St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1899-11-29
WAR In THE TRANSVAAL.

LoHuViib NoV. COL t nSWb iloih
South Africa is especially cheering.
Another victory by Lord Methuen's
column is reported. He found the
enemy at Gras Pan, and after desper-
ate fight he captured the position. The
losses are expected to be heavy, but de-
tails have not yet arrived. The naval
brigade suffered heavily. Several Of
fcers Of the warships who were with the
brigade were killed or wounded. Thirty
one Beers are known to have been killed
and AZ wounded.
Lord Methuen reports that he moved
Saturday, at $3.50 a. M, with the Ninth
brigade, the mounted corps, the naval
brigade and two batteries, the guards
following with the baggage. Near Gras
Pan (about 10 miles north of Belmont on
the railway line to Kimberley $500 |
Beers with six guns and two machine
guns, opposed him. The action began
at a. m. Our batteries fired shrapnel
very accurately till the heights seemed
clear Then the naval brigade and in
fantry advanced to the assault. The
fighting was desperate until 10 a. M,
when the heights were carried. The
Beers retreated on the line, where the
Ninth lancers were placed to intercept
them. The result was not known at the
time Of telegraphing. The artillery took
immediate advantage Of the enemys re-
tirement.
Early in the action 500 Beers attacked
our rear guard. The brigade met this
and also protected the TANKS. The ma
val brigade acted with the greatest gal
lantry and suffered heavily, but no par
ticulars are yet known.
The enemy showed the greatest stub
bornness, and must have suffered great
ly. Twenty were buried. 1t Is known
that 81 were killed and 4S wounded.
More than so horses were found dead in
one place. One battery fired 500 rounds.
Our force must halt one day at Gras
Pan to rest and replenlsh ammunition.
The force worked splendidly and is pre-
pared to overcome any difficulty. The
naval brigade, the royal marines, the
light infantry and the First battalion of
the North Lancashire regiment es-
pccially distinguished themselves.
Regarding Thursdays fight: Eighty
one Beers killed are accounted for.
Sixty-four wagons were burned. A
large quantity of powder, $4,000 rounds
of ammunition and $50 shells were blown
up Commandant Albrecht, chief of
the Orange Free State artillery, COM
manded the Boer artillery. General
Bolewy was in chief command.
The Berlin Deutsche Zeitung pub
fishes a letter purporting to come from
General Joubert and dated at Lady
smith, Oct. q, in which the writer says:
Even If we don't succeed in prevent
ing the concentration of General Buffers
troops the British army will be weakened
from natural causes to such an extent
that not more than 5000 efficient troops,
or 10000 at the outside, can take the
field. The others must be employed to
protect communications. In this con-
nection it Is to be borne in mind that not
only Natal, but Cape Colony, with a
base of operations covering 435 miles,
must be considered.
Our bases Of supply are at home ard
organized on the relay system in three
directions. To protect these does not
require 500 men. If one base should be
| Scl'OuSiy Iii CdlCHSd tilC ouPPICS w III q
destroyed. A war OF defense, of which
we need not think for a considerable
) time, would present far greater advan-
tages than an offensive war. We are at
, home in the highlands of the Transvaa
. and the Orange Free State. The British
will have to contest every step under in
, conceivable difficulties and must be pre-
pared at every moment to fight on two
or three fronts.
+ "Then will begin guerilla war, which
, the British will not be able to endure
Already we have $4,000 men in the held
So we do not need to calculate upon 6
rising Of the Beers in Cape Colony an6
Natal. Nevertheless, if the British sti
up the natives and employ them to figh
> us. rising of the whole Of Afrikander
dom is certain"
The reported determination of thu
United States to compel Presiden
Kruger to allow Consul General Macrun
to exercise his rights as British agent q
: Pretoria has created an excellent i'm
: preston here and has called out variou
, expressions of satisfaction and graft
. tude. The Pail Mall Gazette says: TIL
F.; United States government is not goin
to stand any nonsense from Presiden
y Kruger. 1t was the British represen
l. tative who kept an eye on Hobson'
captivity at'Santiago, and it was British
! representatives who did similar service
; for captured Americans everywhere i
0 Cuba and the Philippines. More powe
to Macrums elbow.