The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-11-21

On the contrary, the most reliable ad-
vices from Estcourt indicate that there
was nothing more than desultory can
nonade. Probably the rumor Of seri-
GUS engagement grew out Of the fact
| that the Beers threw a few harmless
shells late Tuesday night, leading to
| the supposttion that an attack was i'm
minent. Nothing, however, happened
Wednesday. Beyond the fact that the
Beers are daily receiving fresh REIN
forcements and supplies there is prac-
tically nothing new from the front.
The Boer invasion of Cape Colony
| continues steadily and rapidly. There
| are 1900 Beers at Colesburg and news
has reached East London that Lady
gray, near Aliwal North, has been de-
serted by the British and now is in the
hands of the enemy.
A Pretoria dispatch announces the ar
rival there among the British prisoners
Of Major Haldane, Lieutenant Brochie
and Lieutenant Hallway. 1t also de-
clares that the British on Sunday made
two unsuccessful attempts to oust the
Rustenburs commando from position
near Mafeking and that severe fighting
took place.
From Delagoa bay come reports of
the arrivalsof more German officers and
artillerymen, who have volunteered to
serve with the Transvaal forces
The war office -oficial1y asserts
that all news received from Africa has
been published with the exception Of
material and the like. There is no un-
confirmed rumor that more troops have
been ordered from India to the Cape
The plan of operation on both sides
is slowly unfolding itself. General Jou-
bert is evidently moving south to pre-
vent. if possible, the junction of the
British relieving force with the forces
at Estcourt and Ladysmith. while on
the Orange river border the Beers are
believed to be concentrating at Donker-
poort to oppose General Buffers ad-
vance. 1t is said 5000 Beers have al
ready laagered at Donkerpoort.
The English plan seems to be a
three-fold advance from Durham to
Ladysmith from Orange river to Kim
berley and from East London, by way
of Queenstown, to Burghersdorp Cen
eral Butler has wired the commanding
officer at Queenstown announcing the
dispatch Of General Gatacre, with the
first battalion of the 7th brigade, to
East London. This was the place from
which it was originally intended that
General Gatacre's column should start.
Thus it is possible that General Bull
ler's first plans have suffered less mod
ification than some have supposed.
General Gatacre will be able to keep
the Beers on the Orange border suf1i-
GENTLY occupied to preserve General
Methuen from undue molestation, espe-
cially If rurors from various sources
that describe the Free State burghers
as IN no wise enthusiastic for fighting
are well founded
II mas been reported that General
Buller Will take up his quarters at
Deaar, but this seems doubtful. Deaar
where vast amount of stores have
neen collected. is the base for General
Methuens advance and General Bull |
Ter may have been there for day or |
So 1t is believed. however, that he |
still mas his headquarters at Cape
Town. |
Although Kimberley is supposed /,
be the objective point of General Me-
thuen, many military critics are of |
the opinion that his advance will be |
not toward Kimberley, but across the |
Orange Free State, in order to secure |
complete command of the Orange river. |
Town is proceeding in the most salts |
factory manner. One thousand eight
hundred and fifty carriages have been
collected there for the conveyance of |
troops northward and there is talk
of suspending the suburban traffic to
accelerate military work.
The Daily Chronicle in its "war
Diary" this morning says:
Hitherto We have hesitated to
speak of the quality of the timed meat
supplied to our transports much of |
which has had to be thrown overheard. |
But we have made inquiries in quar-
ters not likely to be Influenced by more
rumors and we find there suspicion
that some of the meat supplied TO the
for use on British trans.
ports was meat which had been reject
ed by the United States during hos
tilities in Cuba, where it was pictur-
esquely known as 'embalmed beef
and relabeled with the mark Of the
current year. I,
What blunder there may have been
It must be laid, not at the door of the |
war office, but at the door of the adj
which has undertaken to feed |
he troops. Not single complaint has |
come to hand regarding the quality
1t the war Office"