Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-12-13

tRNAHA hAE|NAAli AlNAAA AANtAf NNttNNttf
dated Tuesday Dec. l2:
"our artillery shelled a very strong
position held by the enemy on long,
high kopje from 4 until dusk Sunday,
1t ralned hard last night.
The Highland brigade attacked, al
daybreak on Monday the south end o.
the kopje The attack was properly
timed but failed. The guards we're
ordered to protect the Highlands right
and rear.
'The cavalry and mounted infantry
with a howitzer artillery battery at
tackled the enemy on the left, and the
guards on the right, supported by field
artillery and howltzer artillery.
They shelled the position from day
break, and at Ills sent the Gordons
TO support the Highland brigade. The
troops held their own In front Of the
enemy's entertainments until dusk, the
position extending including the kopje
for a distance Of six miles to the Mod
der river.
To-day am holding my position, and
entrenching myself | had 20 face at
least 1900 men. our loss was great"
The war office has received the fol-
lowing dispatch from Gen. Forester
Walker:
"capetown, Tuesday. wires
mat Gen. Wauchope was killed In ao-
ton yesterday"
Major General Andrew c.. Wauchope,
{. H., c. NJ. c.. entered the army In
1865, was promoted to colonel 1855,
served In the Ashanti war 1873; In the
Egyptian war 1859; In the Soudan ex-
petition OF 1884, and in the Nile ex-
petition OF lss4-s5. lie was In COM
mand Of the first brigade OF Egyptian
expeditionary force IN 1898.
Gen. Wauchope has been wounded
four times, three times severely.
Orange River, Cape Colony, Dec. l8.--
Three hundred and twenty wounded.
including twenty-seven officers. have
arrived here from the Modder river.
Pretoria, Dec. II, Monday.-An off,
clal report says
"A battle at Modder river began yes
terday with cannon firing, heavy fight
ing proceeding from 1890 o'clock In the
morning until $3.50 o'clock with cannon,
maxims and rifles A bombardment be-
gan at 1880 o'clock, and the fighting
still continues. A balloon has Just
arisen above the British positions,
where II remained ten minutes and
descended. There were heavy rains
during the night"
AT O'Clock this morning dispatch
rider brought word that all the Boer
positions have been maintained. and
that forty-one British prisoners had
been taken.
AT $3.50 c'clDck Il was reported that
the heavy cannon fire had somewhat
abated. The British are constantly
using their balloon.
The hghiing was stu going on at
noon.
Kimberley is stlll quiet.
London Dec ia disaptch from
Frere Camp, dated Tuesday, Dec u,
morning, says:
This morning a union brigade con-
slstlng Of English, Scottish. Irish and
Welsh fusileers under Gen. Barton,
with several naval guns, advanced and
took up a strong position three miles
from Colenso, meeting with no oppose
ton"
London Dec. l3.--Gen. Methuen, as
expected. followed w his artillery at
tack with "a general assault on .ae
Boer positions Monday, and his report
shows that the anxiety OF the public
regarding the result occasioned by the
ominOus silence OF the war Office was
amply justified
The afapa paruanf ufau aVtdqnf1V ~
considerable magnitude. and the list
Of the killed and wounded will be pro-
portlonate without the compensation
which victory would have brought II,
indeed, the anair does not turn out 10
be more serious defeat than Gen.
Methuen admits.
The Highlanders. IL is believed,
must have stormed the Boer position
more than once while the fact that the
guards were ordered 10 support the
Highlanders rear looks as though the
Doers may even have outilanked their
attackers.
One report says that Gen. Cronje at
tackled the British.
The only compensation the British
ave been able TO discover In the dis
fcnrtenlug story is IN Gen. Methuen's
statement that he maintains his posi-
ton close 10 the Beers, arousing hope
that he will retrieve the situation. IL
Is apparent that the bombardment on
Saturday and Sunday did not shake the
Beers GRIP on their position, and Il
seems certain that they merely with
drew THEN guns and rhemen under COW
er, while Gen. Methuen INDUCED In the
usual artillery preliminaries Monday
and that when the British guns were
obliged 10 cease firing, owing 20 the
danger 0f hitting the advancing troops,
the Boers speedily reOccupied their
trenches ana overwhelmed the High
landers with terrible fire, probably
accompanying this by an attack on the
British tight flank and rear.
Alarm is beginning 90 be expressed in
many quarters as to the situation Of
Gen. Methuen. As the Westminster
G6zette says:
~ England ever needed a victory Il
Is now. and II Is 20 Butler the soldier
strong, cool-headed and reticcnt. that
the country looks for this victory"
The other papers are abusing the
government Tor It's "complacent optlm-
ism and inability TO grasp the
strength Of the opposition Il has 10
overcome IN South Africa.
Considerable significance attaches TO
Gen. Methuens statement that he is
entrenchlng himself. Indicating fear
that the Beers may follow up their ed
vantage adopt the offensive and at
tack him
Indeed, the gravity Of the situation
from the British point OF view can
hardly be oyerestimated Gen Me-
thuen's long lines OF communication
70 DE Aar are most vulnerable Should
lhey BE- cut Gen Methuen win find
himself IN very tight place. II only
from lack Of supplies.
The news of the British reverse had .
pad eject on The stock exchange,
WHERE there Was a general relapse.
helilrs and Rand mines dropped 2i5
points ana DE Beers dropped Is
The latest adyices from Gen. Cat I
acre show that no anxiety Is fell for
me safety OF his remaining troops. I
VINO have been withdrawn 10 good /
yvsiuons along the railroad south OF