The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, November 12, 1899, Page 1

The Call SAN FRANCISCO, SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1899—THIRTY-TWO PAGES PRICE FIVE CENTS. BOERS ARE €1 OSING TN ON HE BIRITISHE S TRONGEOLDS T Decisive' Battle Is Expected at Ladysmith @ Daily, for Transvaal Forces Have Lit- tle Time to Strike. Invading Troops Are Also Hammering at the Defenses of Kimberley and Mafeking. Colonel Keith-Falconer of the Northum- Keilleds berland Fusileers CAPE ov. 8, TOWN, Wednesday, night.—Dis patches from Kimberley show that the town was vig- | it is re- orousiy attacked at tweo ferent points. ported that cone of t I were killed. It is believed here that the Boers sur- round the town in force. DURBAN, Natal, Wednesday, Nov. e he 8.—The war- ships have landed a naval brigade with twenty guns | | for the deiense of the town. The brigade marched through the town amid the greatest enthusiasm. h day and each week of the war ive action at Ladysmith t the Boers will risk an assault upon that more and more imminent. In fact > campaign seems to have reached a stage 3 ary for the Boers to deliver a telling v decide to do this their only alternative is to ir own lines and strengthen themselves against That the latter OD 1.—As ea close without a dec is said, Nnecess; aught by superior numbers. the ourse llowed without first making a determined at- ter 1st or capture General White seems beyond all rea- methodical isolation of General White’s force indi- the campaign has been carefully prepared and the e definitely fixed. Even if the Boers have already that they have underrated General White's capabil- ce it is thought scarcely likely that they will give upremacy without a desperate struggle. It hem to change the main objective. Mobile a they could scarcely transfer the body of their at present concentrated about Ladysmith, to 1ble point without running the risk of encoun- numbers, which are already pouring northward. eakening of the Boer force at Ladysmith would 1 White a splerdid opportunity of attacking, and, against overwhelming odds, he has shown no hesitation in ng every opening for assuming the offensive. oers e I'he Boers must know just as well as the military authori- ties that twenty-three transports will arrive in South Africa be- f ember 18. They must also realize that their time is in the present emergency it is believed General Bul- to organize an army corps, but will content self with rushing to the front every regiment he can dis- Her ws t either General | forces. But it is impossible to predict Joub mr General | with any degree of e vh 1S of th the Nz greatest general; On nd Military Record ooks as though General White will pr content to await the arrival of re- wh muct and the suprem: of Gen- 1t ch of ¢ But the spirited soldier, who However, there h gh command over the whole T has more pardoned for bein private ambitions. ithorities, while with- icism until further in- \ed, fail to understand White did not fall back be- Tugela, thus drawing the Boers own until now ccess which 1 e much to T ~itish force and six Boers [@ ¢ 000008690 040+000+0+0+0e0+0 the || | | | | | 3 ' ed, can be | troops will disembar] ¢ than ynerasies of transports, s | likely t g which e developed a remarkable | P for breaking down because their r f \ ers or other essentials were | w Ge J worthless. | b v Among the military critics what is most tr dreaded is the possibility that General s White may succumb to the pettiness of ¢ forcerr 1 1l inclinations, which in the hi ory of the world has so often influenced It Gener wtinues ns of General Bull lisemt se that the ( sed influence over fore in- | Gener s in no little degree | efore the rei: re 1 gallant yvet from a ion of the Boer | R ) - oo TAPTAIN KENNEDY RE ¢ D N R CAPTAIN KENNEDY, Royal Engineers, Who Is in Charge of the Wireless Telegraphic Department at the Front. > . . P + B+ 9490494000000+ 40000+ 0+0+090+0 | Westminster * B hold the neck of Natal. But even then it admitted that no general has been ex- onerated in history merely because he al- lowed his actions to be hampered by a civil government to which he was not di- tly responsible. Naturally there is great division of opinion on these It Is learned that one of the re innovations in warfare will tested In South Africa. Lieutenant Foulks, a voung officer of the Royal En- = rs, safled for Cape Town October 11 to put photographs to uses hitherto con- sidered impracticable, which, if suce ful, will revolutionize the methods of mil v nnoissance. Briefly summed up, proposition is to indicate the ex- itlon and formation of the Boer: of telephoto pictures. He takes equipment of his own invention tached to General Buller's staff. AN EXPERT'S VIEW OF THE WAR SITUATION LONDON, Nov. 11.