The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1899-12-20
HUNDREDS OF MEN FELL,
Guns and Ammunition Lost, While the
Moral Effect Is Disastrous.
GLOOM is GENERAL IN ENGLAND.
Additional Troops to BE Hurried to
the Transvaal and n Desperate
Attempt Made to Pluck Vic.
tory From Defeat-Boers
Active Everywhere.

|
been expected, the desperate state OF
the british arms in South Africa. as
revealed by the defeat of General Bull
Ter at Tugela river, where at one
stroke, he lost treble the number OF
guns Wellington left in the hands OF
Napoleon during the six years lighting
in the peninsula. while adding to the
send every available man to the front
caused something in the nature of a
momentary panic among the public.
1t is long since the tone of the news
papers and the comment in the clubs
and other resorts had been so chast-
ened and pessimistic. Some of the
comments go so far as to say the crisis
is so far reaching that Great Britain
| stands where she stood over a cen
| fury back. when the American col
onists, men of British and Dutch blood,
were in arms"
British dominion in South Africa
has been shaken to it's foundation. 1t
is reported that Sir Alfred Miner,
British high commissioner in South
Africa and governor of Cape Colony,
demands the assent of the imperial
government to the proclamation of
martial law throughout Cape Colony.
Lord Salisbury is unwilling to grant
the requests save as the very last re-
sort, as such a dangerous confession
of the gravity of the British position
would be offering positive induce
ment to England's enemies to take ad-
vantage of her extremity.
Sir Alfred Miner reports that Dutch
dissatisfaction has now reached a
point where ordinary law is useless to
stem it. He wants power not only of
summary arrest without warrant of
suspected persons, and the right to
detain them without trial, but also to
suppress the Dutch newspapers
throughout the colony, which insist
upon publishing accounts of British
reverses and criticisms of the war.
There was little excitement at the
war office, but orders were being is
sued in all directions for the mobiliza-
ton of the reserves and militia. The
latter replace the regulars in the gar
rison towns.
Trouble Feared In Ireland.
Colonial Secretary Chamberlain's
visit to Dublin promises to be signalled
by serious disturbances. He has an
nounced his intention to stay with
Viceroy Cadogan and take the honor
airy degree of Ill. d. at Trinity college.
The Irish Transvaal company has is
sued n proclamation calling an indig-
nation meeting of the cit.Zcna of Dub
lin, to disassociate them ewes from
the act of Trinity college, by which it
proposes to do honor to Mr.. Chamber
lain, "the author of the robber war be-
ing conducted by England"
Another Nationalist body, the Irish
Socialist Republican party, has issued
placards for n monster demonstration
outside Trinity college, ito celebrate
Gatacre's defeat at Stormberg" This
demonstration is timed for the hour
when Mr.. Chamberlain will be receiv-
ing his degree inside the university.
Mr. Chamberlain thinks this violent
Irish Nationalist hostility will arouse
English sympathy for him. Therefore
he is unwilling to cancel the engage
ment. A Dublin mob is dangerous to
trihe with. The extremists have not
been SO strong there since 1880 as now.
The Evening Standard declares the
situation calls for all the equanimity
determination and perseverance of the
empire, and demands the immediate
calling out of all the volunteers, en-
bodying all the Outlanders expelled
from the Transyaal, to guard the lines
of communication, thus freeing all the
regulars for service in the fighting
line.
The Star says: "The guilt of the
government is superseded by the dan
them that protection will be given
them as soon as Great Britain has
taken over the TrGnsvaal.