  We analyzed a sample of 26 background X-ray sources in a ~60 square degree
field of the Large Magellanic Cloud observed with the ROSAT PSPC. The sample
has been selected from previously classified and optically identified X-ray
sources. In addition pointlike and spectrally hard sources with at least 100 to
200 observed counts have been used for the analysis. We performed X-ray
spectral fitting and derived total hydrogen absorbing column densities due to
LMC gas in the range 10^20 - 2. 10^21 cm^-2. We compared these columns with the
HI columns derived from a 21-cm Parkes survey of the LMC. For 7 optically
identified sources we find, within the uncertainties derived from the X-ray
spectral fit, agreement for both columns. For further 19 sources we constrain
the LMC columns from the X-ray spectral fit assuming that the powerlaw photon
index is that of AGN type spectra. We derive for 20 sources gas columns which
are within the uncertainties in agreement with the HI columns. We derive for
two background sources (RX J0536.9-6913 and RX J0547.0-7040) hydrogen absorbing
column densities due to LMC gas, which are in excess to the HI columns. These
sources - located in regions of large (~3. 10^21 cm^-2) LMC HI column densities
- could be seen through additional gas which may be warm and diffuse, cold or
molecular. For 10 sources we derive upper limits for the gas columns additional
to HI and constrain the molecular mass fraction to <(30-140)%.
