The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-12-19
CALLING TROOPS FROM INDIA.
THIS FORCE is EXPECTED TO RE-
LIEvE GEN. BULLER.

the FrOnt-Force of Yeomanry
VIII he Observation-Disclosures
Throughout the Empire Are Re-
observation-disclosures VIII Have IA
Free Hand-ReIief of Ladysmith
Is Most Important.
London, Dec. 10, 4:30 a. m--The war of
fee has been in communication with Cen
Sir William Lockhart, commander-in-chief
in India, with view of ascertaining what
troops can be spared from his forces, and
it is understood that as a result Of these
Inquiries a force will almost Immediately
leave Bombay for Durham, including four
regiments of seasoned troops with an am
munition column and a brigade of artil-
lery, including horse and field batteries
1t is hoped that this force will reinforce
Gen. Butler within a month
The Duke of Connaught visited the war
| office yesterday. Since the appointment
of Lord Roberts as commander-in-ciief in
South Africa, the question of rank no
| longer bars the Duke from going to the
front, and, as he has a strong desire to
so, 1t is believed that only the Queens re-
luctance stands in the way. 1t is not un-
|
Lord Chesham, commanding officer of
the Royal Buckinghamshire Yeomanry,
has been authorized to organize a force
| or 5000 yeomanry, who will proceed to
the Cape. The yeomanry forces sent out
Will be drafted so as to work together
with the mounted infantry and mounted
militia from Canada and Australia.
1t is understood that the volunteers Sc
lected will not form separate corps, but
| NJ thafr 1fr,lr ill., e IL
ular forces in South Africa
Volunteers Are RespOuding
Throughout the country volunteers are
| responding with utmost alacrity TO the Of
fetal notice. Lord Lonsdale says he be-
| heVes the government viii only accept
| from twenty to fifty men from each yeo-
manry regiment. II is asserted that many
| officers of the volunteer regiments are Of
fering to go as troopers, if not accepted as
officers.
The Times says editoriany:
| Lord Roberts win have absolutely a
free hand and may be expected 10 resume
the original plan of campaign abandoned
| by Gen Butler under the necessity of re-
| lieving Ladysmith."
| According 10 a dispatch from Cane
Town, Gen. Sir Charles Warren and his
staff have started for DeAar. This seems
to indicate that the fifth division will be
sent to reinforce Lord Methuen, a decis-
| ion which will meet with general approval
| as the opinion is almost everywhere held
| that 1t would be useless to waste any more
| time by frittering away men between the
| various columns.
The Morning Post, in rather alarmist
| article, remarks upon the difficulty of de-
| Gliding such a crucial matter and says:
| Besides three generals in the field, aH
| of whom need to be reinforced, there is
| the rebellion in Cape Colony 10 be con-
considered. This makes four pressing
calls on the fifth division. The trouble
| is, who is to decide, and on what princi-
| Dle?"
Ladysmith Most Important.
The Morning Post, reviewing the various
| positions of the beleaguered positions of
| the various commanders and garrisons,
| asserts that the relief of Dadysmith is the
most important emergency and that VIC
| tory in Natal would change the whole face
| of affairs. 1t also points out the urgent
| need of having the navy in readiness 10
| move at any moment to protect the lines
| of communication with South Africa, sug-
| geSting that "a quarrel with some foreign
| Power might come any day without any
| British intention to have one"
]. B. Robinson, the South African mill
ionalre, writes to the Daily Chronicle re-
asserting that the Beers have unlimited
| supplies of ammunition and ample stores
| of food, and declaring that all statements
| to the contrary should be ignored.
| No further news has been received from
| Cape Town, but the Cape Argus has a dis
| patch from a correspondent describing the
battle at the Tugela river, who says:
| "Gen. Barton carried the village of Co
| lenso at the point of the bayonet and un-
| der a raking fire"
The few accounts of the battle that are
| yet to hand fail to give an accurate idea,
| but the statement that Gen. Clery COM
| manded, destroyed the current idea that
in,
ment and that the TugeIa river battle was
only part of a larger scheme of opera
tions.
Gen. BuIler's Fight.
| A correspondent of the Daily Mail, tel
| egraphing from Frere Camp, Natal. Dec
| 10, and describing the Tugela River bat
| tle says:
'The Beers in great force, occupied
| strong, entrenched position, commanding
| The river and reaching back about 800
yards from its further side. Gen. Hart's
brigade, on the left, first attempted a
| crossing under a murderous Nordenfeldt
| and rife fire.
| '"The Royal Dublin Fusilleers, the Royal
| Enniskillen Fuslleers, the Kings Own
| Scottish Borderers, and the Connaught
| Rangers, crossed with superb and uufiinch-
| ing gallantry, but the position on the 9TH
er side was found utterly untenable.
| "The British suffered heavily from a
| perfect nall OF arullery ana ShrapneL
while their own artillery was very badly
| mauled. They were, therefore, obliged to
| recross the river.
"On the right Gen. Hildyard's brigade,
| displaying equal henoism, succeeded In
entering the village of Colenso, but the
Sixth Battery encountered a nurderous
| fire and was compelled to retire, leaving
| guns and ammunition wagons on the veldt
| This brigade was also obliged 20 fall back
Meanwhile Gen. Barton's brigade also
| failed to take possession of Hangwri Hill,
! as was intended, and the entire force re-
| tired on Chieveley. Gen. Cery was in
| command"
BULLER CROSSED THE TUGELA.