The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1899-12-20
ROBERTS CHOSEN.
COMMANDS ia SOUTH AFRICA.
KITCHENER CHIEF OF STAFF.


LONDON, Dec lS.---Baron Roberts Of
Kandahar and Waterford, commander
of the forces in Ireland, has been ap.
pointed to the chief command in Sonth
Africa, with General Lord Kitchener of
Khartoum as his chief of staff
notice was posted at the war office.
containing the following:
"As the campaign in Natal, in the
opinion of her ,naiesty's government,
is likely to require the presence and un.
divided attention of General Sir Red
vers Butler, it has been decided to send
Baron Roberts of Kandahar and Water
ford as commander in chief in South AT.
RIGA, with Lord Kitchener as chief of staff,
to proceed to South Africa without delay.
The commander i'll chief in South Africa
has been authorized to continue ca raise
at his discretion local troops mounted.
Lieutenant The Hon +. II. $. Roberts,
son of Baron Roberts of Kandahar and
Waterford. and who was wounded
In the engagement at Tugela river, IS
dead
The war office issued the following
announcements;
Acting upon the advice of the mill
tary authorities her majesty's govern.
ment has approved the following meas
ure.
All the remaining portions of the
army reserve, including section ID, are
called ont. The Seventh division. which
Is being modified, will proceed to South
Africa without delay.
"'Nine hattalions of militia, in addi.
ton to two battalions which have al.
ready volunteered for service at Malta
and one for service in the channel
islands, will be allowed to volunteer for
service outside of the united kingdom;
and an equivalent number of militia
battallions will be embodied for service
at home.
'''A strong force of volunteers, se-
lected from Yeomanry regiments will
be formed for service in South Africa
Arrangements are being made, and
will shortly be announced, for the EN-.
ploymeut in South Africa of strong
contingent Of carefully selected volun.
teers. The patriotic offers which are
being received from the colonies will, SO
far as possible, be accepted. preference
being given to offers of mounted contin.
gents"
General Butler reported to the war
office that his losses in Fridays engage
ments were: Killed, 50; wounded, 667;
missing, 3iS; q total of 097.
The revised list of the British casual.
ties at the battle of Magersfontein shows
the total to he 963, of which number 10
were officers.
The Black Watch We're the heaviest
sufferers OF the rank and file AZ were
killed, 1872 were wounded and III are
missing
PRETORIA, Dec 13.-An official dis
patch from the Modder river saws: "The
Beers captured a great quantity of loot
including 200 Lee-Metfords, cases of
cartridges and hundreds of bayonets.
Great numbers of the British have re-
tired from Two Rivers, in the direction
very great. There were heaps of deal
on the field. The wounded are beir .
attended to temporarily at Bssel's farm.
The sappers and miners must have suf-
fered severely. The Beers suffered
heavy losses in horses l cannot other.
wise describe the battlefield than as
sad and terrible slaughter. Monday was
for us Il brilliant victory. 1t has infused
new spirit into our men and will enable
them to achieve greater deeds"
The war office received dispatch
dated Dec. II from General Forestie.
Walker at Cape Town. containing th
following: "Methuen reports that Lieu
teaant Chandos Pole Gall was taken pris
oner last Thursday morning while going
to meet flag of truce. He was waving
his handkerchief in response and was
unarmed.
"Gatacre has removed his troops and
stores to Sterkstroom from Putter's
krall French has established head.
quarters at Arundel
"Vandermerwe, with commando.
is reported moving south from Jacobs.
dal."
The queens graceful act in present.
ing flag to the American hospital ship
Maine Is highly appreciated by her own
people as well as by the Americans in
London, and the morning papers express
the hope that the incident means some
thing more than pretty ceremony.
BLACK week." as last week is now
universally called, has evidently aroused
the government and the war office to a
full sense of their responsibility and Of
the magnitude of the task before them.
The papers unanimously applaud this
awakening, despite the fact that they
recognize that the heroic measures now
decided upon SAVIOR rather of weakness
than of strength.
RumOr has 1t that the question Of ex
pense has really been at the bottom Of
the half-nearted measures hitherto
adopted, and it is not unlikely that Sir
Michael Hicks Beach, chancellor of the
exchequer, and other members of the
cabinet will resign.
1t is high time that sometime very
energetic was done. The British losses
in killed, wounded. prisoners and miss
ing throughout the campaign now reach
the enormous total of 1880.
War Bulletins Probably Killed Him.
TORONTO, Dec. 18-Edmund Harris.