Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1899-12-28
SITUATION
NOT CHANGED
Gatacre and French Report No
Change; Baden-PoweII All
Well on Dec. IL.
BRITISH WILL AWAIT ROBERTS
Report of the Philadelphia Fall
ure-Amerlcan Panama Canal
Co. Formed.

London, Dec. 28.-The war Office
received following from Cape Town,
dated Dec. q: Methuen reports as
follows: At $50 yesterday evening
the Beers on the south side of Mayors
fontein opened a heavy fire for some
time. This morning the naval bri-
gade fired at the enemy at the west
part of Magersfontein. A cavalry
brigade is reconnoitering in a north
easterly direction. Lieutenant Mas
ters made an extended reconnois-
sance westward and northward of En-
slein Reports all well. Farmers
ere glad to see our men. They were
suffering from want of food. | estab-
lished a market here where l can pur-
chase fresh milk and vegetables, sell
ling the farmers tea and other arti-
cles they cannot otherwise purchase.
Heavy rain fell last night.
Gatacre and French report no
change in the situation. Baden-Pow-
ell reports all well December IL.
Cape Town, Dec 2S-Colonel Rec
sard. commanding the Canadian con-
tingent of troops is to join the staff
of General Butler, all the members of
which are proceeding to Natal, indi-
eating that Buffers sphere will short
ly be confined to Natal.
A man named Green, former SER
geant major in the British Balloon
department, is among the Boer prison
ers captured at Magersfontein. Green
deserted from Aldershot in 1898 and
admitted he had been for some time
in the service of the Beers and in
structed them in trenching. He says
there were $4,000 Beers at Magersfon-
tein, ,21 900 of whom were engaged in
the day battle. The Boer losses, he as
serts, were heavy the trenches being
full of dead. Green further declares
that if the attack had been pressed
the Beers would have yielded. He
says the Boer horses have 70 be taken
to Modder Rivers a asswater is SO scarce
1T Magersfontein.
Durham Natal, Dec. 27-Harry Es-
combe, former premier of Natal, died
suddenly in the street this afternoon.
A German farmer named Stucke and
Rev. Mr. Hartes, director of the Han
overian missions, Natal, have been ar
rested at Estcourt on the charge OF
aiding the Beers. They claim the
protection of Germany.
London, Dec. 2S-The latest inde
pendent news from Ladysmith says:
Field fortifcations would now with
stand any organized attack the enemy
iG likely to deliver There are sufi-
cient food stuffs for two months. The
question of forage might be trouble
some, but since rains there have beer
some grazing within the lines. There
is no horse sickness. Casualties
caused by our shell fire are increasing
Beers are reported becoming nervous
They fear night sorties and constant
ly open heavy fusilade on imaginary
attack"
London, Dec. 2S-In view of thu
apparent supineness of British com
manders in preventing the dali!
Strengthening and extending of tn,
Beers positions along the Tugela ant
Modder Rivers, now considered prac
tically impregnable, many expert
are coming to the conclusion that th
British have given up the idea o
carrying these positions by assault
and will await the transport with tn
cavalry required to give their force
the necessary mobility. They hop
to be in position to besiege the Boer
IN their respective plevnas, Will
General Roberts carries out the orig
nal plan of the campaign, that of az
vancing straight north on Bloemfol
tein, the other generals detachin
sufficient mobile troops tosreach thei
goals by circuitous routes. Their
is nothing in official or best indepent
ent reports to indicate that the be
leagured garrisons are in any speci,
straits, calling for immediate relief
The latest advices from Kimberl
where a shortage was most feare,
report plenty of food. An interestin
feature of todays news lis the patrio
ic offers of service from Indian prince