The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-01-20
He Is Marching on Ladysmith
With 10000 Men.
And a Wagon Train Nineteen
Miles Long.
SOUND OF HIS GUNS
Can Already Be Heard by the
Beleaguered Garrison.
Beers Continue to Strengthen
Their Position.


front indicate that the northward
march of the relief column moving to-
wards Ladysmith is proceeding slowly.
The authorities here seem satisfied that
now Gen. Buffers forces are within
sight of Ladysmith the besieged place
is safe at present from serious attack.
Advices from Cape Town say Field
Marshal Lord Roberts has appointed
Lord Stanley. member of parliament
for East Lancashire and a former lieu
tenant Of the Grenadfer guards to be
press censor.
Prince Francis Of Teck has gone to
the front.
TRAIN 19 MILES LONG
London, Jan. 2O.-The Times has the
following dispatch dated Thursday,
from Petermaritzburg:
Gen. Buffers wagon train is nine
teen miles in length and embraces 400
wagons and 5000 animals. AS some of
the drifts are narrow and muddy only
one wagon is able to cross at a time.
The officers are betting two to one that
Ladysmith will be relieved tomorrow
(Friday)."
A dispatch to the Daily Telegraph.
dated Thursday, from Spearman's s
Camp, describes the difficulties of the
march, owing to the unwieldy baggage
column, including all the tents and
sheep over bad roads in wet weather
The correspondent then goes on to say:
"Some 10000 Beers arrived in the vi
cinity of Potgeiter's drift on Thursday
and Friday of last week and began the
erection of extensive and formidable
lines of trenches, for their position ap
parently could only be turned from the
west by assailing the high ridges of
the Sproenkop.
"A balloonist to-day reported that no
guns were visible in the enemy'S works,
but there was a large Boer camp in
the direction of BrakfOntein, a brown
ridge four miles from Potgeiter's drift.
Beers arrived in large numbers to-
day from Colenso and I4adysmith
They have certainly run branches Of
the railroad from Modderspruit around
Mount BulWaya. Nearly all the Beers
have gone to attempt to check Gen
Warren's advance, but he made no sign
to-day"
a dispatch to the Daily Telegraph
from Spearman's farm or camp. as the
correspondents now describe it, deal
ing with Lord Dundonald's movement
to the west of Gen. Warren's forces,
already cabled, says:
His success gives US control of an
easy entrance to Ladysmith- Our guns
continue to lombard the BOer lines,
the Beers replying but feebly. Gen.
Warren is advancing steadily"
The Standard publishes the following
dated Thursday from Spearman'S farm:
1T is reported that the Beers oppo-
site COlensO on finding that General
Butler had out manOeuvered then, cross
ed to the south of the Tugela on Mon
day, and set fire to all houses in the
village
"As the force from Chieveley ad-
vanced the Beers retired before them to
trenches on a hill in line with COlenso.
Our infantry advanced to the attack in
skirmishing order, followed by supports
and reserves our cavalry scouting on
the right close up to the river. The
Boer forces at ColensO must have been
considerably weakened by the dispatch
of larger reinforcements westward to
meet Gen. Buffers advance and they
now hurriedly evacuated the river
trenches and the kOpjes opposite the
village and scattered before our shrap-
mel. By evening none of the enemy was
left within rifle shot al ColensO. The
British force then retired to Chieve-
ley"
a Durham special dated Thursday
night says:
1T is reported here that Lord Dun
donald has smashed a BOer convoy.
miles of Ladysmith and Gen Warren
to be about six miles to the rear
RELIEF GUNS HEARD.
Ladysmith. Wednesday, Jan. II, via
Spearman's Camp. Jan. 19.-Everything
is quiet. The position is unchanged and
there is very little bombarding
THE welcome sound of the guns of
the relief column was heard yesterday
from COiensO and Springfield
The heat is intense, but there is no
increase of sickness
London. Jan. 2O.-The Daily Mail pub
Thursday from Spearman's Camp:
1T is rumOred that the Beers have
evacuated COlensO in order to reinforce
their troops here. Heavy gun fire was
heard from Ladysmith this morning
Gen. Buffers order instructs the men
to heed the white flag Of the Beers only
when they lay down their arms 1t also
instructs them to beware of false bugle
calls"
BULLER HAS 10000 MEN.
London, Jan. 2O.-430 a. m.-Every
hour that General Butler delays his
combined attack makes his position
stronger. Transports continue to ar
rive at Durham and fresh troops are
being sent up the line to reinforce those
in front of ColensO. 1t appears that
General Buffers troops north of the
Tugela number at least %. 600 and pos
sibly $4,000, with fifty guns. His total
forces forming a great outer curve
south and west of LadySmith, probably
number 40 900.
While General Buffers forward op-
eratiOnS which began on January 10,
develop rather leisurely, the Beers ap-
pear TO be fully aware that they must
get a strenuous assault. Balloon OBJ
servers have roughly estimated that
10000 Beers are using spade and pick
in artificially strengthening positions
which nature has rendered easy of de-
fense.
Military critics in touch with the war
Office think that news that general
fighting has begun may be expected at
any hour.
It is not thought that one days fight
ing will Settle the fate of Ladysmith,
but rather there will be two or three
days of continuous fighting
The Boer accounts of the passage OF
the Tugela, river are given in the two
following dispatches from Commandant
70