—Reviewing the mil- ftary situation as it stands to-day the military expert of the Westminster Ga- zette says: “It is hardly too much to say that the attention of the civilized world is now fixed on the situation at Ladysmith.. On the developments of that situation in the immediate future rest our hope of speed- ing the conclusion of the war. If Sir act pe by mc George White can maintain his position up to November 2, or perhaps a day or two longer, the danger in Natal will be ended. Should he fail to do so he will be compelled to abandon his guns and | stores and retire with heavy loss to the up by | southward, only to be brought broken bridges and Boer forces in posi- tion on Tugela River. “It is impossible to predict what may happen. In considering the situation, put it shortly, the weak point in White's position is that our men and horses must | be enduring daily an ordeal which can not improve their fighting efliciency. Though we are told provisions are in v, yet there is danger that the am- especlally ammunition for his may run short. these circumstances it is now clear that Sir Redvers Buller has deter- mined to send Lord Methuen's division, consisting of the Guards Bri Sir. W. Colville, and the English Brigade, under Major Hildyard, to Durban, with orders to break through the Boer south- ern outposts at Pietermaritzburg or at Colenso, and join hands with General Whi Unfortunately, the assembly of this division at Durban will be of some little time.” In discussing the reported treachery a matter acts of on the part of the Boers, the Gazette's military corre- spondent proceeds “When an act, which must necessarily brand the perpetrator with infam . liberately committed with no possible e cuse of hot blood or of turmoil and con- fusion of a great battle, we are entitled to assume that such obloquy would not be incurred without some prospect of t and immediate advantage. What ible vantage could the Boers gain from the destruction by artillery fire of a number of refugees whom they had just | handed over to our charge, doubtless with | with a number of additional mouths 4 the object of embarrassing General White to feed? these Boer guns—for the allegation is dis- tinct that the outrage was committed by guns and not by riflemen—are mounted to | It must also be remembered that | BOER FORT AT BLOEMFONTEIN. (@ 4040004000060 0060006040400+00040400D 904060460 0-0000+0+20 at a great distance, probably some threey or four miles, from our pickets. Do not all these considerations point to the fact that the shots were fired through a mis understanding, such as might equ have occurred on our side? So that wit out further evidence we ought not to co vict the Boers of wilful inhumanity and gross violation of the laws of war."” |BOER REPULSES AT | : MAFEKING REPORTED CAPE TOWN, Nov. 8.—News received | from Mafeking, undated, says t on Monday the Boers shelled the town. One Boer gun was knocked out of action and | the Boers retired, but were forced, | ttacked again and were again repulsed. luesday they shelled the Congan Kopie with little damage. Wednesday there was | a general attack under the cover of the artillery, but it was repulsed by the Max- | tms and Hotchkiss guns. The Boer loss was fifty killed. The British loss was | slight. Thursday shelling by a heavy gun was renewed and the Boers massed with | the intention of making an attack, but | this was prevented by a thunderstorm. | Friday there was desultory rifle fire and an occasional shell, but there was little loss of life, due to the excellent shelter in the trenches. The health and spirits | of the troops are good. | —_—— ALIWAL NORTH DESERTED AND DEFENSELESS CAPE TOWN, Nov that a Boer force from crossed the frontier at Bethulle. It is estimated to be 4000 strong, with fleld guns. The latest advices are that the Boers had not entered Aliwal North yes- terday, but that the Besstekral force of | Boers was momentarily expected. It is sald the Boers have already captured some police and others on the outskirts of the place and that Aliwal North is de- serted and defense The raflroad has becn cut at Vryburs, two stations south of Aliwal North. Another Boer force is reported to have marched past Burghersdorp toward Queenstown. The Transvaal contingent, which was | expected to joint the Free Staters b | tween Springfontein and Bethulie, 1§ r | ported to be delayed by want of horses. COLENSO WAS FOUND | ABSOLUTELY DESERTED | ESTCOURT, Natal, Tuesday, Nov. 7.