The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-02-15
Letter Written by the Late Corre-
spondent Stevens, who Died Re-
Gently I'm the Besiesea Town.
NAVAL GUNS TURNED LOOSE
IN REPLY TO A HARMLESS SHOT
FROM THE ENEMY's "sTINKER-"
How the Dlue Jacket Obeyed Orders
ineffective Cannonadtng-sand-
Bag Emplacements.
Correspondence of Associated Press.

Correspondence Of Associated Press.
LONDON, Feb. H~-Ladysmith still holds
the worlds interest and stands out pre-
eminent against the black war cloud that
hangs over South Africa. The accounts
sent from there by George w. Stevens.
the correspondent who died at his post. ir-
resistibly enthran those who follow the
course Of what promises to be the most
crucial conflict Of the century. The latest
installment of the work Stevens managed
to send out Of Ladysmith is dated Dec. 6.
Through IL there runs an irrepressibie note
of WEAKNESS at the continued siege. The
letter, which appears in the Daily Mail. 10
as follows:
There goes that stinker on Gun HILL"
said the captain. No.. don't get up. have
some draught beer
~ did have some draught beer
"sWait and see If he fires again. IL he
does well go up into the coming tower and
have both guns In action toge-
Boom, The captain picked UP his stick
Come on he said.
up a knee-loosening ladder Of rock. and
we came out on to the green hilltop. where
they first had their camp. Among the or
O6Ill LGACn otiC O1tA(
blotches Of hole-footprints Of hell. We
come to what looks like a sand bank re-
doubt, but in the eyes OF heaven Is a con-
ming tower. On either side, from behind
bags of sand. a t-welve-pounder and a
Maxim thrust forth vigilant eyes The
sand bag planking of the coming tower
was six feet thick and shoulder high; the
riyets were red earth, loose but binding:
on the parapets sprouted tufts OF grass
unabashed and rejoicing in the summer
weather.
Against the parapet leaned a couple Of
men with the clean cut, clean shaver jaw
and chin of the naval officers, and half a
dozen bearded blu jackets. They stared
hard out of sun-puckered eyes over the
pillows of kopje and veldt.
Through the big telescope that swings
on its pivot in the center OF the tower you
could see that the Beers were loafing
around dressed In dirty mustard-color
LEFT hand gun hill fired. sir said a
blue jacket. with his eyes glued to binocu-
lars. AT the balloon and presently We
heard the weary pinicns OF the shell and
saw a little puff of white below.
Ring Up Mr.. Halsey.' said the captain.
Then / was aware of a sort of tarpaulin
cupboard under the breastw0rk or creep
ing trails of wire on the ground and OF a
''The corporal turned down his page OF
sHarmsworth Magazine lad IL on the
parapet and Owed under the tarpaulin.
Right hand gun hill fired, sir, came
the even voice OF the bluejacket. A lie
balloon
Captain wants to speak to you. SIR
came the voice of the sapper from under
'Whistle and rattle and pop went the
she in the valley below.
"'Give him a round. boln guns together
said the captain to the telephone.
LEFT hand gun hill fired. SIR said the
blue JACKET to the captain.
Nobody cared about left han gun hill.
he was only a Al howitzer; every glass
was clamped on the big yellow emplace-
Right hand gun hill is up. sir
"'Bang!' coughs the forward gun below.
Bang coughs the otter gun overhead.
Every class clasped the emplacement.
What a time they take signs a lieu
tenant. then a leaping cloud a little In
front and to the right.
Damn signs a peach-cheeked mid
".Oh. good shot For the second has
landed just over and behind the emplace-
ment.
Has it hit the gum
"'No such luck says the captain. he
was down again five seconds after we fred
And the men had all gone TO earth, OF
course. 1t was all quite important and
probably quite ineffective At first tt
staggers you TO think that mountaineering
ing bang can have no results: out after a
little experience and thought you see it
would be a miracle IL IL had. The emp!ace-
ment Is a small mountain In itself: the men
have run out into .loles. Once in a thou
sand shots you might hit the actual gun
and destroy it-but shell Is being saved
for Christmas.
And yet IL they never hit a man this
handful of sailors have been saving Lady
smith. You don't know till you have tried
II, what a worm you feel when the enemy
is plugging shell into you IND you can't
possibly plug back. Even though they
shared their shell. II made all the world
of difference to know that the sailors
could reach the big guns IL they ever be-
came unbearabale. 1t make all the differ
ence 10 the Beers, too. / suspect. for
on to them they shut up In a round or two.
To have the very men among you makes
the difference between and