The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1899-12-04


United states Consul Macrum nj,
Pretoria Cnuses sntisfnction-BrIt.
fish Troopship wrecked.
London, Dec. 4.-The week opens
without word OF news such as the
British public is so anxiously awaiting
with a larger army in the field thar
the country ever before modified, IL
can only be said that the loss Of
$500 men, entailed before the enemyt
borders have been crossed, is a seri.
Gus matter. and while there is no feel.
ing Of dependency as to the eventual
result Of the war, 1t is regretfully ad'
mitted on all sides that the strength Of
the Boer resistance has been woefully
underrated.
Il is now seen that the attempt tc
hold a useless position at Mafekins
was a serious tactical mistake, as was
also the endeavor to keep the large
civil population in Kimberley.
Perhaps the brightest spot for En-.
glish readers is the announcement that
President Mckinley has designated the
son of Secretary Hay to succeed Mr.
Macrum in Pretoria. The Daily
Telegraph says:
This appointment is a graceful con.
cession on the part OF the United
States government to British feeling
Our countrymen's interests will be safG
in the hands of the new consul"
The censorship does not yet permit
details of the Modder river battle te
be transmitted. Some vague state
ments have been published in the
Cape Town papers and according tc
those the Beers numbered 5000 men
and were entrenched on both banks Of
the stream, although mostly on the
northern bank The British, according
to those accounts. drove the enemy
across the river. compelling them "a
retreat, and established themselves on
both banks. These details, however
are too meager to enable an accurate
idea of the engagement to be formed
Serious news comes from the north.
ern section of Cape Colony. The
whole border district between Coles.
burg and Burghersdorp has declared
for the Beers. In Venterstad alone
more than 1000 have Joined the re.
bellion. The farmers have formed 9
communicating committee and talk
confidently of a triumphant march on
Cape Town. General Buffers procla.
nation has been torn down and
trampled upon and the loyalists are
hidden to hurry to Cape Town TO pre-
pare coffee for the rebels.
The official list shows a modifica.
tfon has been made in the command
of the Sixth division. Instead OF
Lieutenant General Sir Charles Mans.
field Clarke the commander will be
Major General Thomas Kelly-Kenny
inspector general of auxiliary forces
and recruiting, with Major General
Knox and Major General Clements as
brigade commanders. General Kelly.
Kenny has had no South African ex.
perience.
With regard to Natal It is quite
doubtful whether the bridge over the
Tagela at Colenso has been destroyed
There is a report that the British
drove the Beers off while attempting to
destroy it. but the probability is that
the structure was minedand fired af
terwaTd.
According to a dispatch from Pit.
ters Kraal dated Tuesday, Nov. 28
the Beers were then attempting turn.
ing movements from Steynsburg and
the district north of Storkstrom in co.
operation with the rebels by way of
hdlldSouIS anu 1 al lhdsldui dBdlusl
General Gatacre's column.
BY the wreck of the trOopship Is.
more, which went ashore on the rocks
in St. Helena bay, $50 horses are prob
ably lost. The troops were safely
landed.
A dispatch has reached London an.
nouncing that Lord Methuen is again
in the field, and 1t is also said that
Count Gleichen who was wounded in
the fighting at Modder river, was
struck by a bullet in the neck.