The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1899-12-20
BRITAIN FORCED 10 MAKE A CHANGE.
NEW CHIEF SELECTED.
Roberts Succeeds Butler In South Africa
Numerous Defeats Spur England on
10 Vigorous Campaign.

The English Government disappoint-
ed with the results of her men and OF
ficers in South Africa has decided upon
some radical changes in the conduct OF
the war in South Africa. These changes
have caused the English to again look
forward to a favorable termination OF
the war. As result OF the British
Cabinet meeting on Saturday, when the
successive revcrscs OF Gatacre, Mctluen
and Butler were carefully considered,
the following important measures were
decided upon:
Field Marshall Lord Roberts, v. C.,
has been appointed Commander-in-
Chief of South Africa, with Lord Kitch-
encr. OF Khartoum, to be Chief OF Stall.
The whole OF the reserve, not rs yet IN
corporated. will be called upon. The
Seventh division is now mobilizing, and
will proceed at once to South Africa.
Reiniorccments of artillery, including
three Howitzer batteries, will be sent
ont
Butler is authorized to raise a local
mounted corps in South Africa. A con
siderable mounted force from England
will be sent out, and nine battalons ol
militia, in addition to the three which
have already volunteered, will be asked
to volunteer for foreign service. a spe-
cial force OF volunteer regiments will
be formed for South African service.
Offers of mounted men from the colo
nies will be accepted.
These measures should give the Brit
ish forces in South Africa 10000 more
men. On the way there or i'll process
of embarking are the Fifth and Sixth
divisions, about 10000 strong. while the
total of men under arms in South Al
rica, including Cape Natal local forces,
may be placed at $4,000, dcducting
losses. Thus the British strength i'll the
field is to be almost doubled.
The greatest satisfaction will be caus-
cd by the announcement that the Gov
crnment has decided to send Roberts as
Commander-in-C Chief in South Africa,
with Kitchener, thus calling upon two
of the most brilliant officers in the Brit
ish army to meet the grave situation
which has now arisen.
The London war office has received
the following dispatch from General
Methuen, dated Tuesday, December IL;
"Our artillery sheled strong posi-
ton held by the enemy in long, high
kopje from a until dusk Sunday. The
Il1R1ldllu DllHdut dlldNhth dl way
on Monday the south end of the kopje.
The attack was properly timed, but fail
ed. The guards were ordered to pro-
tect the Highlands right and rear. The
cavalry and mounted infantry, with a
howitzer artillery battery, attacked the
enemy on the left and the guards on the
right, supported by field artillery and
howitzer artillery.
sssrt,... rl.ti.I ,.Ar,,,a,, fTA,,, lou
break. and at I:I5 | sent the Gordons
to support the Highland brigade. The
troops held their own in front OF the
enemy's intrenchments until dusk, the
position extending, including the koplc,
for distance of six miles toward the
Modder river. To-day | sam holding
my position and intrenchng myself. |
had to face at least $4,000 men. Our
loss was great.
"As the Beers occupied their trench
cs strongly this morning | retired III
perfect order here, where l am i'll Sc
curity.
Il have gathered from some of the
prisoners and from our men with the
ambulances, who talked with the Beers,
that the enemy's losses were terrible,
some corps being completely wiped out,
The Beers have been most kind to my
wounded"
The War Office Saturday received a
dispatch announcing that General Bull
Ter has met with a serious reverse, los
ing II guns.
General Butler was attempting to
cross the Tugela river. Finding it inn
possible to effect his object, he ordered
retirement in order to avoid greater
losses.
Since the days OF the Indian mutiny
England has not been confronted with
so painful and anxious a situation.
Plainly General Buffers advance is par
alyzed for the moment as completely as
Lord Methuen's and General Gatacre's,
The depression over the defeat oi
Great Britain's trusted and idolized
commander is all the greater, as, dur
ing the last 4S hours, there had been re-
ports of the relief OF Ladysmith. Fri
day the War Office allowed it to be un-
derstood that the position OF affairs in
Natal was entirely satisfactory. The re-
action is all the more pronounced on
this account
The war Office has received the fol
lowing from General Forester Walker
Cape Town, Dec. II.-Gatacre re-
ports as follows: The idea to attack
Stormberg seemed to promise certain
success, but the distance was underesti-
mated by myself and the local guides
A policeman took us round some miles
and consequently we were marching
from o:3o p. m. till a a. M, and were
landed in an impossible position. l dc
not consider the error Intentional
Cape Colony is in ferment and Bocr
reports say that 5000 British colonial
troops have joined the Beers.
Gen. Buffers losses at Calenso are
&c killed, 667 wounded, and 34S missing.
REPRESENTS A HUNDRED MILLION.