The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-12-19
Will Depend Upon Artillery More
Than Anything Else,
At SeIge Of Pretoria and Other Places
Where Big Battles Are Expected.
Rear Admiral Beresford Urges
That All Naval Guns Which
Can be Spared From the Re-
serves and Other Ships be
Mounted on Artillery Trains
and Timbers for Field Service
Immediately.

Immediately.
LONDON, Dec. 1S.-Rear Admiral
Lord Charles Beresford is quoted in an
interview to-day as saying:
THE issue of the war will depend
more upon artillery than anything
else, especially at the siege of Pre-
toria and other places where the big
gest battles are expected. Therefore, l
urge that all the naval guns which can
be spared from the reserves and other
ships be mounted on artillery trains
and timbers for field service immed1-
ately. This move is necessary, as
there are no quick-firing 12-pounders
of twelve hundred weight in the army.
1.-THE Government should Immediate
ly commission every ship in the A d.
vision of the navy as needful pre-
caution against any nation seeking to
take advantage of Great Britains con-
dition. No friendly nation could OBJ
ject. 1t would only be running water
through hose pipes, SO as TO prepare
for fire.
II am greatly pleased to see Cen
erals Roberts and Kitchener go to the
aid of General Butler"
LOSSES AT MAGERSFONTEIN.
LONDON, Dec. 1S.-The War Office
this evening posted a revised list Of
the casualties in the battle Of Mayors
fontein, giving ffty-one additional
killed.
LONDON, Dec. 10, 4:3O a. m.-Tne
War Office has been in communicate IN
with General Sir William Lockhard,
Commander in Chief in India, with a
view of ascertaining what troops can
be spared from his forces, and it is
understood that as result Of these in
quiries a force will almost Immediate
ly leave Bombay for Durham, includ-
ing four regiments of seasoned troops,
with an ammunition column and a
brigade of artillery, including horse
and field batteries. It is hoped this
force will reinforce General Butler
within month.
The Duke of Connaught visited the
War Office yesterday. His appoint
ment of Lord Roberts as Commander
in Chief in South Africa, the question
of rank no longer bars the Duke from
going to the front, and as he has a
strong desire to go, it is believed that
only the Queens reluctance stands IN
hQ W ia mol MI ha< fs,ic
will be overcome.
Lord Gresham, commanding officer
of the Royal Buckinghamshire Yoe-
many, has been authorized to organ
ize a force of 5000 yoemanry, who will
proceed to the Cape. The yoemanry
forces sent out will be drafted SO as
to work together with the mounted in
fantry and mounted militia from Ca
NADIA and Australia. It is understood
that the volunteers selected will not
form a separate corps but will join
their linked battalions to the regular
forces in South Africa
Throughout the country volunteers
are responding with the utmost a.ac-
rity to the official notices. Lord Ions
dale says he believes the Government
will only accept from 200 to $50 men
from each yoemanry regiment. 1t is
asserted that many officers of the vol
unteer regiments are offering 10 go
as troopers if not accepted as officers.
The Times" says editorially: Lord
Roberts will have absolutely a free
hand, and may be expected to resume
the original plan of campaign aban-
doned by General Buller under the ne
cessity of relieving Ladysmith."
According to "a dispatch from Cape
Town, General Sir Charles Warren and
his staff have started for De Aar. This
seems to indicate that the fifth divis-
ion will be sent to reinforce Lord
Methuen, a decision which will meet
with general approval, as the opinion
is almost everywhere held that 1t would
be useless to waste any more time by
frittering away men between the vari-
Gus columns.
The Morning Post" in rather
alarmist article, remarks upon the diff
Guilty of decision in such a crucial mat
ter. and says: Beside three Generals
in the field all of whom need to be re-
inforced, there is the rebellion i'll Cape
Colony to be considered. This makes
ion. The trouble is, who is to decide
and on what principle?"
The Morning Post" reviewing the
various positions of the beleaguered
commanders and garrisons, asserts that
the relief of Ladysmith is the most i'm
portant emergency, and that victory
in Natal would change the whole face
of affairs. 1t also points out the ur-
gent need of having the navy in read
mess to move at any moment to pro-
tect the line of communication with
South Africa, suggesting that a quar-
rel with some foreign Power might
come any day without any British In
tention to have one"
The inquiries among the Liverpool
shipowners show that transportation
for 10000 men, horses and equipment,
can be ready before the men are pre-
pared to start.
]. B. Robinson, the South African
millionaire, writes to the daily
Chronicle" reasserting that the Beers
have unlimited supplies of ammunition
and ample stores of food. and declaring
that all statements to the contrary
should be ignored
No further news has been received
from Cape Town, but the "Cape Ar
gus" has dispatch from correspond
ent describing the battle at rugela
River, who says: General barton
carried the village OF Colenso at the
point of the bayonet, and under a rak-
in fire.
The few accounts of the battle that
a re vet to hand fail 70 rive an sacclir-