, 1899-12-09
METHUEN ADVANCES
BRITISH AND BOER ON THE
BANKS OF THE
MODDER.
Engagement-Main Forces of
Both Armies Advancing-Belief
That Siege Of Mafeking Has Been
Raised - Mathuen Opposed by
Cronje With a Superior Force.

Gen. communications had
been cut at Gras Pan was fieeting, for
information reached the war Office at
at Modder river had again been heard
from. 1t was also learned that Gen.
Darlington had arrived at Modder river
to take command of the cavalry, pre-
sumably taking up with him the major
portion of the brigade.
Almost simultaneous came a brief
dispatch indicating that the long ex-
pected advance for the relief of Lady
smith had begun. This important news
was contained In an agency telegram
from Pretoria saying that an official re-
port from the Beers head lager near
Ladysmith was to the effect hat the
British were advancing on Colenso.
From the date of the dispatch (Thurs-
day. it would appear that the north
ward movement from Frere began on
"Wednesday night. No confirmation of
this is forthcoming either from the war
office or from newspaper dispatches,
but it Is evident, on reading some OF
the latter, and particularly a special
to the Daily Telegraph from Frere, OF
Thursdays date, that the hand Of the
censor has been at work. Taken in
conjunction with the news from Pre-
toria that fighting had been resumed
on Modder river on the morning of
Wednesday, the news from Methuen's
communication having been cut was
looked upon as rather alarming. 1t
was inferred that it had been found i'm
possible to keep intact the line Of com
munication which stretches along the
railroad between the Orange river and
the Modder river, a matter of so miles,
and that parties Of Beers had managed
to maintain themselves rel On the
scene Of Gen. Methuen's dearly bought
victory.
Pessimists regard the isolation Of
Methuen's non too large a force as a
serious matter, especially as General
Gatacre does not seem able to make
much Roadway from the direction Of
Stormberg junction. While the Beers
must number quite 5000 men, the or
iginal force which fought at Modder
river having been reinforced from KIM
berley, Jacobsdahl and Bloemfontein,
1t must not be forgotten that Methuen
too on his part has been reinforced.
Although many regiments have lost
heavily, he must now command nearly
II, 900 men.
On the Natal side there is good rea-
son to believe that an action is immi-
nent. The work Of bridging the Tu-
gela river in the face OF the enemy
must be the first step. The Beers
around Ladysmith are reported to be
preparing strong positions, in which
heavy arms are being mounted behind
masonry. On Thursday heavy firing
was heard at Frere camp in the direc-
ton Of the beleaguered town. This
was probably a Boer assault, and it is
to be presumed that it was repulsed.
London, Zee. 9.-General Forester
Walker sent the following dispatch,
dated at 9 o'clock last evening, to the
war office, from Cape iown:
Telegraph and railway communica-
ton to Modder river has been reopen
ed. A battery Of field artillery and a
battalion Of infantry were dispatched
from Modder river against Command
ant Prinz Loos' force of Beers, with one
gun, who nas destroyed the railway.
Our losses were IA wounded.
Belmont a been strengthened by in
fantry and two guns, n a cavalry
regiment and troops from Naauwpoort
occupied Arundel Thursday.
The enemy's forces near Gen. Gaia
ere are reported as follows: At Dor
drecht, 800; marching to Dordrecht.
700, with six guns; at stromberg, 1900;
at Waterfall, a large force; strength
under Molteno, about 400.
Lord Methuen reports casualties De-
cember 6, en- patrol duty. as follows:
Missing, Lieut.. Triestan and four men
Of the Twelfth Lancers; wounded, four
men.
Ladysmith, Thursday, Dec. u via