagement I'm
that nelghborhood."
The evacuation OF Colenso is un-
a -
British in Natal. ns IL not only testIfies
TO the complete Investment OF Lady
smith by the Beers. but makes the re-
lief OF General Sir George Stuart White
an extremely difficult operation.
Colenso is the point where the rail
way from Lndysmith crosses the Tu-
gela river, which IL now in flood. The
town itself Is of small importance. II
Is dominated by the hills on the north
side Of the river and so was unfenabIe
| If the Beers have advanced, as they
seem to have done. Moreover. only n
small naval and colonial force was sta
toned Mt Colenso.
The seriousness of the evacuation,
| however, lies In the fact that Com
mandnnt General Joubert, while com
pletely investing Sir George White at
| IAdysmlfh. can seize this Tulnga
bridge and. II he has sufficient troops,
can detach force and send II south
ward on Pletermarltzburg and, in any
ease. by destroying the bridge and rail-
way, can prevent any relief expedition
reaching Sir George white for some
| time.
Military men optimistIcally predict
that General Joubert will withdraw
from Natal Immediately after Sir Red
vers Buffers force enters the Orange
Free State. but the latter cannot be far
on his way for at least three or four
weeks, and even then General Joubert
may not decide TO intercept the British
on the Free States open belt. which
would suit the British admirably. but
he may walt until tie last moment and
then proceed by train back 10 Pretoria
and take up strong defensive positions
on the range OF hills lying In front OF
johannesburg and Pretorin.
Thus General Joubert might remain
In Natnl several weeks longer. endeav-
orIng to force Sir George White into
capitulation. the destruction of the Tu-
gela river bridge helping him by cut
ting of British relief.
Moreover. another Boer force IL re-
ported TO have marched through Zulu
/ land in the direction OF Durham and al
ready to have reached the Natal from
| tier.
Thus It will be seen, the position In
Natal, taking into consideration pos
sIble uprising OF the dIsafrected Dutch.
is most dsquieting. and, In fact, may
be described as critical. British rein
| forcements In any number cannot reach
Durham before the end Of next week.
A dispatch from Ladysmith, dated
November 2nd tmorning) says:
During the night the Beers moved
near the British position and mounted
guns in fresh plnccs. Meanwhile the
naval guns have been moved TO more
favorable positions, nearer the town,
and commanding some OF the Boer bat
teries.