The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-12-21
Government Is Being Roundly
Scored for Unpreparedness.
for Volunteering u Un-
abated Throushout Great Britain,
and the Desired Corps Of Mount
ed Infantry win He Speedily
Fflled-In the Absence Of Au-
thentic News There II Some oues-
tion whether the Beers succesd-
ed In Capturing Buffers Guns-
All BRITISH Feroea On Defensivss

LONDON. Dec. u, 4:lb q. m.-The gr1v-
ity OF the military situation Ii again be-
coming accentuated in the public mind.
owing to the complete absence Of news.
Nothing has been heard from Lord
Methuen since Sunday, and It II feared
that his communication has been cut. II
this is SO his position Is dangerous.
Boers' Position Very strong.
A correspondent Of the Daily News from
Modder last Sunday says:
1.-THE Beers position, already formidable
on December II, has since been greatly
strengthened. extending for an area Of
twelve miles. 1t Is .ntrenched according
to the most modern methods throughout
its entire length; wire fences have been
placed before all the trenches at every
point. guns have been got into position,
and there Is every evidence that the Beers
are well supplied with ammunition. Only
powerful attacking force can hope to
make successful attack"
Criticism OF Military Plans.
The Times. in an article from the pen
of q military expert, laments the dispose
tion Of British forces, quotes the maxim
OF Napoleon in favor OF concentration, and
regrets that Lord Methuen did not retire
to Orange river a week ago.
British ON the Defensive.
The latest dispatches received seem 10
show that the British forces are standing
ON the defensive at all points. Gen Bul-
Ter IL ordering the troops now arriving It
Cape Town to proceed 70 Durham 70 fein-
force the Natal column. Absences OF new
from him has led to q surmise that ne Il
trying to join Gen. White by q nanh
movement
Enthusiasm for Volunteers.
The appeals for yeomanry and volunteers
are being responded to with the greatest
enthusiasm in all parts of the country.
Lord wolseley proposes that the force be-
ing raised by the lord mayor Of London
be called the "City Of London Imperial
Volunteers" The government requires the
total OF yeomanry and volunteers to reach
5000. Baron Chesham will command, with
Lord Lonsdale as adjutant general
Government Much blamed.
The papers are now generally Joining In
free criticism Of the government, as day
by day fresh proofs OF unpre-
paredness come to light. Special stress d
laid upon the failure to provide proper
transports. which compels the columns to
stick tight to railways and upon the In
feriority of the British artillery.
The Australian colonies are responding
eagerly to the imperial governments Ap-
peals for second contingent.
1t is reported that the queen will aban-
don her proposed visit to Italy In conse-
quence OF the war.
Coal Famine Stops Work.
One OF the results OF the coal famine In
the Sheffield district. Indirectly arising out
of the war, is that several important steel
firms are not able to get coal even from
their colliers few miles distant. They
will sue the railway companies for non-
delivery of coal. One of the big armpr
plate works has shut down partially.
Were BulIer's Gums Captureds
1t still seems doubtful whether the guns
that Gen. Butler abandoned at Coienso are
In the possession OF the Boers. According
to dispatch to the Associated Press from
Durham, sent OFT en- the evening OF the bat
tie, and which has Just been received here,
the guns remained where they were left
by the British troops and were covered
by the heavy guns Of Hiidyard's brigade.
occupying an intrenched position. The
dispatch adds that the Beers have thus
far not attempted to cross the river and
capture the guns. while advices to the
Associated Press from Pretoria, under tho
same date, say that an official Boer dis
patch reports that two guns. thirteen wag-
ons and quantity of ammunition were
captured, besides 2OS prisoners.
Absence of Proper Informatiou.
Further accounts Of the Tugela river
battle emphasize the ignorance OF the
British intelligence department in regard
to the disposition of the Boer force. The
British were not aware that the Beers
were intrenched along a series Of low
lying hills Immediately northward Of
Colenso bridge until a staggering FIRE
compelled them to retreat when the ate
tack seemed about to succeed. They
were also in greater number than antici-
pated
Artillery Was Dcfective.
It becomes clear also that the British
guns were lost in attempting to gst with
in effective range OF the Boers' artillery.
showing that the latter outranSed the
British ordnance. which, in spite OF nu-
merical superiority, was wholly made
quate to reply to the iong-range Boer
guns The British war office comes in
for scathing denunciations from the
Times today for not providing proper ar