The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-11-29
BIG VICTORY FOR BRITISH.
But 1T WAS WON AT GREAT COST
To THEIR ARMS.

Gen. Methuen's Fight With the Beers
Was Most Severe One-Fierce Ar
tilIery Duel Kept Up for Three
Hours-HilIs Were Captured In
Face of "A Terrific Fire-why Boers
Are Not Put in Light of
Rebels.
London. Nov. ga dispatch has been
received here from Gen. Butler, giving a
list of the casualties among the troops
engaged in what was hitherto known here
as the battle of Gras Pan, but which is
now officially designated the battle of Ems
lin
1t proves, as anticipated, that the Brit
ish success was heavily bought. The losses
announced to-day added to the naval brl-
gade casualties, previously notified, make
a grand total of 1873, as the cost of Gen.
Methuen's second battle.
The Yorkshires, apparently, bore with
the naval brigade, the brunt of the fight
ing, as there were, in addition to three
officers, forty-eight of the rank and file
killed, wounded aud missing. The fact
that the list contains the casualties Of the
Ninth Lancers seems to dispose of the
fears that the cavalry was surrounded and
captured, especially as none of the Lancers
are reported missing.
Gen. Buffers list of the casualties shows
that among the wounded of the Second
Yorkshire Light Infantry were Capt c.
A. Yates, Lieut.. II. C. Fernyhough and
Lieut.. c. H. Ackroyd. The casualties
among the on-commissioned officers and
men of the various regiments engaged
were:
Killed, 10; wounded, II; missing, 9.
Situation Mt Ladysmith
The war office has received the follow
ing dispatch from Gen. Butler dated Pie
termaritzburg, Natal. Nov. IS.
Our last news from Ladysmith, Nov.
p, said all well An Old message dated
Nov. 10, just arrived, begins: 'Jouhert has
explained firing on one (Red CrossO flag
previously reported. Have accepted ex-
planation as satisfactory.
Lieut.. Lithbridge, rifle brigade, died Of
wounds. Others wounded generally doing
weE. Health of troops good.
Six wounded Dublin Fusilleers captur-
ed on armored train south of Colenso
sent here to-day"
A corrected list of the British casualties
at Gras Pan shows that Flag Captain
Reginald c. Prothero of the Doris and
Lieutenant of Marines Walker c. Jones,
also of the Doris, previously reported
wounded, were killed.
The additional casualties telegraphed by
Gen. Butler appear TO be the first intima-
dcn of the actions of Gen. Methuens
forces, which have not yet been reported.
As to a state of War.
The Associated Press learns that the ac-
tion of Lord Pauncefote and other British
ambassadors in notifying the Powers that
state of war has existed since Oct II
between Great Britain and the South Af-
rican Republic, have prompted inquiries by
the various London embassies regarding
the nature of the hostilities. The Asso-
ciated Press-fs- officially informed that the
notification has In no wise changed the
British views as to the Beers status But,
in spite of the ambiguous references in
the Queens speech and other official doc
uments at the commencement of the war
regarding military operations" and other
evasive use of the term war" it appears
that the United States has consistently
the Beers as forming, practi-
cally an independent state considering the
claim of British suzeraiuty too sloght a
thread to put them in the light of rebels.
1t is tacitly admitted by the British Off
cials that the usual communications rela-
tive to state of war" were not made
earlier because it was not thought that
victory would be deferred long enough to
make such a diplomatic step necessary |
The government maintains that giving the |
Beers belligerent rights does not constitute |
an acknowledgment of their claim to in |
dependence, evidencing as proof of this |
that both foreign governments |
and the government Of the UnNed States |
treated the Confederates as belligerents. |
--------
WAS A BRILLIANT VICTORY.