The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1899-11-03
rRANsvAAL WAN ITEMS.


During tho momentary lull in the
fighting In Natal comes news from the
western border, which temporarily
shifts the scene of chief interest to the
beleagured British force at Kimberley.
The sharp struggle there on the cath
appears to have been the result of a
sortie with the view of breaking the
Gordon surrounding the place. The
British, apparently 500 strong, met 700
Beers, and, according to the official
and other accounts, routed them after
severe fighting, in which the armored
trains appear to have done valuable
service. The British loss was slight.
The London war office on Oct. 81 re-
ceived dispatch from Gen. White,
commanding the British forces at
Ladysmith, reporting that the Royal
Irish Fusileers, No. 10 Mountain Bat
terry aud Worcestershire regiment were
surrounded in the hills by the Beers
and after losing heavily, were obliged
to capitulate. Gen. White adds that
the casualties have not yet been ascer-
tanned. From another source it is es-
timated that the Beers lost in killed
and wounded between 300 and 1000
persons
After the victory of the Goth the
British imagined they were free from
further molestation for some days, but
they soon found that the earlier re-
ports of a sweeping success were exag-
gerated. The reported capture of all
the Boer guns was incorrect. The
burghers succeeded in removing some
of them before the British carried the
hill, leaving only the rifiemen behind
to cover their retreat.
A dispatch from Ladysmith on the
Goth says Gen. Yule's column marched
into that place at midnight after a
very hard march during night of ex-
ceptionally heavy rain. 1t is now APP
parent that Gen. Symons' fight at
Glencoe was not anything like the de.
cisive victory at first alleged, and Gen.
Yule would in all probability have
been annihilated or have met with the
same fate as the captured Hussars if
he had not reiterated.
According to returns at the London
war office the British have suffer :
loss of $40 killed and wounded Zee
the war started. Of this mum i 10
officers have been killed and SIS wound
ed; 76 privates killed and 435 W unded,
and 10 unaccounted for. This total,
however, does not include the 18th
Hussars.
A special from Cape Town on the
27th gives details of the defeat of 700
Beers by the British at Riverton, north
of Kimberley in which the Boe.s were
completely routed with heavy loss,
the British loss being three men killed
and 20 men, including two officers,
wounded
The British war department has or
dered out eight battleships and five
cruisers. 1t is thought their destina-
ton is Spanish or Portuguese port,
as the vessels have taken out bills of
health from the consuls of those coun-
tries.
Col. Baden Powell, British comman-
der, has laid railway in a complete
circle around Mafeking and is running
armored trains around the town, ready
to meet the Beers at any point.
Great Britain will bring her huge
airship into use in her war with South
Africa 1t will be used in making OBJ
servations of the Boer movements.
The London war office on the 26th
issued orders for an additional 5 200
troops for South Africa. They are to
sail between Nov. 4 and Nov. Is.
1t is reported that agents of the
Transvaal government are in Chicago
seeking to enlist Americans for service
in the ranks of the Beers.
1t is believed that the whole squad
ron of the 18th Hussars, consisting of
80 officers and men, have been cap
tured by the Beers.
1t is reported that the Natal Dutch
have been actively assisting the Beers
by carrying information regarding the
British movements.
The fund started by American women
in London for the wounded in South
Africa has already reached $4,000.
Walter Morrison, M. P, at London
has sent a1, 900 for the aid of the Natal