The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1899-11-13
ACTIVITY
IN NATAL |
They Are Hampered by the Trans
port Of Heavy Siege Guns,
THE sKIRMIsH NEAR BELMONT.

In "a Fight at Kenilworth the British
Had Only one Major OF Cape Police
wounded. while the Beers Carried
on Six Dead From one spot.
London. Nov. l3.-This mornings
news from the seat Of war in South
Africa continues fairly satisfactory.
There are signs Of greatly increased
Boer activity in Natal and along the
western frontier All the dispatches
Tend to show that the British are hold
ing out ably Colonel BadenPowell
reports that all was well at Mateking
on Nov 6. Ladysmiths latest date
is Nov. 9. While nothing adverse Is
heard from the latter point, and con
fdence is felt in General Whites abil-
ity-previous experience having shown
that the Boer artillery is not very et-
fectlve-it is beginning to be proved
that the acquisition of artillery, which
has destroyed the former mobility OF
the Boer forces. has also failed to give
them any compensating advantage.
On the contrary. the reverse is the
case. II Is held here that il the Beers
had not been hampered by the trans
mort of heavy guns and their rescue
from tight places, General Joubert
might ere this have been in Pietermar-
itzburg. Unless the Boer heavy ar
tillery justifes itself by reducing Lady
smith. II will again hamper him in the
eventual retreat from Natal when
General Butler sends the relieving
force. II is believed that the Boer
retreat will be over the Brakensberg
range into the Zoutpansberg district
where every preparation for provision
ing and maintaining the Beers is said
TO have been made for the last stand,
and where it will be difficult to dis
lodge them Already it is rumoreu
that they are i'm straits for food around
Ladysmith and may, therefore, be
obliged to abandon the siege.
The war Office this morning issued
the following official dispatch from
Cape Town, dated Sunday, Nov. L.
noon:
Colonel Cough, at Orange River, re-
ports that during the reconnaissance
| of Is miles to a point nine miles west
| of Belmont. on Nov. 10, the of1cers
| of the patrol first came on Boer po-
| sition taken upon great semi-clrcular
ridge, standing out into plateau.
| They endeavored to make the Beers
| develop their strength by demonstrat-
| ing with two squadrons of the NlnJh
| Lancers and a field battery on the
! left wing. with one and one half COM
panies of mounted infantry on the
| right wing. and with artillery In the
middle of the plateau out OF the IN
fantry FIRE,
The enemy began by firing at our
| cavalry from a gun at the north end.
| Al, IN, pWHnT hnpqn 10
circle around them, the hills seemed
! fuIl OF sharpshooters. The mounted
| infantry endeavored to Outtiank the
enemy's left in order to discover the
laager. coming under a heavy and un-
expected fire from a few skirmishers.
Our guns fred several apparently ef-
fective shots. but the enemy did not
respond having withdrawn with the
wounded The enemy did not fire on
an ambulance Colonel Cough with
drew his force after a demonstration
lasting three hours and returned to
camp the same afternoon near Orange
River.
The war office issues the following
dispatch from General Sir Redvers
| Butler, dated Cape Town, Nov. II,
10:40 p. m.
Colonel Eekewich (British com
mander at Kimberley reports that the
enemy were very active on Nov. 4,
principally with the object Of driving
off cattle The Orange Free State
troops retired rapidly before Colonel
| Turner, without firing.
At 1890 the Transvaal troops adj
vanced on Kenilworth Major Speak
man. with a squadron Of Kimberley
Light Horse, was hiding in the bush
and gave the enemy a warm reception.
The Beers retired firing Colonel
Turner reinforced Major Peakman and
at 1910 p. m the enemy opened fire
with one piece of artillery at nearly
1000 yards range Two guns Of the
Diamond field artillery were then sent
in support Of Colonel Turner, but the
enemy's guns had ceased firing after
the ffth round. Consequently ouI
guns did not come into action.
Our casualties In the Kenilworth
engagement were limited to Major
Ayleff, of the cape police who was
wounded in the neck. He is expected
to recover The Beers carried off six
dead from one spot, probably killed
by our Maxim. The total Boer los.
was probably heavy.