Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1899-12-29
WAR AT STANDSTILL
Epidemic Of Chambers In Boer
and British Camps.
DOLENSO FOOTBRIDCE DESTROYED.
humored Spread of Dutch Disnnec-
ffon In Cape Town and NntaI-Pre-
toriR Dispatch Tells the Beers
story OF Buffers Defeat.


LONDON, Dec. 26.-Up to this hour
pothlng has arrived from South Africa
that would indicate any change in the
military situation there. The war Office
is issuing lists of further deaths and
wounds, as well as accounts of sickness.
The most serious report of the last class
Is that horse sickness has broken out in
both British and Boer camps In Natal.
-Four hundred British cavalry horses it
Is said, have already been shot owing to
The occurrence of CHAMBERS. The disease
Is likely to spread with much greater ra-
pidity among the British horses than
among the hardy Boer ponies, and this
may mean n considerable prolongation of
the campaign.
\ dispatch from Chieveley, dated
Tuesday, Dec. 10, says
1.-THE British naval guns have destroy
hd the Colenso footbridge, thus prevent
Ing the Beers holding any position south
Of the Tugela river. The enemy are TAX
Ing up fresh positions on the eastern side,
nearcr tie British camp.
1.-THE British position at Frere is being
strengthened The Tugela river is ris
Ing, and there is a prospect of heavy
rains.
"a two hour bombardment Of Lady
smith has been heard from here. Ac-
eording to reliable native reports, the
Beers had 200 killed in the fight at Co
lenso."
The news that the Colenso footbridge
has been destroyed seems to show that
General Butler is more anxious to keep
the enemy at bay than to attempt a fur
thor advance.
Despite the severity of the censor
ell hi,t- hoip., continual lie oil
Of the serious spread of Dutch disaifec
ton in both the Queenstown district of
Cape Colony and Natal. A correspond
ent Of The Daily Mail at Pietermaritz-
burg says:
The extent of Dutch dsaffecton
should make the imperial authorities
realize the magnitude of the task before
tlcm."
There are unconfirmed reports from
Capc Town that General Sir Charles
Warren, commanding the Fifth division.
has returned there.
Ccwmandant D"meilon. who was tax
en- prisoner at Elandslaagte and brought
e. Sh.onetown. where he was confined
on tho British cruiser Penelope has sue
cecGed in making his escape.
4 dispntch from Pretoria, dated Dec.
II. gives the Bocr version Of the Tugela
River battle.
"Orcr 500 British prisoners captured
n, the battle of Stormherg have arrived
here They have been taken to Water
fall to Join the other prisoners. An Off
cal account Of the Boer casualties at the
battle OF Tugela River says 30 men were
killed or wounded
FRIDAY at dawn. the day long expect
ed arrived. The Pretoria detachment of
ortillprv thr alarm (,nnnral Rn1-
ler's Ladysmith relief column was in bat
tie array advancing on the Beer positions
close to the Tugela and Colenso. The
center consisted of an immense crowd of
infantry, hanked on each side by two
batteries, with strong bodies of cavalry
supporting The Boer artillery preserved
absolute silence. not disclosing its posi-
ton Two batteries came within rife
distance of our foremost position and
the Beers then opened fire with deadly
effect. Our artillery also commenced and
apparently absolutely confused the enc
my. who were allowed to think the bridge
was open for them to cross.
Their right flank in the meantime at
tackled the Beers southernmost position,
but the Mau>er rifle fire was so tremen-
dous that they were rolled back like
spent wave. leaving ridges and ridges of
ueau ana dying nUlIlaill! henlnd.
Again the British advanced to the at
tack, but again fell back, swelling the
heaps OF dead. Their cavalry charged
to the river, where the Erm0lo comman-
do delivered such a murderous fire that
two batteries of cannon had to he aban-
doned, which the Beers are going to bring
here. Twice the British essayed to bring
horses to remove them The first time
they succeeded in hitching on to one can
non, and on the second trial the horses
and men fell in n heap.
Then the British were in full retreat
TO their camp. whence they sent heavy
shrapnel fire on Bulwer bridge across the
Tugela to prevent the burghers from re-
covering the cannon.
The French attache, VilehoiS, and
the German attache, Braun, say the fight
could not have been improved upon by
the armies of Europe.
Generals Botha and Trchnrt were al
ways at the most dangerous points of the
fighting.
Eleven ambulances removed the Eng
fish dead and wounded.
Such "A tremendous cannonade has sell
dom been heard. The veldt for miles
was covered with dead and wounded. 1t
>ls most crushing British defeat. Nine
of the cannon have since been brought
across the river. The British asked for
and were granted Il "a hour armistice"