Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1899-12-16

London, Eng, Dec. 16- The
war Office has received dispatch an
nruncing that General Bullcf has met
With serious reverse, losing 10 guns
au,ler was attempting to cross the
rugela river. Finding it impossible
t. effect his object he ordered a re
tirement in order to avoil greater
losses. He left IL guns behind.
Duller in his account to the war of
flee of his reverse says he tried 70
f1rce the passage of the Tugela river
At two points about two miles aLart
General Hart undertook one General
Hllyard the other. The formers
.rcops suffered great deal, Col. l.
G. Brooke was seriously wounded
The batteries he sent to support the
Rttack advanced too close 10 the river
In order to be within effect We range.
II proved to be effective for lie enemy
who opened CALLING fire at close range
killing all their horses anil the gun.
.ners were compelled to stand by5thoir
Guns. A desperate effort was made
IN save the guns but the ere of the
Beers was too severe, only .wo being
saved. Another gallant attempt was
made by an officer and men swlth
eighteen horses to regain the guns but
the enemy killed thirteen Of the eighs
teen and Butler would not allow a sec
end attempt, and as it seemed to be
y sacrificing life to attempt Tho passage
af the river, the troops were with.
drawn.
Throughout the day considerable
force of the enemy was pressing on my
riglit flank, but were keptback by the
mounted men under Lord Dundonald
and part of General Barton's bri
gade The day was intensely hot and
most trying on the troops, whose con
duct was excellent. We lave aban
d0ned 10 guns and lost one by shell
Ere. The losses to Col. Hunts brigade
fear, are very heavy, although :he
proportion of severely wounded.
hope is not large. The 14th and i5th
field batteries also sufferol severe
losses. We have retired To our camI
at Chievely."
London, Dec. 16-As might have
been expected the desperate state Of
the British arms in South Africa, as
revealed by the defeat of General
Butler, at Tugela River. where al
one stroke he lost treble the number
of guns that Wellington left in the
hands of Napoleon during six years o.
fighting in the Peninsula, while adding
to the determination of authorities tt
send every available man to the from
has caused something in the nature O
q monetary panic among the public
whic.. was reflected on the stock ex
change After opening, jobbers s'art
ed realizing and all prices opened
I one to six points below the clesiai
prices of yesterday, Consols beini
down III. After the first rush In
market steadied down somewhat
Market views of the situation ar
most serious in character, both pf'iti
cally and monetarily, the latter main
ly because of the fresh defeat of tn,
British troops which will delay long
er the supply of South African gold
Two unimportant failures were an
nounced. 1t is long since the tone o
the newspapers, and comment in th
clubs and other resorts has been g,
chaatened and pessimistic. Some com
ments go so far as to say the -crisi
Is SO far reaching that Great Britail
stands Where she stood over Ger
fury back when the American co.uT
lists, men of British and Dutch blood
were in arms
Modder RIVER. Dec. 15-During tn
demonstration in force this mornin
British guns sheiied the Beers for
couple OF hours. The Beers did no
reply until the British were retiring
The Beers are further entrenching an
strengthening their old defences. W
the evident intention of fiercely d;i
putting the control of the railroad.
Pretoria, Dec. 15-An official dil
patch from Moddsr River says: Th
Beers captured a great quantity {
loot, Including 200 Lee-Mettords case
of cartridges and hundreds of bays
nets Great numbers OF the Britis
retired from Tweo Rivieren n the d
rection of Belmont. The loss of tn
British was very great. There wer
heaps Of dead on the field. The woun,
81 are being attended to temporaril
st Bisseis farm. EappeFs and miner
must have suffered severely. IN
Beers suffered heavy losses Of horse
I cannot otherwise describe the ba
sIehela than as q sad terrIbl