Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-12-16

I"fs' comment, today. is confined Il
prrfunrtofy expressions Of extreme re-
gr"t and Disappointment and Of thu
necessity Of calmness and redoubled
efforts u retrieve the position. This
latest check Is regarded as the most
serious event in Great Britain's mill
taiF history since the Indian mutiny.
The Standard says: Gen. Buffers
dispatch is deplorabla reading 1t il
the now familiar story of concealed
Beers and of British troops marching
W blindly almost TO the very muzzles
Of the enemy's rifles. 1t cannot be
doubted that them oral effect will be to
aggraviate our difficulties over the
whole field Of operations. The country
has discovered with annoyance and sur
prise that subduing Boer farmers is
about the hardest work we have en-
tered upon since the Indian mutiny.
Their commandants have shown them
selves able to give our generals useful
but expensive lesOSns in modern tao
ties
The Times says: Since the days Of
the Indian mutiny the nation has not
been confronted with 50 painful and
anxious a situation. Plainly Gen.
Buffers advance is paralyzed for the
moment as completely as Lord
Methuen's and Gen. Gatacre's."
The depression over the defeat Of
Great Britain's trusted and idolized
commander is all the greater as. dur
ing the last iS hours. there had been
reports If the relief Of l. ldysmith. Yes
terday. the war office allowed it to be
understood that the position of affairs
in Natal was entirely satisfactory. The
reaction is all the more pronounced on
this account.
The gloomy information came too
late to reach the service clubs and only
few journalists and stragglers We're
waiting a the war office 1t has hard
ly been realized until now. even after
the experience of the week. that Gen.
Butler could fail.
Virtually nothing had been allowed
to leak through regarding his prepara-
tons but the public waited patiently.
in the confident belief that he was
taking such time and precautions as
would insure success.
No Independent reports of the en-
gagement have Yet been allowed to
come through, but Gen. Buffers own
dispatch tells the sad tale in sufficient
outline TO show that the British have
been entrapped again by the astutn
Beers. 1t was not anticipated that Gen
Fuller would make frontal attack.
but no criticisms of his movements are
made. since apparently. he suffered y
repulSe rather than defeat and did
not push the attack home, but broke it
off in the middle 50 as to save a useless
sacrifice Of life.
1t is expected that he will shortly re-
new the attack. Immediately on re-
caiving the news the war office decided
70 mobilize still another division and to
replace the losses of artillery. The
necessary achievements will be hur-
ried off as speedily as possible.
Fifteen transports are due to arrive |
at cape Town between Dec. Il and Jan |
$, with about $1,000 troops of all arms. |
but unless Gen. Butler is about to re- I
new the attack, which is exceedingly |
the British general will be /
for another fortnight or
more to remain practically on the de-
fensive.
The latest dispatches indicate that
the continued bombardment of Lady
smith, whose position is now perilous.
Major Gen. Sir Herbert Charles
Thermside has been appointed to COM
mand the 14th Brigade in the 9TH Di-
vision.
The list Of casualties among the non
officers and men in the
fight at Magersfontein, just issued.
shows - killed, 253 wounded (21 seveIy-
and IS missing. This however, is ap-
not a complete list.
London. Dec. ia special dispatch
eceived here today. from Frere Camp
avs that simultaneously with the
of Colenso furious ar
illery duel between the garrison of
and the Beers on Umbulwan
ILL
London. Dec. 1.-the reserves Of the
Royal Irish Regiment paraded at AL
lershot. today. in full marching order.
They will embark for South Africa.
from Southampton.
Waterford, Ireland. Dec. 1.-the
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