Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 November 1899 — STRENGTH OF THE BOERS. [ARTICLE]

STRENGTH OF THE BOERS.

British Government Expert Estimates Have Been Grossly Inaccurate, Mail news from South Africa' shows how inaccurate have been the estimates of the intelligence department and the governmental experts. It Is gleaned therefrom that a fair estimate of the Boer forces to as follows: Around Ladysmith 25,000 Traversing Zululand 4,000 Advancing on Burghersdorp 5,000 Colesbnrg 8,000 Kimberley 7,000 Mafeklng 4,500 On the northern Transvaal border.... 2,000 Exact information about the Boer artillery is lacking, but it to known that Gen. Joubert’s detachment, before it was re-enforced, consisted of sixteen Krupp field pieces of the latest pattern and two

heavy Oreiizot siege guns, which, but for the opportune arrival of the British naval brigade, would have rendered Ladysmith untenable. In connection with the naval guns, a most interesting and important experiment has been successfully carried out at

Cape Town with a 4,7-ineh. gun, so serviceable at Ladysmith. One of the British cruiser Terrible’s guns, mounted on a Scott traveling carriage, was fired in the same way as a field gun. with entire success. The Terrible, with a number of gnus thus mounted, is on her way to Durbin, and though the guns cannot now reach Ladysmith, they may be of the greatest value in the defense of Pietermaritzburg, which, it seems, will probably have to stand a siege. The arrival of the Terrible with the relief crews for China and other available men must have placed in the neighborhood of 3,000 more m#n at the service of the military authorities.