Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-12-07

LONDON, Dec. 1.-The war office has re
celved the following message from Cen
eral -.Forestier- Walker, British COM
mandS' 1T ranetown:
NedneSday. Dec. G-General Methuen
wires to-day that he has resumed com
mand and Il nightly in communication
WIN NlhlberleN. The health OF the
! troops is excellent"
\ story was current at Durham MAJ
.. ~ Inc erect that the Beers made
what y thought have been their final
effort 70 capture Ladysmth Dec A. ana
Weft defeated and retreated. The story
was brought by runners and should Be
received With reservation. According
~ lhi~ report the Beers opened d furIols
btrnhardnheGt during the. morning Of
Dec =, and continued it for hours when
the British finally silenced the Boer
guns were still active. Tt also pointed
/ followed, the Bo,rs retreating after very
heavy losses, estimated in hundreds
Ihe dispatches from Frere camp par
lIallH confirm the retirement of Free
state 5ulshers from the vicinity Of
Ladysmith. but do not Indicate the re-
treat was the result OF defeat on the pre-
vious day, while The statement in the
same dispatches that the Beers were
hflns INTO l.adysmith shows the Boor
guns We're still active. 1t alsco pointed
u.ra "u. t'lt't ~ an suggestions of weakening
:, - 'Itt siaterS. The TranSvaal
iioefs are still full of fight, though il is
reiterated they are short of supplies.
:, Ae,"ihlls to dispatch from General
- - sEalDufsefs laaser dated Dec 3, the
Frenen and Austrian military attaches
had arrived there While the German
a,'aehrs mad gone to join the Roer forces
along the Tugela river where a collision
WAS momentarily expected
ferhaps an explanation of the retire
meni me oi the burshers from Natal can
be found in The dispatch from Modder
river, Dec. J. saying that a strong Boer
force estimated at 5000 men was REIN
forcing cfonje from Natal. The same
dlspaleh SAYS everything points to the
fact that IA great engagement would he
Iouehf at SpNtfoniein. The Beers arc
masslng on the hills there, are vigor-
ousiN building stone defenses and are
digging rifle pits in every direction. The
Roers redoubts on LaZeretoe ridge west
OF kimberley are also being extended
and strengthened showing that rnmors
OF the intentions of the Beers to aban-
don the attempt to stem Methuens ad-
vance are unfounded.
The British have shifted their camp
Il few hundred yards away from the bat
Il" field and are settling down for work
Ihere are some cases of fever among the
camps.
Much depends on Gatacres advance.
There is undoubtedly a large coucen-
tration of Beers ahead Of Methuen
Practically the Wbole of their Mafckinr
forces have Joined the Kimberley be-
siegers.
Official dispatches give reports from
Colonel kekewch, Dec. Sd and 4tl, show
ing the Beers We're increased in num-
bers around Kimberley.
The Hoef advance in the northeastern
part Of Cape Colony is becoming re-
marka BILE. Local farmers are Hooking
to the Beers laagars, the townspeople in
many instances welcoming the invaders
with every demonstra ton of joy.
Annexation of British terriotry pro-
ceeds daily
The reported Boer successes have made
a great impression among the Basutos
Advices from Pretoria say the govern
ment has allowed two cables to reach
Winston Churchill.
The mint at Pretoria is coming a hun
dred thousand sovereigns monthly
The war office has been notified that the
British had five killed and % wounded
in the sortie from Kimberley Nov %,
1:16 p. M, including three colonial ofF1- |
cia!s.
Special dispatches from 1.orenzo Mar
quez dated Dec. 5. say President Eru-
ger is only prevented from going TO the |
front hy objections of members OF the !
executive council. Mr.. Kruger. it is
added, is i'll.
THE announcement is made in special /
1ispa tch from Bloemfonten dated Sun !
day. Dec 3, that President Steyn Of the !
Orange Free State has Joined the Boer
forces on Modder river. His appear |
anca. tho dispatch says. caused great |
nnthusia among the Beers. !. is ,
rennrtad from Orange river to-dAv that ];
1O1 dead Beers We're taken to Ea!tirskoD !;
af;er the battle Of Belmont