Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-12-27
That is What British Are
Trying To Do By
DESTROYING A BRIDGE
A Sortie From Labyrinth Was Made
And Some EOer Guns Were Dis
abled-LOnd0n Papers Continue to
Criticize War Office.

"cAtooh, e -, f.oV d. n.-AlSpatCIeS
from South Africa are still greatly delay
ed. But they are arriving more freely,
which shows that the censorship has
'peen relaxed. There appears to be no
great change in the situation. A dis
patch from Lorenzo Marques, dated
Thursday, Dec. q, gives the following
from the Boer laager, dated Tuesday.
Dec. 10: "The British naval guns, at Col
enso nave been cannonading Bulwer
bridge, over the Tugela river, with a view
or smashing it. The bombardment of
Ladysmith is proceeding slowly. Cen
eral Joubert has arrived here, and has
been accorded a hearty welcome. He ad-
dressed the burghers on Dec. Is.
More British prisoners have been sent
to Pretoria, including Colonel Bullock.
Major Walters, Major Bailwark, Majol
Foster, Captain Dick, Captain Noretin.
tain Hutchinson, Lieutenant Bonham,
Lieutenant Smithers, Lieutenant Thourne,
Lieutenant OConneyghey. Lieutenant
kaunbald. Lieutenant Charistlan, Lieu
tenant Brigg, Lieutenant Birch, Lieuten-
ant Halford. Lieutenant Tarbull and
Lieutenant Jones'"
\ dispatch to the Daily News from
Ladysinith, dated Friday, Dec. IL, by
photograph, says: Another sortie last
might. General Hunter, with 500 volun-
$1,000 "AN- AL 1CUSOtC
gum, one hoWitzer and one Maxim. One
Brlton killed. The Boer gunners fed"
There is an idea in some quarters that
General Buffers destruction Of the Tuge-
IA bridge heralds an attempt to cut off
uhe Beers, now south of the river, but
the general opinion is that the British
VIII not make any serious move pending
the arrival Of Lord Roberts,.
Inc newspapers continue actively dis
cussing and criticising the management
OF rather mlSnan ma cement Of tho "a r,
palgn. The advent of horse sickness
draws increased attention to the question
of transports and the want Of wagons.
which may tie the British forces to the
railroads.
The Daily Chronicle says: "Plenty of
wagons could be obtained from the Unit
ed States, but the government, with very
discreet patriotism, have refused to
avail themselves of the opportunity. 1t
lNould ave been better if the authori-
lldles had followed Lord Kitchener's ex-
ample at Atbara bridge. Will they even
now apply to the American factories 2"
The Times editorially attacks the ad-
ministration of the war office, calling at
%ltention to the correspondence disclosing
s'glaring defects and declaring that the
NlBritish army is being managed for the
Lsbeneft of the war office and not of the
nation.
Dispatches from various points fndi-
cate the steady growth of the Dutch dis
affectlon. The Capetown correspond
ent of the Daily Chronicle reports the dis
coEery or a plot to connive at the escape
OF Boer prisoners; The Times advises
colonists and the enforcement of the pen
hltles of treason against persons and
property.
The Sixteenth Lancers will so to South
Africa from India at the special request
OF Lord Roberts, even after the govern
anent had decided that no more troops
should be withdrawn from India. The
war office has nominated Sir William
Stokes as consulting surgeon to the South
AFRICAN forces. He will leave Dublin
for the Cape in a few days.
Lord Somerset writes to the Times
urging the seizure. Of Lorenzo MARQUES
and its retention, if necessary, until the
end OF the war, in order to prevent the
landing Of war material for the Beers,
Tie transport Tantallon Castle has ar
rived at CapetoWn with a number of how
itzers and quick firers, which General
Butler urgently needs. The government
has chartered the Lake Erie OF the New
which was built for the Canadian mail
service. She is a vessel of Il, 900 tons.
Tfle recruiting OF British colonists in
Cape Colony is actively proceeding. Thir-
'ty thousand are already under arms and
several thousand will be added. Those
new in the field include the Cape mount
ed police, the Rhodesian and Natal forces
and the Colonial troops beleaguered at
Kimberley and other points.
Dispatches from Modder river, dated
Thursday, December Fl, report that in
termitent firing was continued on both
sides, although the Boer shells fell
short. A number of Free State burghers
had surrendered. There is an uncon-
firTncd report hat a Canadian picket was
cut off near belmont 1t is also assert
ed that fever is raging among the Beers.
The tests of wireless biography at
Modder river have been highly success
full. communicable over a distance of 70
miles being successfully established. It
is a Marconi instrument, intended for the
Beers. being seized at Canetown.
4 dispatch from Chieveley camp. dated