The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1899-12-28
THE BOERS
POSITION !
Winston Churchill Tells of Their
Strongly Fortified Position.
CONFIDENCE IEGBNERAL BULLBR

Tho Announcement Of the Change Of
the CommHndcr-iu-Cht Caused
diers Are Resolved to toNindicste Him
London. Dec. Winston Church
ms new arrival at Chieveley camp Is
perhaps responsible for some over
coloring OF the gravity Of the situation,
but all today's news conveys the i'm
preston that Butler may be intending
another attack upon the Boer position.
Certainly the Beers are not inactive.
At both Modder River and Tugela they
are said to be strengthening their
forces and extending defense works,
which, in both cases, are seemingly
almost impregnable
In a dispatch describing his escape
Mr.. Churchill cables as follows:
In the evening / concealed myself
in a railway truck under great pile OF
sacks / had a small store Of good
water. | remained hidden go, CHANGING
discovery The Beers searched the
train at KomatipoOrt, but did not
search deep enough. After some 90
hours of misery I came safely here.
lost many pounds in weight, but am
light i'm heart"
The Morning Post has received the
following from Mr. Churchill, under
date OF Dec 26. teegraphed from
Chieveley camp
"All ranks have complete confidence
in Sir Redvers Butler, and there is a
stern determination to succeed next
time at all costs. a painful impression
was caused by the announcement OF
the change Of commander-in-chief
and the soldiers here are resolved ia
vindiCate their trusted leader.
"The situation, nevertheless is diff
fcult, the Boer position being one OF
extraordinary strength, with high hills
lined tier on tier with trenches and
galleries, rising from an unfordabl6
river, and with a smooth plain In front
The enemy have all the ranges
marked, and many powerful guns dom
mate the various points of the river
while the drifts are commanded by
converging musketry fire from prob
ably 1000 Beers. There are l6 miles
of wild, broken country before reach
ing Ladysmith, which demands early
relief"
The naval guns at Chieveley begaI
shelling the Boer position at o'clocl
Tuesday morning. using lyddite. The
shelling continued about two hours
Ever since the engagement at ColensC
the enemy have been euergetically i'm
proving their entertainments The!
can be seen galloping freely from hill
to hill.
Although the two armies we're fl
sight of each other all of Christmas
day, with the temperature 102 degree
in the shade, the British enjoyed char
acteristic Christmas cheer.
Captains Gleenfell and Kirkwood, o
the South African Light Horse, lef
Chieveley camp Sunday to inspect tn,
patrols along the eastern hills. Theil
horses returned at night alone.
A special correspondent of The Dali!
! Chronicle telegraphing from Sterk
stroom, Cape Colony, says: "Stronl
measures are necessary to check tn,
hostile feeling among the Dutch col
| onists. whose seditiOn is shown in tn,
| removal of railway bolts, the ohstruc
| tion of bridges and culverts and at
| tacks upon solitary horsemen. Dis
! affection is bound TO increase, unless
| immediate reinforcements are forth
| coming. The loyal Dutch and British
settlers are becoming alarmingy i'm
| patient"
Dispatches from Modder River rep
resent Dutch disaffection in Griqua
land west as growing very serious
! In some towns the entire Dutch popu
lation has joined the Beers Even II
| districts that have not been visited b,
| the Beers the Dutch farmers are rid
ing about armed. This is the case alst
in districts only so miles from Cap
! Town, where a seditious movement 4
busily propOgated. The British force
are inadequate to guard 1000 mile
| of communications.
A dispatch from Mafeking SAYS tina
! Lady Sarah Wilson, aunt of the Duk
of Marlborough, who was captured b,
the Beers while acting as correspond
ent for London paper, has arrive,
there. having been exchanged for VII
joen, a notorious horse thief and con
vict.