Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1899-11-11
EASING OFF.
Beers Bombardment Ceasing
and En- ng|ish Garrison Jubi|ant,
Mill AIRY Experts Say Darkest Page
of War IL Now Being Written
Anxiety Felt Over Whites Power
OF fJudgment-NOt Believed That
Beers Have Misuscd White Flag.

bocfS nave MlsuSCu W nnt fIaR.
London, NOV. 9.-There is practically
no further news from the seat OF war this
morning. 1t is asserted under Sundays
date from Estcourt that General White
received message from General Buller
on Saturday. So far, huwever, TO mes
sages appear to have been received Il in
London from General White concerning
Thursdays and Fridays sorties.
special dispatch from Pietermariiz-
burg, dated Sunday, says: II is conf
IDENTIFY expected that railway communi-
cation will be- restored with Ladysmith
within Il few hours.
Further details from Mafeking. car
ryins events up to Oct. -, indicate that
the Boer firing was easing off, the gar
risOn was in high spirits and the siege
was growing a farce. The corre-
spcndent says that the people were in
the habit Of shouting from the house
tops Ware shells, and that ia bbt holes
had been excavated in the town, into
which the men would dive when the
smoke of the Beers big gun was seen.
General Cronje is accused of dropping
shells in the direction of the women's
laager.
To the eyes of military experts the
darkest page of the war is now being
written. But even that is illuminated
with bright passages, such as General
Whites victorious sorties. If he can
keep the British flag lying over Lady
smith until he is relieved, the campaign
uin Trash and with the
advance of General Buffers force, the
British public is promised more cheering
reading.
This feeling of relief inspired by recent
good tidings is. nevertheless, tinged by
ii certain alloy of anxiety lest General
White should again make some fatal
miscalculation involving a repetition of
the Nicholson's Mex disaster. Her
majesty does not share this anxiety, and.
apparently. is sanguine of his ability to
pull through successfully. 1t is as
serted that she has written to Lady
White expressing sympathy with her
husband in the trials and difficulties he
is now experiencing and assuring Lady
White of her own undiminished conf
dcnce in his generalship. The purport
Of this letter has been cabled to General
White by the Marquis of Lansdowne.
The most interesting news is IA dis
patch from Es:court announcing the de-
parture of a strong force of mounted
troops and artillery for destination not
given in the advices. Another message
announces the arrival at Estcourt an0
Pietermaritaburg within the last few
days of reinforcenents from Durham,
and that $500 troops are assembled ready
for a readvance to Co!ensO when the op-
perfume moment arrives. The latter dis
patch throws light upon the former, and
the force which left Estcuurt Monday
has doubtless reOccupied ColeEsu and,
possibly. is now advancing cautiously
up the railroad toward Ladysmith, Cen
eral Whites sortie of Friday, almost to
the banks of the Tugela river. encourage
ing it's commander in the hope of join
ing hands with him.
General Joubert, the latest advices
would indicate. drew in his horns after
Fridays engagement, and has since
withdrawn the southern Boer contin-
gents. leaving only outposts on the line
from Ladysmith to Colenso. The Beers
who occupied Colenso about the middle
Bulwer bridge over the Tuge'r river or
the railroad as far north as the village
of Nelthorpe, seven miles south of Lady
smith. Evidently they nurse a hope of
eventually utilizing both in their desc
on Pietermaritzburg
At Estcourt and Pietermaritzburg the
defensive works have been greatly
strengthened within the last few days,
and they are now believed capable OF
holding their own against any Boer force
which General Joubert would, at the
present juncture, risk sending against
either town. Both are likely to be
strengthened before the week is out by
a further naval force, and even by the
first detachment of General Buffers
army corps
Reports OF treacherous use of the
white flag by the Beers, coming from
native sources, are not received with
complete credulity. but. at the same
time, their reiteration is making an un-
favorable impression.