The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-03
THE sIruArIoS IN SOUTH AFRICA.

Tho official reports are still silent as TO the
exact circumstances Of the Moddcr River fight.
and the statement that the total British LOSSES
were I3S killed and wounded In an action that
lasted ten hours reads somewhat curiously
after the iirst descriptions given OF the light
ing No estimate OF the Boer losses by which
one might Judge OF whether tho fighting took
place south Of tho Modder River has yet np-
reared. and there Is nothing said about any
Boer prisoners having been taken. which
makes the matter still more perplexing. We
shall probably have 10 wait for the reports from
the Boer side TO know Just what happened.
In the meantime, Gen Methuen's advance Ia
retarded 10y the necessity for repairing tho
Moddcr Bridge. which tho Beers are said to
have thoroughly destroyed. and the need of
rctnforcemcnts. his total loss since leaving the
Grunge River being more than thousand In
the various encounters he has had with tho
Beers The Colonial contlngents and other
troops have been sent up from Cape Town to
DE Aar aud Belmont to protect tho line OF com.
munlcations aud take the place OF those sent
on to strengthen tho relief column. but until
the Mod Ter is bridged the advance can hardly
DO resumed.
The news from Natal leads TO the belief that
other movements bes des those reported are In
progress. and that Gen. Clery " engaged IN
some operation by which the Doer forces round
laiysmith may find themselves cut of from at
lenst one OF their lines OF retreat and crowded
on tho others with disastrous result. There
nro persistent reports Of Gen Joubert's death
on Nov. TO- hut there IL no firm alton OF II
from any reliable source. and the belief In that
no has personally directed the movements Of
the retreat out OF lower Natal to the north oi
thu Tugcn. whore he IL awaiting the British
advance. Contrary to previous reports. the
Rpara aunpaabeI In hIntVtnu In Tuuala
bridge. which will considerably retard the ad-
vance by that line.
According to tho offlcInl dispatches Gems.
Gn,acre and French remain still In the vicinity
OF Queenstown and at Saauw rOort protecting
the railways and keeping the communications
with thn coust open. Their comparative inac.
ton requires explanation. as II was expected
that they would have Joined in the general
advance on the Free State n fortnight ago. In
order to support the column destined for Kim
berlcy. The lack OF transport is. no doubt. the
cause.
II may he remem bered that Just before the
outbreak Tho war In South Africa there were
reports that the ammunition supplied the
Beers for their Muuscrs was defective and
damaged the rifles. A circular issued by Gen
Jouhert on the subject to the Landdrosts.
Fieldcornets and Magazine Masters confirms
this. II reads:
PRETORIA. Sept. IL. lSao.-Please bring 10
the notice OF your Magazine Master that oil
Mauser cartridges marked n. +. or d. NJ. Y. A.
lshort nccksl are bad. and must under no cir
cumstances be sold to the burghers Only
those marked d. NJ. X. 1879. and upward to
1892. are good The burghers must also be
directed 10 keep their rifles well cleaned in
order to prevent accidents. II there are any
Mauser cartridges under your control marked
y. or ID. VI Y. A. they must be kept apart.
as. when used. they cause the gun TO burst"
From this II would seem that the explosive
in the older cartridges had decomp posed and
become decorating. a defect TO which certain
Of the smokrless powders are liable. especially
when EXPOSED for any length Of time to high
degrees OF heat.