Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-05
ACCURATE ARTILLERY FIRE.
Winston Churchill Describes Bona
bardment of a BOer Position.

Winston Churchill writes to the London
Morning Post, under date of Frere Camp.
December "a. After describing his arrival
at Durham, after escaping from Pretoria, he
continues:
Yesterday rode out to watch the even
ing bombardment which we made on their
intrenchments with the Al guns From the
low hill on which the battery is established
the whole scene Is laid bare. The Boer
lines run in a great crescent along the
hills Tier above tier of trenches have
been scored along their sides and the brown
streaks run across the grass of the open
country south Of the river.
After tea in the captains tent, COM
mander Limpus of the Terrible invited me to
look through the telescope and mark the
fall of the shots. The glass was one of
great power, and 1 could plainly see the
figures of the Beers walking about in twos
and threes, sitting on the embankment, or
shoveling away to heighten them We Sc
lected one particular group near a kraal,
whose range had been carefully noted, and
the great guns were slowly brought to
bear on the unsuspecting target. l looked
through the spy hole at the tiny picture
three dirty beehves for the kraal, a long
breastwork Of newly thrown up earth, six
or seven miniature men gathered into
little bunch, two others skylarking on the
grass behind the trench, apparently en-
gagged in a boxing match.
Then I turned to the guns. A naval Of
ficer craned along the seventeen-feot bar
rel. peering through the telescope sights.
Another was penciling some calculations as
to wind and light and other intricate de-
tails. The crew stood attentive around. At
last all was done. looked back to the en-
envy. The group was stEl intact. The box
ers were still playing-one had pushed the
other down. A solitary horseman had also
f,a&a r., 1wfl nrc1N Kr-1xr
across. The desire of murder rose in my
heart. Now for a bag.
Bang, I Jumped at least a foot, disar-
ranging the telescope but there was plenty
of time to reset 1t while the shell was hiss
ing and roaring its way through nearly
five miles of air. I found the kraal again:
the group WIS still there, but all motionless
and all alert like startled rabbits. Then
they began to bob into the earth, one after
the other. Suddenly in the middle of the
kraal there appeared a huge flash, billowy
ball of smoke and clouds Of dust.
Bang! I jumped again. The second gun
had fired. But before this shell could reach
the trenches dozen little figures scam
pered away, scattering In all directions.
Evidently the first had not been without
effect But when turned the glass to an
other part Of the defenses the Beers were
working away stolidly, and only those near
the explosion showed any signs Of disturb
ance.
THE bombardment continued for half an
hour. the shells being flung sometimes into
the trenches, sometimes among the houses
of Colenso, and always directed with mar
velous accuracy. At last the guns were
covered up again in their tarpaulins, the
crowd of military spectators broke up and
dispersed amid the tents. and soon 1t be-
came night"
Mr.. Churchill gives rather dismal fore
cast of the future that confronts the Lady,
smith forces:
"Ladysmith has stood two months seige
and bombardment. Food and ammunition
stores are dwindling. Disease is again in
creasing. The strain on the garrison has
been. in spite of their pluck and stamina, a
severe one. How long can they hold out7
1t is difficult to say precisely, because after
the ordinary rations are exhausted deter
mined men will eat horses and rats and
beetles, and such like odds and ends. and
so continue the defense. But another month
must be the limit Of their endurance, and
then if no help comes Sir George White Will
have to fire of all his ammunition, blow UP
his heavy guns, burn all wagons and equip
ment. and sally out with his whole force In
fierce endeavor to escape southwark. Per-
haps half might succeed in reaching our
lines. but the rest, less the killed and
wounded. would be sent to occupy the new
camp at Waterfall, which has already been
laid out-such is the intelligent anticipation
of the enemy-for their accommodation"