Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 November 1899 — WAR NEWS IN BRIEF. [ARTICLE]

WAR NEWS IN BRIEF.

The rising of one tribe of natives in South Africa means the rising of all. European journals print the strongest anti-British reports with no concealment of rejoicing. Twenty missionaries have arrived at Durban from Swaziland after many narrow escapes. Thirty-five hundred Boers crossed the bridge at Bethulia, destroying sections of the railroad near that place. British military experts see in the Natal situation the worst that the country has faced since certain events in the Crimean war. The Boer farms are being worked by the women aud Kaffirs. All the farms send regular contributions of supplies to the Boer commissary. The humanity of both armies in caring for the wounded and the courteous exchange of prisouers are among the redeeming features of the hostilities. Dispatches from Cape Colony points indicate extreme disaffection among the Cape Dutch,- who are exulting over the Boor successes in Natal and are verging on an outbreak. Reports show that while the British still hold De Aar and the Orange river bridge the Boers have the latter undermined, thus commanding the route from Cape Town to Kimberley. All the Cape railways are now in the hands of the military authorities. Five hundred fcjtts of foodstuffs were seized on board the steamship Maria at Durban, consigned to Delagoa bay for the Transvaal.

The thirty-four fresh British battalions ordered are to report at once. It is evident that the war department is determined to crush the Transvaal even if in Kruger’s words England does pay a price that “wiH stagger humanity.” It is understood that the Boers have proclaimed the upper Tugela division of Natal nnmoxed to the Orange Free State. A dispatch from Ladysmith says that Gen. Joubert protested to Gen. White against the use of lyddite shell*, fired from the big naval guns, as inhuman. The war office is adopting Gen. Otis' tactics of silence jn regard to operations and resni-ts. The public is especially indignant at the war office for misrepresentations about the British defeat at Dundee (Oct. 30). which was balled in England at the time as a brttiiant vie-