The record-union., 1899-12-08

Stirring News Will Soon be He
ceived-An Unconfirmed Report
That General Whites Forces
Have Defeated the Beers.
PIETERMARITZBU Tuesday
Dec. 5.-General Butler and his STAN
have started for the front.
LONDON, Dec. SO a. m-)-General
Buffers arrival at Frere is held 10 III
dictate that all the preparations Iof an
advance to the relief of Ladysmlth are
complete, and that stirring news VIII
soon be received. The fact that Loru
Methuen is announced as resumlns MS
command at almost the same momeht
is interpreted in some quarters to mean
that battles will be fought slmultan-
eously in Natal and at Spytfonte1n. II
appears doubtful however, Whetner
General Methuen's force is yet ready
for what will evidently be heavy en-
counter.
The construction of the temporary
bridge across Modder River has en-
tailed enormous labor and even now
the structure is liable to be Wasneo
away should a heavy storm come
General Methuen has been obliged TO
move his camp mile north IN conse-
quence of the unsanitary state OF the
stream, due to the presence OF the
bodies of dead Beers. AS the railway
bridge was completely destroyed, he
was compelled to leave a considerable
force to protect his communications.
A special correspondent sends the ir-
teresting information regarding Boer
tactics. that Commandant General Jou-
bert has given general orders to reserve
fire until the British are within the
close range of 400 yards. At the Mod
der River battle the Free State Bur
ghers became nervous, opened fire
prematurely, thus revealing their po-
sition. and frustrated the Boer plans.
The Morning Post publishes an ar
ticle warning the British public that
1.-The establishment already experience
ed respecting the Boer forces in Natal
is likely to be repeated on the western
border" 1t says that men are wanted
everywhere. and asks why the splendid
body of Royal Marines is now being
employed in sweeping floors and wash
ing paint in England, and is not sent
out to handle the naval guns, instead
of the hurriedly trained men, unfamil-
lar with these weapons, who have gone,
The Government has decided to dis
patch to South Africa at the earliest
possible moment a cavalry brigade OF
about 1000 men.
Baron Loeb, former Governor of Cape
Colony, and British High Commissioner
for South Africa, lecturing in London
last evening, related some of his ex-
periences with President Kruger. He
said the remarks of the Transvaal
President years ago showed that he
contemplated just the state OF affairs
which had now arisen. Mr.. Kruger
then expressed a desire to have a sea-
port, and said the Transvaal hoped to
have navy some day.
The Times commenting upon
Baron Lochs "reminiscences. says that
they prove up to the hilt the Dutch
ambition for Dutch supremacy in
South Africa
REPORT THAT BOERS WE'RE DE-
FEATED AT LADYSMITH.
LONDON, Dec. THE War Office
has received the following message
from General Forester Walker, the
British commander at Cape Town:
"wednesday, December 6.-General
Methuen wires to-day that he has re-
sumed command and is nightly in COM
munication with Kimberley. The health
of the troops is excellent"
A story was current at Durham
Tuesday, December 9Th. to the effect
that the Beers made what is thought
to have been their final effort to cap
ture Ladysmith December 4th, and wert
defeated and retreated. AS the story
was brought by runners, it should he
received with reservation, as the un-
reliability of these 'Kaffirgrams" is no
torious. According to this report. tho
Beers opened a. furious bombardmen'
during the morning of December
continued it for hours, when the Eiit-
ish finally silenced the Boer guns
made a sortie, and hard fighting follow
ed, the Beers retreating after very
heavy losses, estimated in hundreds.
The dispatches from Frere Camp ar
TALLY confirm a retirement of Free
State Burghers from the vicinity OF
Ladysmith, but do not indicate thai
ON the previous day, while the state
ment in the same dispatch that the
Roers were firing into Ladysmitf
shows the Boer guns were still active
II is also pointed out that all sugges-
tions of weakening refer to the Free
Staters. Apparently the Transvaa
Roers are still full of fight, though i
Is reiterated that they are short OF
supplies.
According to a dispatch from Genera
Schalkburger's lager, dated Decembel
I'd the French and Austrian military
ATTACHES had arrived there, while this
German attaches had gone to join tbs
Roer forces along the Tugela River
where collision was momentraiiy ex
pected
Perhaps an explanation of the retire
ment of the Burghers from Natal car
be found in dispatch from Moddel
River. December Sd, saying that {
strong Boer force, estimated to mum
her 3. 900 men, was reinforcing Genera
Cronje for Natal. The same dispatch
says everything points to the fact tina
a great engagement will be fought a
Spytfontein. The Beers are massins
on the hills there, are vigorously build
ing stone defenses, and are digging riff
pits in every direction.