THE WAR.

Thames Advertiser, Volume XXIX, Issue 9497, 28 November 1899, Page 1

THE WAR.

THE BATTLE.'. OF LADYSMI'iu. 'MELBOURNE,* Nov. 27. The Argus' special corresponded,, describing the battle of Ladysnnih, says the accuracy of tho shrapnel fire proved that the Free State gunners were better than the Boers, at. Uiencoe. The British artillery swung into position with marvellous promptitude. One thick set Tommy, as he ran.past with a couple of brass capped shells, cried out: /'This is the medicine for 'em—Beecham's pills; a'ole box. free given away," and he i affectionately kissed the shells which the next instant were bursting over the heads of the crouching Boers on'the* hill top.

A few of the earlier shots struck before exploding, and threw, up columns of red dust, but once the range was picked up the Boers fared badly. . No one .can have conception of war until one has watched its painful sequel—bringing, in the wounded and the burial of the dead. The central British field hospital is the Town Hall, Ladysmith, where the Red Cross—the emblem of all that is beautiful and beneficent in warfare—floats .from the tower. All round is reek of chloroform, and as the first of the wounded are brought in one hears the groans of a Boer who had three shots in his thigh, having dums dums extracted. There are no other sounds as the sisters in white aproned dresses move from bed to bed. One lingers longest at the Boer hospital, where amongst the wounded, who occupy the line of tents one gets agood idea of the Boer soldier—three waggon loads of whom were wounded at El.andslaagte, and were coolly;sent on to Ladysmith.for treatment. The Boer professes contempt for the British soldier, but has the greatest possible faith in the British surgeon. His ambulance, likemost,of his.army appliances, are conimandered, and two of these are delivery vans of business firms at Johannesburg.

Should the Australian corps come here we shall have no f need to be ashamed of /their, comparison with the Natal forces, j Both in physique, set ud and drill our men are far in advance of the Natal.troops, who, though somewhat slovenly in appearance, have a hard wear and tear look.