Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1899-10-24
DEADLY ARTILLERY FIRE.
Irish Fusileers and Kings Rifles
Shoot Their Way to the Top.
ON GLENCOE HILL.
Fears that the Basutos will Attempt
an Invasion of Orange
Free States.

London, Oct. 21.-The war office an
nounces in the fighting yesterday be-
tween Glencoe and Dundee, in Natal,
thirty-one non-commissioned officers and
men were killed and 151 wounded.
A later dispatch from Sir George Stew
art White says that Sir William Penn
Symons is brighter today, but that the
doctor can give no further opinion.
The earliest dispatches regarding yes
terday's battle conveyed the impression
s that the whole affair was over in a cou-
pie of hours, the British artillery silenc-
ing the Boer guns and infantry and then
simply charging right over the hill Ac-
|. cording to the latest advices, however,
the battle lasted eight hours and nearly
seven hours elapsed before the last Boer
gun was put out of action.
Stormed the Hill.
The Irish fusileers and the Kings RI
ties meanwhile had advanced to the as
sault and were shooting their way up the
hill. driving the Beers back from shelter
to shelter, until the final rush of the
British carried them to the summit.
1t was a bright, clear morning, which
nabled the operations to be followed
by the staff officers without difficulty. A
curious fact was that several times lull
occurred in the firing on both sides, the
British infantry apparently taking
breathing space in the stiff climb and
the Beers also holding back their fire.
The magnificent practice of the Brit
Ish guns was an immense help, and the
success OF the assault was greatly due
thereto. An enormous quantity of am
munition was expended.
Once the British bayonets showed on
top of kopje the Beers retreated and
when on descending the other side they
found a British battery and British cav
airy outtanking them, the retreat became
rout. The British guns followed and,
Numbering from time to time, threw
shells among the fleeing foe.
Inc latter did not wait to try cOnclu-
sions with the Hussars and mounted in
fantry, who apparently seldom got near
enough to deliver effective volleys. The
pursuit was continued until dusk. when
the Beers were completely demoralized.
A heavy ram began to fall late in the
afternoon, which naturally impeded ar
tillery work.
1t is striking coincidence that yester-
day was the second anniversary of a SIM
liar feat of British arms in India. when
the Gordon Highlanders stormed Dargai
Heights.
Invasion of Free State.
London. Oct. 21.-The paramount chief
VI INC OdSulOS dCSOlullS W d uISpdIcu
from Cape Town, has asked permission
to assemble the other Basuto chiefs, with
q view Of inviting them to pledge loyalty
TO the queen.
This is assumed to be Il forerunner of
a BasutO movement, and the Orange
Free State burghers near the BasutO bOr-
der are said tc be in state of consterna.
ton. fearing that at any moment the
Basutos, despite their imperial instruc-
tons to the contrary, will take the field
and invade the Free State.
A dispatch from Cape Town announces
that British force, with field guns,
landed yesterday at Simonstown and took
a train for the north. The exact destin-
alton was not revealed, but probably it
is some point ON the southern frontier Of
the Orange Fee State, where the Beers
are assembling.
London, Oct. 21.-The House of Com
mons went into a committee of supplies
tonight and the government was voted
f1O,0OO,OO0. or $5O,OOO,O0O, to carry on
the war in the Transvaal. The vote
showed 271 for and 81 against.
1t is reported that great Britain's inn
mense military preparations against two
insignificant republics are viewed with
considerable curiosity in some of the Eu-
ropean capitals. notably Paris and ST.
Petersburg. Notes have been exchanged
on the subject, and it is even limited in
unofficial quarters that inquiries will be
addressed to the British government as
to the contemplated absorption of the
two republics by the British empire.
The governments plan is said to ter
inmate the war in the speediest manner
possible after the forts at Pretoria and
Johannesburg have been RACED, and then
to promulgate new constitution for
group of five federal states-Cape Colony,
the Transvaal, Natal, the Orange Free
State and Rhodesia-under the title of
the Dominion of South Africa, the crown
to nominate a governor-general, and the
five states having power each to elect its
own Heutenant-governor and to have
local legislatures with dominion parlia-
ment to meet at Cape Town. With some
notifications this scheme is based upon
lines similar to those of the Canadian
government.