The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-12-29
BRITISH NAVAL GUNS
AT M0DDER RIVER HAVE ACCURATE
RANGE OF BOER POSITIONS.
BRITISH DISASTERS CONTINUE.
G~landers Attacks the Horses and
Mules and Many OF Them are Shot.
Sedition Spreading in Cape Colony.
Beers Picking OF British Officers.
B~ombarding Ladysmith- n Beers
European Reserve at Pretoria-Me-
thuen Wei Entrenched.

Modder River, CIpe Colony, Deem
Der 20.-The British naval guns COM
mard the whole Boer position and pos
sess the exact range of every stone and
bush They frequently plant shells
with good advantage in the midst of
groups of, Beers. The burghers are re-
ported to be returning home for Christ
mas.
Recent arrivals from Jacobsdale re-
port, that, Notwithstanding the B0er
successes, the Free Staters do not ex-
pect ultimate victory. They complain
of the o~verbearing conduct of General
Cronje's men, who are alleged to be bet
ter fed and posted IN the safest posi-
tions. The T~ransvaalerS do not conceal
their~@ lspiciOns of me possible defec-
tio Of the Free Skaters and threaten
to SHOOT them at the least sign of wav-
ering. The Free Skaters are said to
regard subsection to the Transvaal as
more to be feared than subsection to
Great Britain.
London, December 26.-The war Of
flee has received the following dispatch
from Cape Town, dated December 25th,
saying:
There is no change in tine situation
at Modder river. General Methuen is
wen entrenched and the Beers have not
disturbed him..
General Gatacre reports that a force
of $50 police has occupied Dordrecht,
the Beers r~etreating with no loss"
CHAMBERS AMONG BRITISH
HORSES AND MULES.
Four hundred British cavalry horses,
it is said, have already been shot owing
to the occurrence of CHAMBERS. The dis
ease is likely to spread with much
greater rapidity among the British
horses than anon the hardy Boer
ponies and This may mean a considera-
BILE p~rolongation of h campaign.
Horse sickness in South Africa general
iy appears during the latter part of
January and lasts three months The
present outbreak is unusually early.
A sable dispatch from Cape Town,
dated December goth says that CHAMBERS
has broken out among the American
mules. of which there are LOO ait the
S~tellenbOsch remount farm. Twenty
six of the mules have been destroyed
and seventy eight have been isoated.
The dispatch says sedition is spread
ing in Cape Colony. Three members
of the Cape parliament are alleged to
be implicated, and one of them is said
to have presented a Free State flag to a
Boer commander, at the same time eX-
pressing the hope that he would carry
1T to glory and victory. Another mem
Der of parliament is said to be recruit
ing for the Beers. In addition, wealthy
farmers are now aiding the invaders.
The first batch OF Boer prisoners has
arrived in England.
PICKING OFF BRITISH OFFICERS.
The war office haas received a dispatch
from PietermaritZburg Natal, dated
December oath, announcing that in an
engaged at LadySmith, December
22nd, Major A. C. King, Captain Wa
then and Cakes, Lieutenant Hulse and
Lieutenant Colonel Fawcett were
wounded and that nine non-commis-
stoned officers and men were KILLED and
ten wounded. This engagement had
not been recorded before this.
BoMBARDING LADYsMITH.
The Beers heavily ybombarded Lady
smith for a couple Of hours December
18th, the day after The BATTLE of Tugela
river, but little damage WAS done.
They killed one man and two
men of the garrison.
lAdvices from Cape Town say the
New Zeaanders, with General French
ait NaauwpoOrt, were in a tight corner,
December 18th. They were nearly sur
rounded by Beers and retired under a
hail of bullets fired at short range, but
sustained only little loss.
Several newspaper correspondents
have returned to Cape Town from the
Modder river, apparently confirming
the belief thai an Immediate advance
of In British is projected.
BOERS GIVE THANKS FOR VIC
TORIES.
Pretoria, Monday, December 1S.-
General Joubert has recovered, and re-
turned to the front today.
There were special services yesterday
in the different 1aagers as thanksgiv-
ing for the victories of Colenso, Storm
berg and Modder river.
Durham, Tuesday, December 19.-The
. Norwegian park Regina, from Java,
loaded with ~StretcheTS and railway
sleepers. has been captured, near Della
goa bay and brought here by the Brit
fsh second class cruises Forte.
London, December 27.-The Cape
Town correspondent of the Daily News
~teiegraphing Wednesday,, December &c
says: Lord Methuen. I understand,
Intends to remain at Modder river
about three weeks longer.
From Boer sources, hitherto Sangu-
Farly we'll informed, l learn that there
are 5000 European officers and men
skilled in modern military tactics, par
~ticuarly artillery, now in Pretoria, as a
reserve.
Our administrative official in the
service, who has just returned from
official relieving duty in the Dutch dis
trict, says the news of the British re-
verses has been received with great
Joy even in localities where there is no
open revolt"