— An armed train manned by an engineer- ing staif and a company of the Dublin Fusfleers under Captain Hensley returned | here to-night. It reports that it found the | stores at Frere looted, apparently by K and met st patrols, who reported 1t the Boers were on the Springfield ad, flve miles ay. The train pro- ceeded cautiously and found the Blue- spruit bridge intact. "he train frequently stopped and Cap- n Hensley examined the road ahead be- fore proceeding. Nearing Colenso, Cap- | tain Hensley inspected Fort Nicholsen nd proceeding found the line cut a mile outh of Colenso. Two lengths of rail on It is reported Smithfleld has | fi tz | each line had been lifted and placed out | of gauge. From information obtained | from Kaffirs, it appears that the Boers | left the vicinity of Colenso early this | i | morning, proceeding in the direction of ' —-% ,‘@w @_.v @-0—@—»0—0—0—0—0—0‘ p @—kMM»—@—O—M e amc e SRR S the Buluwan Mountain, and that Captain Hensley found Colenso absolutely de- serted. A balloon was observed for sev- eral minutes hovering over the Boer posi- tions in the mountains. It was presum- ably a British balloon from L smith. > nativ here are undertaking the safe delivery of dispatches inside Lady- smith. | BOMBARDMENT AND ATTACK ON KIMBERLEY PRETORIA, Nov. 7.—The bombardment and attack on Kimberley started this morning. BARKLEY WEST, No —A dispatch received from Kimberl “General Cronje sent a message to Colonel Keke- wich, calling on him to surrender before 6 in the morning to-day, otherwise the town would be shelled, the women and ckildren remaining at Kekewich's r The Boers, it was added, surround Kim- berley in great force with heavy artil- ler; QUEEN VICTORIA TALKS TO DEPARTING SOLDIERS LONDON, Nov. 11.—Sunshine so bril- Hant that it compelled Queen Victoria to resort to a sunshade for protection greet- ed her Majesty’s return to Windsor this morning, when she inspected three de- tachments of the Household Cavalry bound for South Africa. The Royal Horse Guards and the Second Life Guards had journeyed up from London, joining the First Life Guards. Amid scenes of great enthusiasm the troops formed in two lines, unmounted, in khaki uniform. An immense crowd of people witnessed the assembly. Brigadier General Trotter, the district commander, with his full staff, conducted the inspection. After the march past the officers were ordered to the front and the men were formed in a mass, close to the royal carriage. Then addressing Colonel volee plain! Queen made a speech. “T've called you here to-day, diers, who are always near me, farewell before you cross the s distant part of my empire to a comrades who are fighting so bravely for vour sovereign and country. I know you will always do your duty as heretofore, and 1 pray God to bless you and give you a safe return.” After the speech hc Majesty beckoned to Colonel Need, and when he advanced the Queen shook hands heartily with him. The colonel assured her Majesty that she could depend on the Guards to uphold the honor of the Queen and the country. Col- onel Need then led three cheers for the Queen, and 500 helmets were raised high Need, She on the points of swords and carbin he cheers were repeated again and again. “God Save the and the band struck up M L ng off amid the cheers of the tators and the troops The Government has chartered the steamers Victorian and Maplemore for use as troopships. The First Infantry battalions under or- ders for South Africa left England to-day, and the last of the Hussars also sailed, leaving the Household regiment the on c Iry still to be di ched, and 1 but by no means le: the First Batte; of the howitzer artillery has started. Great things are expected of the howitzer battery, of ‘which the re only three in the British army. 5-inch breech- BULLER REPORTS THE KILLING OF COLONEL C. E. KEITH-FALCONER LONDON, Nov. 11.—The War Office has received from General Buller the following dispatch: “CAPE TOWN, Friday, Nowv. 10.—A reconnoitering force from the Orange River had a skirmish with the enemy to-day about four miles east of Belmont. C. Hall, Colonel C. Fusileers: Bevan and H. ment: E. wounded. Keith-Falconer, is the only report to hand.” The War Office has also received the following from General Buller: “CAPE TOWN, Friday, Nov. 10, 10:20 a. m.—The following message has been received from Colonel XKekewich: “ ‘KIMBERLEY, Monday, Nov. Casualties—In the Northumberland killed ; In the North Lancashire Regi- Lieutenant C. C. Wood and two privates, wounded. Lieutenants F. This 6.—The wounded are progressing satisfactorily. Two unarmed na- tives have been shot by the Boers at Alexandersfontein. The conservancy post to the south of the Kimberley reservoirs has been missing since November 4. It is supposed to have been captured by the Boers. Browne of Beaconsfield, having ridden beyond the bars yesterday, is missing—it is supposed captured by the Boers. The situation otherwise is unchanged.’ » The following addditional announcement was made by the War Office this afternoon: ‘“‘General Buller wires to-day at 10:15 a. m. that Colonel Kekewich reported Nov. 8 that the bombard- ment of Kimberley, Nov. 7, did no damage and there were no casualties.” The War Office has received the following dispatch from General Buller, under date of Cape Town, No- vember 11, afternoon: ‘“With reference to my telegram of the 10th, Colonel Gough, with two squadrons of the Tenth Hussars, a battery of field artillery and one and a half companies of mounted infantry, found about seven hundred of the enemy with one gun in position about nine miles east of Belmont. He engaged the enemy with his artillery and sent the mounted infantry to the enemy’s left flank to discover their laager. The losses reported yesterday occurred during this operation. Colonel Gough engaged the enemy for about three hours and then returned to camp. The death of Lieutenant Wood has just been reported.” wdible to the officers, the | i T S R R i an ancat SR S i o o o ol A Sicie oo e Sa i Siin S S0 S e an i o 4 i . o News From South Africa Indi- cates That the Boer Invasion of Northern Cape Colony Has Been Commenced in Earnest. Detachments Go Around to the South of Ali- wal North and Destroy Communication by Cutting the Telegraph Line and Tearing Up the Railway. ONDON, Nov. 11.—To-day’s news from South Africa in- dicates that the Boer invasion of the eastern part of North- ern Cape Colony seems to have begun in earnest last Tues- day. On that day a Boer commando was moving in the neigh- borhood of Aliwal North. Detachments had gone round to the south of the town, as the telegraph line had been cut and the railway torn up, destroying communications. Boers were seen close to De Aar on the same day. Colesburg also reported the invading forces approaching. Confirming this advance of the Boers come dispatches to the Secretary of State for War to-day with news of a skirmish near Belmont, eighteen miles north of the Orange River station, on the Kimberley line, in which Colonel Cecil Keith-Falconer was killed and four lieutenants were wounded. As Belmont is fifty-three miles south of Kimberley as the crow flies and eighty- six miles north of De Aar by the same measurement, it would appear that a strong force of Boers has established itself on the main line of communication from Kimberley south to Hope- town, De Aar and Cape Town. The wounded officers include some of the North Lanca- shire Regiment. It is not stated what was the British column’s strength, but it is believed it was probably a full battalion com- posed of the North Lancashire Regiment and Northumberland Fusileers. This information is the first that has been received as to the whereabouts of the Northumberland Fusileers since they landed. It is clear that the Boers are assembling on the Orange River in great numbers, and everything points to this district becoming eventually the theater of fierc The absence of fuller news from this region is taken to in- dicate that something important is happening there. It is quite likely that before long developments there will throw the Lady- smith situation wholly into the shade. Durban is now the center of preparations for the relief of Ladysmith. A naval brigade from the cruiser Terrible has been landed. Other warships either in port or expected shortly will do the same. Within a week fully six thousand men will arrive on transports and the forward movement to reinforce General White will begin. No news of any further fighting in Ladysmith has been re- ceived so far. As is known Ladysmith can hold out as long as required. It is stated that there are unexpected stores there, which will astonish the Boers when they deliver their attack. In the meantime the guns sent up to defend the town are silent, either because they have not been success a desire to husband ammunition. Efforts are being made to restore communication by means of the heliograph. th e encounters. ully mounted or-from loaders are claimed to be of a superior | Amelia Kussner, is among character and expected to be particularly | leaguered people at Kimberley serviceable in removing the Boers from | patch adds that Mr. Rhodes the hills. Ihcr for a miniature. the - be- The dis- itting to —_——— BELEAGUERED AT KIMBERLEY | LONDON, Nov. 11.—A dispatch from WASHINGTON, Nov. 11.—At the in- Cape Town, dated Wednesday, November | stance of Mrs. Whitelaw Reid and other 8, states that the American miniaturist, | American ladies who are interested in B+ 0969040004090 04 040000+ s0 0060040 CABELL TO BE SURGEON. MAJOR GENERAL BABINGTON, Commanding the First Cavalry Division of General Builer’s Army. D B R B B R A B S o o O 3 |