The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-09

ton with tho Modder River-No Fur
Their Advance Made by British Generals.
-lsocrs Accused OF Smelling n Hospital ut
Iadysnith- Disposition of Boer Forces.
Special ca5t Dep teh.s TO THE Sun.
LONDON. Dec. 9.-Neither Gen. Butler nor
Gen Methuen nor Con. Gntacre has yet
advanced from tho headquarters at Frere.
Molder River and Sterkstrom respectively.
and nothing beyond what is contained in the
official dispatches Ia known OF what they
are doing. A lot OF gosslpy kilograms relating
tosmali incidents In Gen. Buffers neighbour
hood show that diliGsnt scouting Is being done
IN all directions. but nothing can be inferred
from these stories respecting the date or the
manner ~ the advance.
II IL now more than ten days since tho Beers
evacuated their Modder Rlvor position aftor
the engagement with Gen. Methuen's COM
mand, but no information having an i'm
portnnt bearing on tho campaign
has since come from Gen. Methuen's
camp. A futter Of excitement was caused BY
the news that communication had been cut In
Gen, Methuen's rear. but the incident proved
less serious than was fcarsl. though 1t cost q
days work to disodge the oneny whose aim.
however. was not to invite a fixed engages
ment
Gen, Gntlcre il reported 10 be slowly
strengthening his command. He has sue
reeded In pushing part OF his division north
ward TO Arundel. but the numbers OF the
enemy In the vicinity obviously enforce great
caution to prevent an Immediate action.
Tn following statement OF the disposition
Of the forces Of the Transvaal and the Orange
Free State comes from u Doer source in Berlin:
Commandant Prinsloo Ia near Jacohsdal. Com
mandant Cronje IA on tho northern bank OF
- xwttl la
tected by fortified positions in the Spylfontcin
Hills, between the Mndier River and Sny;fon-
te!n. and Jacobsdal and Riet River are occu-
MED by Beers. Dslarey's commando IL be-
tween draspan and lIoneynestkl ,o'
The Trisordpl's correspondent at Frere, In q
despatch dated Dec. Z. SAYS he has had an inter-
view with butcher named Thorrold. who left
IAdysmith on Dec. s. Thorrold said that
II was only during the last fortnight
that the shops In Ladysmith had been closed.
The military authorities had Communicated
all the eatables, and had arranged that
meat and bread should be sold at
fixed price. Groceries could not be
purchased. Tho last tin OF milk was
sold for three shillinRs. Eggs we're six shil-
nngsa dozen. Liquors and delicacies were
scarce. The cattle were running TO bone.
Indifferent water and the unclean state OF
parts Of the town were causing sic kness
Nearly all the Inhabitants retire to bomprof
shelters during the bonn bardments.
I, was reported that at Meeting In the Boer
camp the Free State Beers protested that II
was waste OF time to continue the siege and
expressed a desire to return to defend their
homes The Beers endeavored to spoil the
sparchllght sign alling between Ladysmith and
FrAre BY flashing their own searchlights.
4 despatch TO the Times from Moddsr River
under date Of Dec. s saws: THE river In now
low. The railway bridge 10 rNpidly approach
ing completion. The 1rst train will cross
tonight"
4 despatch to the Chronicle from Nodder
River. under date Of Dec. Q. says: Patrols re-
port the enemy as very active to the northward
AMI eastward near the Free State border.
Shots are daily exchanged by the respective
patrols The Beers have been reinforced
since the Modder River fight They have
strong entertainments at their front and
heavy guns mounted further back"
LosDoS Dec. ga despatch from Pretoria
received here to-day says It Is reported there
that lighting was resumed at the Modder
River at . O'Clock yesterday morning.
The War Office issues the following which
was received at Cape Town from Orange
River:
The railway culvert wa blown up this
nom ng near Grssprn. Tho telegraph line
was also cut. 1t Ia reported that there 10 heavy
firing NJ guns 10 the north"
Tn : despatch. which shows that the Beers
are active 10 the rear OF Gen. Methuen's di-
vision. causes no alarm hero. 1t IL believed
that the Jacobsdal commando has cut on Gen.
Mehuen's communications. and that the
latter sent reeniorcements south to aid In
driving of the enemy: hence the firing re-
ported in the despatch.
In a despatch sent from Cape Town to day
Gen. Forestisr-W Walker gave further details oil
the temperance OF the Boers at Graspan and
removed thsa anxiety regarding Gen. Aethuen's
belmont strenTtheDed BY Infantry; tws
guns snd eaya1ry regiment. Teiegtsph ano
My %' SasSh s."nshy fSsHs'Sey' sS
a . IF .s%sS e 1Sr Ss. suH SsG
wounded Boer MeIRaen reports casualties or
missing, two wounded" -,
Ten, forestier- y aker adds that he will
railway is reopeaed. the !.arconi wireless
nS.$ ::sSss iSs S asds:4 e' E s.
Posslb tiapss SSioro the The final srasse i
ssSdoneS for s" scient SfT % mat The BoeP
are eceivng large reenforcements: neyerths-
Ices, the.r grip on Kimberley has considerably
Kimberley dispatches. which arc arriving
iteeIy. describe the chearlng on Nov - wher
We GARRISON came into touch with zen
aethuens column. The dispatches also tel
q the Commanders inability to estimate TN
B0er loss ~ the sortle OF Nov. %. The Brit
ISL tyund many dispatches in the Boo
Trenches a1d also recovered babooi
lOdilOontl WI ich was left behind when Vry ur'
was evlcuat d. The kilograms say the home
aso describe the funerals Of Col. scott Turnc
anu others ed In the sortie. The funeral
TOOK place on Nov. %, aud the lead solder
were buried with iull military honOrs.
CAPS Town, Dec. q. delayed In transmits
tohn Awe = have been receiNed here Ia IN
ehect hat the cavhlrv attached to Gen. Me
thuen'h command have On DturBl n IhOusAl