The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-12-20
Four Regiments aud Brigade
of Artillery to Reinforce
Gen Butler.
Volunteers Responding With Ut
most Alacrlty---Many Officers
Willing to Go as Troopers.

London, Dec ~, q ~ a. IN line
war cfflce has been in communication
With Gen Sir VIM Lockhart, CON-
mander in chief of India, with a
view of ascertaining what troops can
be spared from his forces. aud it is
understood that, as result of those
inquiries, force will almost lmme-
diately leave Bombay for Durham,
including four regiments OF seasoned
troops, With an ammunition column
and brigade of artillery. including
horse and field batteries 1t is hoped
that this force will reinforce Gen
Butler within month
The Duke of Connaught visited
the war Office yesterday. Since the
appointments of Lord Roberts as com
mander in chief in South Africa the
question Of rank no longer bars the
duke from going to the front, aud as
he has a stropg desire to go, it is
believed that only the queens reluc
tance stands iu the way 1t is not
unlikely that this will be overcome.
Lord Cbesham, commanding officer
of the Royal Buckinghamshire Yeo,
manry, has been authorized to organ
ize a force of 5000 yeomanry. who
will proceed to the Cape. The yeo.
manry forces sent out will be drafted
so as to work together with the
mounted infantry and mounted mill
tia from Canada and Australia
1t is understood tina. the volunteers
selected will not form separate
corps. but will join their linked bat
talions Of the regular forces 10 South
Africa
Throughout the country volunteers
are responding with utmost a'acrlly
TO the official note Lord Lonsdale
says he believes the government will
only accept from 20 to SO men from
each yeomanry regiment It is as
serted that many officers of the
volunteer regiments are offering to
go as troopers, il no: accepted as
officers.
The Times says editorially Lord
Roberts will have absolutely free
band and may be expected to resume
the original plan of campaign aban-
doned by Gen Butler under the ne
cessitv of relieving LaGysmith +"
According to dispatch from Cape
Town, Gen Sir Charles Warren and
his staff have started for De Aar
This seems to indicate that the Fifth
division will be sent to reinforce
LORD Methuen, decision which will
meet with general approval, as the
opinion is almost everywhere held
that it would be useless to waste any
more time by frittering away men
between the various columns
The Morning Post in Q rather
alarmist article remarks upon the
difficulty Of deciding such a crucial
matter, and says "Besides three
generals in the field, all of whom
need to be reinforced, there is the
rebellion in Cape Colony to be con-
sidered This makes four pressing
calls on the Fifth division The
trouble is, who is to decide aud on
what principle 7"
The morning Post, reviewing the
various positions of the beleaguered
commanders and garrisons. asserts
that the relief of Ladysmith is the
in ost important emergency, and that
victory in Natal would change the
whole face of affairs. 1t also points
out the urgent need of having the
navy in readiness to move at any
moment to protect the line of com
municatiop with South Africa sug
gesting that quarrel with some
foreign power might cope any day
without any Britieh intention to have
one
J. B. Robinson, the South African
millionaire, writes to The Daily
Chronicle reasserung that the Beers
have unlimited supplies Of ammun
ton and ample stores Of food, and
declaring that ali statements te
the contrary should be lgnoled
No further news has been recele
ed fron Cape Town ba. The Cape
Argus has ciispa:cl! fsom a CORES
pondent, describing the battle at ih'
Tuge!a river, w:;o says
Gen Barton carried the village o
Colenso at the poiuf o! the bayone
aud uader rakiog tire
.'lhe few accounts Of the battle
tina, are yet 30 hand fail to give al
onf a