Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 21, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 November 1899 — WAR WITH THE BOERS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WAR WITH THE BOERS

■ - NEWS FROM THE FRONT IS GREATLY DIVERSIFIED. * Report* So Conflicting that It Is Difficult to Outlive the Situation with Aar Degree of Precision—Gen. 8 jrmons Dies of Wounds. The dispatches from South Africa have been so diversified. and contrary that it has been difficult to outline the situation with any degree of precision. Three or four main facts, however, stand out , prominently. Gen. Symon’s fight at Glencoe was not anything like the decisive victory at first alleged, and' Gen. Yule would in all probability have been annihilated or have met with the same fate as the captured buzzara if he had not retreated. Gen. White’s “artillery duel” at Kietfontein was a very severe engagement, in which the rifle did great execution and in which success was also achieved at a distressing cost. The bombardment of Mafeking commenced Wednesday and the Boers got their hussar prisoners safely to Pretoria. Altogether the campaign is being pushed by the Boers so strenuously and on such sound strategical lines that the situation of the British must in all probability give them cause for deep anxiety for some time to come. Apart from the

fatigue, regiments like the Gordon Highlanders and Royal Rifles have been practically without officers since the fights, end 135 additional officers have been ordered to leave England as speedily as possible. Outside of officialdom, and possibly even therein, London on Thursday was absolutely without definite news of importance from the vicinity of Ladysmith. It was believed that the forces of Gen. White and Gen. Yule were united, although even this was a matter of speculation. It was known that the Boer forces were near to Ladysmith. The suppression of news has not onlycaused great indignation in Great. Britain, but has created grave alarm for the future. As a consequence the British public is enraged at Lord .Wolseley, and demands that all official dispatches be given out verbatim. The death of Gen. Sir William Symons* the British commander at Glencoe, who was shot in the stomach in the battle with the Boers there, was officially announced in the House of Commons Thursday.

MARIBOCO STATION, BECHUANALAND.