Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-12-13

lowing dispatch from zen. Mcthutni
dated. Tuesday. Dec. 70.
"our artillery shcllcd very strong
position hcld by the enemy ON a long.
high kopic from until dusk Sunday.
II raincd hard last night.
The Highland BRIGADE attacked. a,
daybrcak on Monday. the south end "
tho kopjc. The attack was properly
timed but failed. The guards were
ordered 10 protect the Highlands tight
and rear.
THE cavalry and mounted infantry
with a bowitzer artillery battery at
tackled the enemy on the left. and the
guards on the right, supported by field
artillery and howitzcr artillery.
They nhcllod tho position from day
break, and at l.i5 sent the Gordons
Co support the Highland brigade. The
troops held their own In front Of the
cncmy's entertainments until dusk the
position extending including tho kopJc
for q distance Of ak miles 10 tho Mod
der river.
To-day am holding my position. and
entcnchlng myself l had co face at
least 1000 men. our loss was great"
The war Office has received the fol-
lowing Dispatch from Gen. Forcstlcr-
Walker.
"capetown. Iuesday.-Mcthuen wires
that Gen. wauchopu was killed In ao-
tlon yesterday"
Major General Andrew q. wauchope.
9. H., G. N. O.. entered the army In
1866, was promoted to colonel ISIS.
served In the AHhanti war iS53. In the
Egyptian war isss. In the soudan cx-
petition OF 1854. and In the Nile ex-
prdition % iSsi-s5 lie was In COM
mand OF the first brigade OF Egyptian
cxpcditl0nary force In tNys.
Gen. wauchope has been wounded
four times. three times severely.
Orange River, Caps Colony. Dec. Ia
Three hundred and twenty wounded.
Including twtnty-aeyon officers, have
arrived here from the Modder river.
Pretoria. Dec. II. Monday.-An ON
clal report says;
"a battle at Modder river began yes
terday with cannon firing, heavy night
Ing proceeding from $3.50 o'clock In the
morning until $3.50 o'clock with cannon,
mnximA and rifles. A bombardment be-
gan at $3.50 o'clock, and the lighting
stu continues. a balloon has Just
where II remained ten minutes and
descended. There were heavy rains
during the night" ....... ......
At . o'clock this morning dispatch
positions have been maintained. and
that forty-onc Brtish prisoners had
been taken.
Al Dlso O'Clock II was reported that
the heavy cannon fre had somewhat
abated, The British arc constantly
using their balloon.
Tn. nghting was sim going on at
noon.
Kimberley is stlll qulet.
London. Dee. IA dlsaptch from
Frorc Camp. dated Tuesday. Dec ~.
morning, says:
'-rhls morning a union brigade con-
als,lng Of English. Scottish. Irish and
Welsh fualeors. under Gen. Barton,
with several naval guns. advanced and
took up u strong position three miles
from colenao, meeting with no opposi-
ton"
London. Dec. l3.-Gon. Methucn, aa
expected. followed IN his artillery at
tacf with "A general assault pn zoe
Iioer positions Monday and his report
shows that the anxiety OF the public
regarding the result occnsioned by the
onlnous silence of thv war office was
amply Justified
The engagement was evidently OF
considerable magnitude. aud the list
of the killed and wounded viii be pro-
portionatc, without the compensation
which a victory would have brought w.
indeed. the affalr does not turn out ~
be- more serious defeat than Gen
Mcthucn admits.
The IIiKhlandera, Ii liz believed
must have stormed the Bocr position
more thnn once. while the fact that the
guards We're ordered 90 support tn,
Iilrhlandcrs' rear looks az though the
DoerH may even have outnankod theii
attackers.
One report says that Gen. cronje at
tackled the British.
The only compensation the British
a g.. IA In hss a
fcnrteniug at0r. h IN Gen. Methuen'
statement that he maintains his posi-
tlun close To thu BoerH, arouaing hop'
that h. viii retrieve the situation. Il
Is apparent that the bombardmcnt or
Saturday and sunday ala not shake IN,
beers Brip ON their position. and 4
Hrenf certain that they merely with
droN then guns ana ritemen under COZ
ar, Will" Gen. Mothucn INDUCED In thu
usual artillery proliminarics Monday
and that when the British guns wcrl
obliged 10 cease rring. owing TO tn
danger uf hitting the advancing troops
the Nnrtf speedily Teoccupied thci
trcnchca nnd overwhelmed the High
lnndcrs with a terrible lire, probably
accompanying this by an attack on III
British lEht Hank and rear,
Alarih h beginning To be expressed Il
irnnS quarters as to the situation o
n,n, Mcthuon. As tho Westmlnatc
GHzrttr says:
~ England ever needed victory 1
" now. ana " " To iulltrs the tnldlti
strong. cool-hcndcd and reticcnt tina
the country looks FOR this victory"
The other papers are abusing tn
government FOR It's 'cumplncent optim
Ism" and Inability to grasp tn
strength OF the opposition II has 4
overcome In South Africa.
Considerable Significance attaches /
Gen. Aothuen'H statement that he 1
entrenchlng himself. indicating fea
THAI the Bocu may follow up their cd
VANTAGE adopt the onrnslvo ana at
tack him.
Indeed the gravity NJ the sltuatio
from the British point OF viow ca
hardly be uVtrrHtlmutud, Gen. Me
thuen's long lines OF communicate
70 De Aar are most vulnerable. Shout
they BE- cut Gen. Mcthuen viii I'm
himself IN a very tight place, u onl
from lack of supplies
The news of the British reverse ma
bad rifect on The stock exchange
where there waa general relnpa,
haiiirs and Rand mines dropped 81
points and De Beers dropped
The latest udvicoa rom Gen. Gut
acre show that no anxiety Ia felt ID
me safety NJ his remaining trnopi
tsNf