The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-12-02
RELIEF AT HAND
General Methuen is Reported to Be Near
the Beleaguered City

London, December 1.-While the rumors
of the relief of Kimberley current on the
stock exchange today may be premature,
an their literal sense, there seems no doubt
that the pressure on the garrison has been
much lightened by General Methuens sue
cesses and the actual relief of the place is
likely to be a fact very soon.
A clue to the urgent reasons which die
tated General Methuen's hurried march
may be found in Governor Miners hint
to the relief committee at Capetown to pre-
pare for the reception of 10000 refugees, in
dicating that the garrison must have had
reason to fear the reduction of Kimberley
by starvation and disease.
The most recent news from Kimberley
comes by way of Pretoria and almost seems
ito show that kimberley and Mafeking are
acting in concert with General Methuen,
for at the time the battle was raging at
Gras Pan, both Colohel Kekewich and Col
onel Baden-Powel made sorties and as
sailed the beleaguers. The result of the
Mafeking sortie is not known, but accord
ing to a dispatch from Pretoria Colonel
kekewich inflicted considerable loss on the
Beers, two shells killing nine and wounding'
seventeen in a group.
so-tie at Mafeking
Special dispatches from pretoria dateQ
Sunday, November 26, say there was an
other sortie from Mafeking Saturday, No
vember 25. On the morning of that day the
chartered police attacked Eloff's fort with
great determination. The fight was pro-
crossing when the dispatch was sent.
Several ambulance trains left Mafeking
November 25 for the Free State, where
heavy fighting was expected during the
then coming week. The Beers, it was add
ed, would resist the advance of the British
in the direction of Kimberley.
1t is reported that General Methuen re-
sumed his march northward Wednesday
and expected to form a junction with the
Kimberley force Saturday or Sunday.
1t Is suggested in some quarters that the
Boer forces have been withdrawn from the
north of Cape Colony and may be hurryins
to attack General Methuen's rear; but
as reinforcements have been pushed rapid
ly forward from Orange river and DeAar,
it is claimed they ought to ciroumvent such
designs.
No Speedy Collapse
From Lord wolseley's announcement it
had been decided to call out one more d.
vision, 1t appears clear that the war off,
cials do not look for speedy collapse OF
Boer resistance.
The brief kilograms from Natal and the
central theater OF the war convey little
informal ton about the situation. Maui
poort reports that half the Colesburg
Dutch who responded to the Boer sum-
mons for military service have now re-
turned to their homes; so, perhaps the
serious civil troubles hampering General
Gatacre may be lessened and the military
operations under his directions will COM
Aence
So far as is known. the Lady smith relief
force ls still at Frere, though the bridge
was perhaps sufficiently repaired to permit
Of It's passage November S0,, in which case
the opposing forces may already have
come In contact near Colenso where, ap-
parently, the Beers are strongly en-
trenched on the north side of the river
A special dispatch received here today
from Frere dated Tuesday, November IS,
says that while attempting to blow up
bOO-toot bridge over the river at Colenso,
the Beers were driven back by British ar
tillery and mounted infantry.
List of Methuen's Troops
London, December 1.--General Methuen's
troops In the Modder river battle were as
eollows:
Infantry Men.
Scots Guards, First battalion and Re-