Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-11-30
is MUCH ANXIETY
And Speculation in London
Over the Dispatch
GENERAL METHUEN
Beers Have Been Able to Compel At
tacks by Inadequate Forces
Splendid Work of the British
During the Past Week.

1 London, Nov. 30.-4:30 q. m.-TWelve
hours reflection on General Methuen's
! brief dispatch has only served to increase
| public anxiety and suspense. All kinds of
| speculation is INDUCED in. In the absence
of any indication as to whether the Beers
| occupied the north or south bank of Mod
der river, the best opinion inclines to the
latter theory, and it is pointed out that
the British must lave been utterly ex-
hausted if they could not follow up the re-
firing Beers and crush them as the army
crowded over the bridge. their compulsory
| line OF retreat.
The Morning Posts special army cor
respondent. who has usually shown great
! ability. suggests that the Beers are still
! on the south side of the river and the
bridge in their hands. He points out the
, danger to the small British force which
crossed the p~ontoons.' The Importance
attached to this forthcoming operation IS
proved by the fact that General Pole
Carew. of only two British generals. was
selected to superintend them.
! No news has arrived from either Lord
! Methuen or from Natal. Speculation,
! there fore. is useless. 1t is believed that
Lord Methuen will be instantly reinforced
| from CaDctown by two battalions of in
fantry. a detachment of cavalry and a
battery of artillery.
Colonel Albrecht. who is directing the
work of the Beers in opposing Lord Me-
thuen. was originally an officer in the
Austrian camp. He entered the Free
State army and soon brought it's artillery
to a high state of efficiency. He is known
as an able artillerist and s~trategist.
Some surprise is expressed at the fact
that Lord Mcthuen'S troops Should fight
without food or water. 1t teens, how
ever. that he is not using timed rations.
He seizes and pays for fresh food. Usual
ly he begins a march about 3 o'clock in
the morning after a breakfast of cocoa.
Then he does his fighting or marching and
pitches his camp near he best spot pos
sible. The afternoons are given over to
resting. Only bare necessities are al
lowed. AS one correspondent describes it.
the British "are fighting an onnipresent
but always invisible foe"
Unstinted admiration is everywhere ex-
pressed for the splendid work of Lord
Methuen's olumns With a force really
Inadequate he has marched fifty-three
miles and fought three battles within
seven days.
While no credence is given to the
uanor hat Ladysnith has fallen the
scare serves to impress the public with
the danger of what is still within the
bounds of possibility. Such a misfortune
would probably produce a formidable re-
volt among the Cape Dutch.
The Daily News says: "Whatever
comes, we must brace our nerves to meet
it. Certainly it looks as if we have be-
fore us a very stern and earnest struggle
before we see our way clear to final vic
tory"
The Times comments on the fact Thai
thus far the Beers lave been able to com
pei attacks by Inadequate forces upor
their we'll chosen positions, While keeping
the initiative in their own hands. 1t says
"Anple numbers are our greatest neet
and the decision to send out the sixth
division has certainly not been taken too
soon. If disloyalty in Cape Colony ha!
to be faced, even greater effort will hay.
to be made"