The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-11-24
British Take Belmont But With
a Heavy Loss.
So KILLED AND $50 WOUNDED,
Beers Defend a StronI Position With
Courage and Skill.


Advance to the Relief of Kimberley
Usual Heavy Loss of British OFcers.
Three Being Killed and Twenty-Five
wounded-Fuil Details Of tho Engage
ment Not Received. but Gen. Methueu
says 1.-THE Victory Is Complete "-Boer's
Loss Probably Reconsideration in Natal
Not Favorable to the Briii,h-ArtiIIery
Fro Yesterday ut the MooI River-Gcn.
Butler Goes to NataI-Joubert Playing .
brilliant Game-Bocr Force Reported
Moving From Natal Toward Bloom.
fontein-Dutch Rising In Cape Colony.
!r,eiai Cable Dsspd cher 10 THr sJx
LONDON, Nov. 24.-The sharp blow that Gen
Lord Methuens column has dealt the Doors
at Belmont temporarily shifts the CEN
tire OF war interest from Natal At the
moment Of cabling no details have been
received experimenting the ofllcul ac-
count ri tho action. which Ia the first British
success o. consequence since the battle Of
Elandslaagte. Tho British loss in killed.
however. exceeds that Of any previous single
engagement. except that outside Of Ladysmith.
which involved the Nicholson's Mex disaster.
There Is clearly much to be learned yet
regarding tho value Of Gen. Mcthucn's COM
plete victory" II IL unknown. for instance,
whether the British remained in possession OF
the captured position. The destruction Of
ammunit on suggests that they did not. and
the missing men are possibly Il further ind!ca-
tion OF inability 10 hold the position.
1.-THE same time there Is no present reason
for Withholding the praise due for daring and
successful assault oi a str9pg position that was
skil'ully and brnvely defeti.
The War ONCE has issued the following
despatch from Gen. lord Methucn. which was
received through Gen, Sir Frederick Forestier-
Walker at Cape Town:
BELMONT Nov. 23-I attacked the enemy
at daybrea. this morning In a strong
position on the three ridges. which was
carrie successfully. the last attack being
prcpared by shrapnel. The infantry behaved
splendidly aud received support from tho naval
brigade and artillery. The enemy fought
-Slkh. cantake and skill. Had attacked lstcr
l should have hal severe losses. The
victory was complete | have forty rris-
oners. ! am burying a good number OF
Beers. but the greater part Of the kie d and
wounded were taken away by their comrades.
have q large mum Der Of horses and cows. I
destroye large amount OF Ammunition"
The British loss was officers and 80 men
killed. - officers and 1913 men wounded and
IL men missing.
Turning 10 Natal the situation IL far less
cheering to British onlookers. The MILL
tary critic OF the Morning Post puts the
matter clearly when he says: 1T
would be exceedingly difficult to find
In any recorded military operations
a parallel to the situation in Natal. and It's
uniqusness argues once more the peculiar
hrhtinE quality Of our opponents To-day.
from Petermarit2burg TO Ladysmith. ono
side aternates with the other at inter-
walls along the line. There are British
troops at Pietermaritzburg. Beers at Ball
gowan. British at Mooi River. Beers at Willow
Grange. British at Estcourt. Beers at Enners-
dale. British are within Ladysmith and Beers
are without This would strike one as absurd
II IL were not so serious. Such complex
sandwich OF opposing forces can surely
never have been seen before. the
and the Beers have once more been lifted by
means OF their mobility out Of range OF all
military rules. Gen. White is surrounded
at Ladysmith. Gen. Hilyard at Estcourt
and Gen. Barton at Moot River. and
the Beers seem able. after detach-
ing troops sufficient to contain three forces
consisting in all OF about 17.oOC men. still to
go forward with 1000 odd toward tho sea-
The situation Is so extraordinary that we can
only wonder how much longer II is going to
hold together
Whatever Gen. Joubert's intentions may bs
he is undoubtedly playing deep and brilliant
game. To have paralyZed tho British advance
the moment IL began. to have cut the relieving
column into three parts and compelled each to
stand on the defensive. cut of from It's base
and leaving the latter almost at the mercy OF
the foe. Ia an achievement which must always
be rememb ered TO his credit as General
however his future operations may be mis-
handled"
LONDON. Nov. 23.-The War ONCE has 70.
ccyed tho following despatch from Gen. Sir
Redvers Butler. dated Nov, %. 800 P. NJ:
Kimberly reports; Nov. l2-The Beers fred
yesterday 400 shells. Our expenditure to date
has boen about 200. Nov. l3-The bonn bard
ment to-day has been desultory through
out The Boer practise was indifrer.
snt Nov. II and 15-Ths bonn bardment
continued. There is no news from Mafeking.
Nov, 1.-THE mounted troops made a sorte at
daybreak TO Carter's farm. The morning
was misty The scouts found the
Beers suddenly The latter fired wildly.
An artillery engagement ensued. Two
men were wounded slightly. Nov, TIA sortis
was made yesterday at . p. NJ. from Bull
pritein. We drove the enemy back to the
edge OF Acknowledgement. Tho enemy
ia reported to be concentrating south
OF Kimberley. Beers occupy laagers at Stays
fonteln Station, at Scholtz Mex and at the rifle
ranges, The Boer camp is practically sur
rounded by a coppice and the country Is suita-
bic for Boer tactics"
ORANGE RIVER, Cape Colony. Nov. 23.-Mr
Logan. a member Of the Legislative Assembly.
has arrived here from Belmont. He says that
the artillery practice OF Gen. Methuen's COM
mand this morning was magnificent The
infantry carried the kopjes At the point OF the