The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-12-19
BRITISH CASUALTIES
IN THE LAST TWO ENGAGEMENTS OVER
TWO THOUSAND.
SEVERAL SLIGHT SKlRMiSHES
In Which Neither Party Gains Signal
Advantage-German Jubf1ant Over
the Defeat of General Buller-Eng-
The Beers Protest to No Purpose
Against American Concerns supply
ing British With Munitions OF War.

ing British With Munitions OF War.
London, December 16.-General Bull
Ter reports to the war office that his
losses in yesterdays engagement wel1:
Killed 81, wounded 667, missing 33S; a
total of 1897
The revised list of the British cas-
ualties at the battle of Magersfontein
shows the total to be 963, of which
number 20 were officers.
Pretoria, Thursday, December IA
General Snyman reports from Mafe-
king, under date of Wednesday, De-
cember 18th, that the British attack
ed BoeT fort. The Boer casualties
were one man killed and one wounded.
The dispatch also says that Comman-
dant Schoeman had a brush with the
British on Tuesday, the 18th, at the
Geldenhuis farm, which the British
were bombarding on Wednesday.
The condition of General Joubert,
who is iii at Volksrust, is improving.
The Transvaal government is employ
ing natives to work in the mines, pay
ing them G1 a month and feeding
them.
Modder River, Friday, December 15.-
During a demonstration in force this
morning, the British guns shelled the
Beers for a couple OF hours. The Beers
did not reply until the British were re-
firing. The Beers are further en-
trenching and strengthening their old
defenses with the evident intention of
fiercely disputing control of the rail-
road.
The Ninth brigade, under Colonel
lPole-Carew, the Grenadier Guards and
a squadron of the Twelfth, made a re-
connaissance this morning, supported
| by the Seventy-fifth battery Howitz-
12-pounders on the left. A At naval
gun on the right opened fire at $50
o'clock. While the brigade deployed
! across the plain the Howitzers and the
naval gun shelled the Boer trenches
and searched the ridges.
The Beers unmasked two guns, one
of which was dismantled by the naval
gun and the second being impossible to
| touch. No one was killed.
GERMANS JUBILANT.
Berlin, December 16.-The German
press and people are jubilant over the
news from South Africa. and every
| WHeIe III TIE SlTeelS SlOp each
other and offer congratulations. Among
the press comments tonight is that of
The Kreuz Zeitung, which says:
''Thus the fighting power of the
third column is destroyed and the
campaign against the Beers is disas-
rously ended. What, however, means
more is that England's decadence, long
apparent to far-sighted statesmen, has
thus become visible before the whole
world"
The Vossische Zeitung says: THE
English yesterday met the greatest de-
feat in this campaign, so productive OF
disappOintments and losses"
THE IMPRESSION AT ROME.
Rome, December 16-General Bull
ler's reverse produced a profound i'm
lpression in all circles here, where it is
regarded as most serious for the mill
tary prestige of England. The after
inoon papers devote long articles tC
the subject.
lBOERS PROTEST TO SECRETARY
HAY.
New York, December 16.-The ship
ment of arms and ammunition from
this city to South Africa for use by the
British forces against the Beers las
Tuesday caused Consul Hays Pierce
of the Orange Free State, to file a pro
Washington. Today Mr.. Pierce re.
ceived a note from Mr.. Hay, declaring
that the department of state could no
take any action in the premises.
According to the authorities cited by
the secretary of state. in case of wal
be1ligerents have the right to purchase
any kind of goods in neutral coun
try, subject to confiscation after ship
ment.
AC hox
port of entry, the ruling is decidedly
advantageous to the British.
Last Monday 1 received a lettel
from DR.. Hendrick Muller. envoy ex
traordinary of the Orange Free Stat,
at The Hague" said Mr.. Pierce, 'call
ing my attention to the shipment by ;
cartridge company of Bridgeport
Conn, of 5000, 900 cartridges to Soutl
Africa. He also stated that this com
pany had received other large orders
from the British government. 1 a
once transmitted DR.. Mullers letter t
Washington and today received the re
ply. Secretary Hay closes his lette
thus:
".An examination Of Wharton's di
gest Of international law says Sector
3S1 will make it clear that the execu
tive departments OF this governmen
from the earliest period have maintain
ed the correctness Of the doctrine stat
ed by Chancellor Kent, and that, IL
this position, they have been support
ed by the decisions OF the courts o
the United States and by the opinion
sof eminent authorities on internationa
law.
Under these circumstances, there
fore, and in view Of the fact that tn
law on the subject in the United State
is well settled, the department does no
consider it necessary to cause an in
vestigation as to the correctness of tn
facts alleged by DR.. Muller"