The evening times., 1899-12-14
The Modder pi.a.ter.

The seriousness OF the danger TO British
interests involved in the Modder River
disaster and the situation following 1t is
exemplifed in a card addressed to the press
by the Marquis of Londonderry in which
be says: Il cannot conceive the effect on
the Empire II Methuen be forced to sur
render"
Even as matters stand great danger has
accrued to British prestige through the af-
fairs at Stormberg and Modder. and Her
Majesty's Government is compelled to face
at once the prospect of a general Afrikan-
der insurrection in Cape Colony, and an
uprising of the native tribes which may
extend from Zululand clear around the
Cape and to upper Rhodesia. In view of
these menaces the war authorities have de-
cided TO send out the Seventh and mobilize
the Eighth division OF the army. II be-
gins to dawn upon the ministry that a
force of a-hundred and fifty thousand men
will be small enough to undertake the task
in South Africa.
The most ominous feature of the news
is the report that the Beers have attacked
Lord Methuen's communications south Of
Modder River. Cronje. at Megarsfontein
and Jacobsdal. appears to outnumber the
British by several thousand men. There
is reason to believe that at least five or
six thousand Beers are in a position to
operate against the line between the Or
ange and Modder rivers. AS We have re-
marked heretofore. Gatacre is out of the
mir To- na nd ic ard IN
see how French could do anything in sup
port of Methuen without leaving all the
railway lines in northern Cape Colony at
the mercy of the Free Staters and Cape
rebels. So 1t can be readily understood
that the situation at Modder is liable to
become desperate.
If the Beers should appear in force on
Methuen's rear. cut off his supplies. and
prepare to contest his retreat across the
river, it would seem that the chance of his
having 10 cspitulate might be alarmingly
great. 1t may be well doubted that he
could effect a retreat under the conditions
suggested. or course it may be possible to
re-enforce him quickly. but We doubt it. II
there had been troops to spare General For
estier- Walker would not have left Gatacre
to cope with the Stormberg. Dordrecht. and
other commandos in his district with a beg
carly brigade of only twenty five hundred
men On the basis Of the official and press
reports We are unable to detect anything
that looks encouraging for Methuen. II is
stated that he inflicted severe loss Oh
Cronje Possibly it may have been heavy
enough TO stagger that general and compel
him TO forego any immediate design TO fol-
low up his advantage. but such theory is
not a safe one on which 10 hang a hope.
The story OF the fighting on Monday and
Tuesday does not seem to support the In
ference that the Boer losses were anything
like as great as those of the British.
From Natal We get something which ap
pears 10 indicate that Buffers advance has
begun. Barton's brigade, at latest ac-
counts. had moved up 10 within three miles
of Colenso, and by this time his guns ought
to be in play. The Boer movement east Of
Weenen. again referred 10 in this mornings
dispatches. probably means a counter to
British turning movement in that direc-
tion. The chances are that We shall next
hear of an action OF reconnaissance in force
on the west of the town, in the direction
of the Zwartsberg and the Dewdrop road.
The stern necessity for some British sue
cess at this time may compel Sir Redvers
Butler to accelerate his movements, and,
in that case, we should hear something de-
cisive from Frere al least by tomorrow.