The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-12-19

see in the headlong plunge of the Cabi-
net suspicious panic, and they pic
ture hasty conclaves, and the Minis
tiers, with blanched faces. telegraphing
to Roberts and Kitchener to come and
save the empire While perhaps these
are overdrawn, there Is no denying that
the prodigious exertion which the Gov
eminent considers necessary to crush
the two little republics shows that even
sedate Lord Salisbury sees the extreme
gravity of the present aspect OF af-
fairs. Probably the Ministers remem-
bered the peril, which the public seem
to have forgotten, of a possible rising
of the .Kaffirs. Indeed, unpleasant ru-
mors are already current in this direc-
ton, which would be infinitely more
serious than a rebellion of the duties.
With reference to rumors circulated
to-day on the Stock Exchange, the As
ISOLATED Press has been officially In
formed that the Queen is in excellent
health, and that there is no indication
of the surrender of Kimberley.
There has been notable rush of vol
unteers all day to offer their services
for the war in South Africa. Several
Colonies have placed their regiments at
the disposal of the War Office. About
300 artillery volunteers offered their
services at Edinburgh before noon.
A brief Independent account of the
Colenso fight adds nothing to the off,
cial account, except. that the fighting
lasted eight hours, and that the British
retired in good order. .ta
dispatch from the Modder River,
dated Saturday, December 10th, says
the Beers have blown up the railroad
culverts two miles north Of Methuen's
camp. ss Ds<
A coincidence in connection with
Lord Roberts appointment at the pres
ent juncture is the circumstances that
he was similarly appointed Com
mander-in-Chief after the British de-
feat at Majuba Hill. On this accession,
however, it is not likely that he will
reach South Africa to find peace patch
ed up between his sailing and arriving.
The Queen passed a quiet day at
Windsor. She took an airing in the
afternoon. It sssaid her majesty may
leave Windsor for Osborne, Isle of
Wight, December 18th. A. J. Balfour
dined with the Queen this evening.
LORD KITCHENER.
CAIRO, Dec. 1S.-General Lord
Chief of the Staff of General Lord
Roberts Of Kandahar, the new Com
mander-in-C Chief of the British forces
in South Africa leaves Omdurman
Tuesday, and will arrive here Friday
He will start for Cape Town as soon
as possible.
A SECOND CANADIAN CONTIN-
GENT.
OTTAWA, Dec 1S.-The Imperial
Government has accepted the offer Of
the Dominion Government to send a
second contingent to the Transvaal.
The Minister oruAfarine, in making the
announcement, rsaysT that while it is
specified in the cable what is required,
the contingent will likely be made up
largely Of cavalry and artillery The
contingent will be sent without de-
mand. The Cabinet is considering the
matter.
MILITARY STRENGTH OF THE
Beers.
NEW YORK, Dec. Ism. De Long,
the manager of the dynamite factory
at Modderfontein, in the Transvaal, has
just returned to France, and has been
interviewed by the representatives of
several of the Paris journals. He says
that the British Government can have
no idea of the vast extent of the
preparations that the Beers have been
quietly making for years, with the
realization that another struggle with
the full force of Great Britain was in
evitable. Even should the Beers be
driven out of Natal, he says the British
could never hope to enter the Trans
vaal and survive.
Since the war begun, he says, heavy
artillery that had been carefully stored
away has been brought forth. He as
serts that the forts at Pretoria and
johannesburg are as strong as any
fortresses in the world, and have within
the last month been rendered abso-
lutely impregnable, while Edelberg
alone could hold it's own with twenty
five men against / 900 assailants, par
ticularly in the rainy season, which has
just begun, causing unfordable streams
suddenly to spring into existence.
M De Long states that there are
about 5000 we'll trained German voters
in the Boer army, who have not yet
been allowed to go to the front. He
adds that the Governments of the Boer
Republics are showing great econ
omy OF strength, and have not yet
used a third of their military resources.
GREAT BRITAIN A HEAVY BUYER
OF MULES
KANSAS CITY, Dec. 1S.-Great Bri- !
tain is becoming heavy buyer of
mules here for use in the Transvaal
war. Already 1,3OO mules have been
shipped to South Africa A thousand
more will have gone in two weeks, and
another order for a thousand head Is
almost certain, says Captain S. M. |
Smith of the British army, now here,
when this second shipment, making in
all 5000 head of mules bought in
Kansas City for English use in the
war is made. The first shipment of
700 has reached the Transvaal. and is
in service.
Instead of using these mules as pack
mules, as was fiHst expected, the Brit
ish have put the Kansas City mules
in harness, and they are dragging can
non and supply wagons over the hills
in the Boer country.
Riot at Chicago.
CHICAGO, Dec 1S.-At riot occurred
to-day at Thirty-ninth street and Cal
umet avenue, where the strike of the
tunnel miners is in progress. Several
non-unfon man o,,anrcjne from tho TIM