Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 November 1899 — THE WAR WITH THE BOERS. [ARTICLE]

THE WAR WITH THE BOERS.

Fighting Still Continues, with No Important Besults. At this writing it 3s not apparent that any serious fighting has taken {dace in Natal between the Boers and British since the serious reverse experienced by the lather hetore Ladysmith. There is a dearth of news in London relative to the South African situation, but enough is known to beep up interest and create anxiety. Ladysmith is surrounded by the Beers in targe numbers and a force sufficiently strong has been sent sooth and has compelled the British evacuation of Colenso, the only town of importance between Ladysmith' and Durban, the chief port of Natal. This obviously improves' the Boer situation. It gives them the command of the Tugellh river, cuts off Ladysmith completely from communication with British headquarters at Pietermaritzburg, the capital of Natal, and {daces them, favorably for an attack upon any re-enforcement that Gen. finller may send north from Durban for the relief of Gen. White. Meantime at Kimberley and Mafeking, on the west side of the twin republics, the siege of these places is being prosecuted by the Boers. The inter are in greater numbers than it was once thought they could muster and England may find it necessary to send even more than one army corps to South Africa. I Friday night Capt. Fitz-Clarence and Lieut. Swinburn, with D squadron of the Proteetoijate regiment, made a magnificent bayonet charge upon the Boers’ entrenchment, driving them from their positions and bayoneting numbers of the Boers, who must have lost very heavily. The charge was most gallant and determined. The party could not hold the trenches and lost pix men killed, two prisoners and nine wounded in their retirement. A heliographic message from Ladysmith, received at Estcourt, states that the bombardment of that place continues, but thus far no harm had been done. The message adds that there is plenty of food, and all are well. The Boers are doing all the damage possible to the railroad south of Colenso, and are gathering in large numbers south of Ladysmith, the motive of these movements evidently being to hamper the British as much as they can in their efforts to relieve White. A dispatch from Kimberley says that the Loers are apparently shelling the town at the extreme range of their guns. Their fire has been futile.