NAVAL DETACHMENT WITH MAXIM GUN ON TRIPOD STAND.
Neglect of precautions at Ladysmith.
In other directions there was an unfortunate amount of carelessness. For instance, on November 2 a Boer ambulance containing British wounded was allowed to enter the town, and was not immediately taken charge of by the British medical staff. It was afterwards discovered that the driver was a foreign artillery officer in the Boer service, who used his opportunity to examine the weak points of the town. This ruse was certainly unjustifiable, but steps might well have been taken to guard against it, for our generals knew by this time the character of the enemy. There were other grave abuses of the Red Cross flag; on October 30 the Boers masked one of their laagers with an ambulance, and on the 31st they built an emplacement for a gun under shelter of the sacred emblem.
NAVAL QUICK-FIRING GUN DETACHMENT.
The town beleaguered.
On the night of the 31st all preparations for a siege were made. Earthworks were constructed by the garrison, the naval 4·7's placed in the best position, and ammunition and stores distributed at various points wide apart so as to be safe from fire.
