The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1899-11-16
USING THE RIFLE
report From Pretoria Says Ar.
tlllery Assault on Ladysmith
Has Ceased,
and That Rifle Practice at Eff.
teen Hundred Yards Was
in Progress.
II This Report Is Accurate the
Beers Have Displayed Great
Activity.

CAPE Town. Friday. Nov! 10.-A dis.
patch received here from Pretoria. un.
der date Of Thursday, Nov. 8, says the
reports received there from Ladysmith
said heavy cannonading started at day.
break. that some of the Boer forces
were within 500 yards of the British
when the cannonading ceased and rife
FIRE commenced.
The Pretoria dispatch also announced
that all was quiet at Mafeking and
Kimberley.
LONDON, Nov. 16.-If the news con.
tanned in the Pretoria dispatch Of
Thursday. Nov. 9. by way Of Cape
Town, Friday Nov. 10. is correct and
there is every reason to believe it is ac.
curate. as the Boer dispatches have al
most invariably. hitherto, rendered
talrly accurate accounts, it is claimed
here that it implies that a general as.
sault on Ladysmith was pending when
General Joubert's report was sent off
Attention is called to TIE fact that the
date. -'ov. y, ls assumed to be the date
of General Whites last pigeon-post
message announcing renewal of the
bonn mbardment. since which nothing had
been received except rumors from Est.
court that the bombardment was sus-
pended Nov. 10.
1t is claimed that if the Beers got
their forces within 800 yards of the
British position. it shows they fully
realized the necessity of utilizing the
brief interval before the arrival of the
British reinforcements to make de-
termi'.ad attempt to storm General
Whites position.
Must Have Bsen Very Active.
To successfully advance so close to
Ladysmith, it is pointed out. the Beers
must have been most active in en-
trenching, and the nearness of the be-
sieging lines, it is added, indicates their
readiness for the assault, which there
has been disposition in military cir
cles to believe the Beers were not will
Ing to undertake. 1t must, however,
have been patent to General Joubert
that Ladysmith would not fall to the
fire of his artillery, and, therefore. he
had no choice but to assault the place
or retire to the passes of the Drakens-
berg, in the hope of involving the pur-
suing British in the intricate fastnesses
of the mountains. The cessation of
the cannonade mentioned in the dis.
patch and the opening of musketry fire
implies. it is claimed. that the Beers
were obliged to stop their artillery for
fear of hitting their own men. and that
nothing further has been heard from
this movement. is regarded here as an
indication that the threatened assault
was postponed or that the result was
indecisive. otherwise. it is claimed,
something further would have leaked
out before now.
But There IL Anxiety.
A Paris paper gleefully announces
the fall and capture of Ladysmith. but
reports from this source no longer cause
ripple of excitement. Nevertheless
there will be considerable anxiety until
the war Office or independent version
Of recent operations at Ladysmith is
known.
The story from Mafeking is pleasant
reading to the British. as it shows the
garrison is cheerful, well provisioned
and confident. The possible revolt of
the Basuto chief Joel, whom it has been
announced may Join the Beers, is at
tributed to tribal jealousy. There has
been long feud between the half
brothers Jonathan and Joel, the latter
refusing to recognize his brothers NOM
inatlon as chief. Joel therefore took All
anti British side against Jonathan in
1880 and committed most hideous afro,
cities. II he joins the Beers. it is
prophesied, Chiefs Lerothodi, Jonathan
and others are liable to make short
work Of the recalcitrants.