The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-12-22
Nothing Dsflnlts Regarding Military
Operations in Africa,
Only One Cable Working, and that Clicked
With Official Dispatches.
EenAral E4TIer's Casua1ty List at
Colenso, Just Published, Shows
That I46 Officers and Men Were
Killed, TAG Wounded and 227
Described a. Missing, About
Forty Of the Latter Known to
Be Prisoners In Hands Of Beers.

Forty Of the Latter Known to
Be Prisoners in Hands Of Beers.
LONDON, Dec. 22.A:45 a. m.4There
is still no definite news regarding the
military operations in South AFRICA.
Probably this is because the only cable
that is now working is choked with Of
fetal dispatches.
General Buffers casualty list at CO.
lenso, just published, shows that l46
were killed and TAG wounded. TWO
hundred and twenty-seven are de-
scribed as missing, and of these about
forty are known to be prisoners IN the
hands of the Beers. This makes total
larger than General Buffers original es-
innate.
Royal letters, signed by the Queen,
are being circulated by the Archbishop
to the Bishops of the various dioceses'
authorizing a collection in the churches
throughout England on January fth III
aid of the fund for sick and wounded
soldiers and their families.
Interest centers for the moment in the
preparations to send out reinforce
ments. The various city. guilds have
given an additional $4,000 Tor the ex-
penses by the Imperial Volunteers. be-
sides gifts of horses, ambulances and
other paraphernalia- The laeest notable
volunteers include two Eephews OF
Lord Roberts, Major Charles Sherston
and Major Maxwell Sherston. Their
brother was killed at Glencoe.
The admiralty has decided to dispatch
another naval brigade of 500 men to
South Africa
1t is believed that in mobilizing the
Eighth Division the War Office will
have recourse to some extent to the
militia, it being inadvisable to denude
the home garrisons overmuch of regu-
lars.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir
Michael Hicks-Beach, has issued a for
NAL denial that any differences exist in
the Cabinet regarding war expendit-
lures.
According to a dispatch from Cape
Town, there is a good deal Of distress
In the Orange Free State, owing to
scarcity of grain.
The splendid patriotism of the volun-
teers continues to be evidenced on all
sides. The newspapers note with sat
isfaction the effect that this display of
British spirit and evidence of the re-
sources the empire is able to command
is having on continental critics. The
Westminster Gazette however,
sounds a note of alarm. 1t thinks the
moment is peculiarly unpropitious to
send abroad the home defenders, since
no one is quite easy as to the effect the
proceedings in South Africa will have
on Great Britain's European neighbors.
Belated stories from Chiveley Camp,
Natal, all concur in saying the British
did marvels in an impossible situation.
The oldest war correspondents say they
never saw anything comparable with
the bravery of the men and officers.
The naval contingent created an i'm
mense furore, engaging the Beers sin
gle handed and hailing shrapnel and
lyddite shells on the Notifications north
of the town, in vain effort to silence
the murderous fire of the Beers while
the British forced the passage of the
river. The advance of the second brig
ade along the road leading to the bridge
in the face Of a deadly fusillade is de-
scribed as magnificent. The British
forced their way across the fire zone
under a. perfect storm of bullets from
the invisible Beers. The patter of the
bullets on the dry plain, it is added,
raised the dust like heavy rain drops
of water. The heat throughout was in
tense. There were many stories of spe
cial acts Of bravery.
The Duke of Marlborough, who is a
Lieutenant in the Oxfordshire Yeo-
many. and who has volunteered for
service in South Africa, offers to take
with him 100 men and horses of his
troop. He will personally furnish the
equipment for these men. The authori-
ties have not yet decided whether to
accept the offer.
The Earl of Warwick, the Earl of
Dudley, the Earl Of Lonsdale and Wis
count Galway are among the other
members of the aristocracy who have
volunteered for service in the campaign
against the Beers.
The parting message which General
Lord Roberts sent yesterday through
the Associated Press to the American
people is republished in London to-day.
and occupies the foremost place in the
afternoon papers here, which charac-
terize the straight, simple words as
eminently soldierly and as having the
ring. which, 1t is claimed, should mark
the relations between the Anglo-Saxon
peoples. Although 1t arrived too late
for the usual editorial comment on its
contents. the display headlines show
that his referenc to Americas friend
illness and Canada's patriotism and his
repudiation Of the charges of Irish dis
loyalty are widely approved.
Queen Victoria and Princess Beatrice
went by train from Windsor to Farm
borough this morning and spent an
hour with ex-Empress Eugene. The
Queen has been greatly annoyed ps
the unfounded statements that she is
in i'll health and perpetually weeping
A paragraph contradicting these stories
appears in the papers, which add tnat
it has never been her majesty's hapit
TO display grief like hyseericai
schoolgirl"
The Allan Line steamers Taurantia'
Partisan and Pomerain have been char
tered by the Government for the pur-
pose OF conveying Canadian troops TO
South Africa
General Roberts babe farewell to the
Prince OF Wales at Marlborough House.
The stan Of the British COMMANDMENT