The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1899-12-02
THE WAR IN CAPE COLONY.

Assuming the censored reports issued
by the British war office to be correct,
General Methuen's victory at Belmont
and Gras Pan were dearly purchased.
At Belmont 231 British were killed and
wounded, including rs officers. First,
it was stated that there were 10000
British to 1000 Beers; then the Beers
were said to be $500 and lastly 5000,
while the British were reduced to 7,ooo
The reason for changing the strength
OF the contending forces is evident.
Granting that the armies stood to s,
the British have no cause to brag Of
their achievement. The Beers retired
in good order and gave battle two days
afterward at Gras Pan, ten miles awav.
They were outnumbered two to one by
the British, according to the London
news, and yet it is admitted that they
fought desperately, ana retreated after
a prolonged and stubborn resistance.
The naval brigade under Commander
ktheston, of the Powerful, is reported
to have Suffered heavily from Boer
sllarpshooters. Ethelston himself and
several other prominent naval officers
were killed, and Berlin journal an
nounces that the naval brigade lost 100
men in all at Gras Pan, and that the
Ninth Lancers were captured while har-
assing the retreating Beers.
Taking the British accounts, which
are all we get, the Beers have kept up
their reputation for craftsmanship.
While 231 British were killed and
wounded at Belmont, only 81 Beers
killed and so captured are accounted
tor At Gras Pan twenty Beers were
buried, and it is said thirty-one were
killed and forty-eight wounded. How
many were taken prisoners, if any, is
not told. The official report holds back
the entire British loss in killed, wound
ed and captured on Thursday and Sat-
urday OF last week. When the facts are
known it will be found that the So
called victories of Methuen were not
victories at all. Last Sunday the Beers
were said to be occupying Storlnberg,
only few miles from Gras Pan, while
the British remained at the latter place
''to rest and replenish ammunition and
perhaps to bury their dead. Up to the
time OF writing there is no account OF
any further engagement. The country
around Stormberg abounds with small
"kopjes," or isolated hills, with huge
boulders and thick brush, so favorable
to Boer tactics. and while the passes
between the hills are generally wide
they afford practically no shelter to
troops, and the Beers, with few pieces
OF artillery, can do great execution upon
the advancing British columns. No
doubt but the British will suffer Sc
verely, now that the marine corps is
horse de combat
Methuen finds it no chi1d's play to
march to the relief OF Kimberley, and
if he is not extremely cautious he will
never reach his destination. Any REIN
lorccments that may follow him will
encounter the same opposition. The
war in Cape Colony is only beginning.
The Beers are stubborn fighters, and if
they give way to superior numbers,
they can retreat to their own country
where they will be more at home to
welcome the invaders to hospitable
graves. The British people have
changed their opinion of the Beers and
realize that they are, at least, the equal
OF any soldiers they have ever met in
Europe