Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-12-08

The war office. having allowed General
the campaign in his hands and devote
It's energies to the rapid dispatch Of the
Fifth and Sixth divisions and the ar
ranging Of the details of the mobilization
or the Seventh Military men outside
that office do not share the uneasy feel
ing of the Times that the garrisons are
IN critical condition and that the diff
cultles of the situation either or beyond
tne Modder river are Increased by the
inaction of the British forces. They as
sert that both Generals Methuen and
Clery, being in searchlight communica-
ton with the beleaguered garrisons,
know what is going on and precisely
how urgent is the need Of relief They
also maintain that the Dutch forces have
less to gain by delay than the British.
since concentration of forces is going
| on in both camps and the reserves of ar
tlllefy and cavalry are more important
advantage for the two relief columns
than the strengthening of the defenses
OF colenso and Spytfonten is for the
enemy.
The situation, when viewed compre-
hensively at midnight, was distinctly
favorable to the British side, and there
was no apparent reason for h,lrrying,
much less rushing the campaign Cen
eral Methuen on reSuming command on
Wednesday, had an additional brigade
OF infantry, another regiment of lancers
and an increased force of artillery as
we'll as cavalry. He was in much better
position for using the bayonet and ham,
merlns the enenys works With an ar
tlilefy lire and maneuvering with cav
airy There were ample compensations
for the delay in mending the bridges
and If General Cronje had been rein
forced the Dutch allies We're weaker in
Natal and Mafeking was safer in con-
sequence Of the concentration of their
commands around Kimberley.
The details of two sorties by keke-
Wichs garrison furnished by the war
office, Reuter- and special correspond-
ents, proved how we'll it was able TO nro-
tect itself. Taking advantage of the
weakening of the besiegng forces by the
Withdrawals for the defense Of Modder
river, kekewich's men attacked first the
enelnN's center, and then, right after
ward, his right flank. captured a larger
ana four fedouhts and destroyed large
quantity of military stores and food
sruffs. 1t was a timely and brilliant
stroke FOR which the garrison deserved
kekeWich's thanks in a general order.
There has been vigorous entrenchine
at SpNtfonten. but General Cronie will
be in danger of having his retreat east
ward to Jacobsdahl cut off when lord
Methuen advances to the attack Lord
Methuens force is now estimated to be
fully $1,000 men.
The graNest feature of the situation in
Natal is the marked Improvement i'm the
artillery practice of the Boer batteries
around Ladysmith. While the naval gun
has knocked out big Creusot and how
ltZer, two more siege guns had been
brought up and according to the Times
dispatches, three Creusots. four big
howitzers. two batteries of long-ranga
field guns and other heavy ordnance
We're working steadily. The rations.
moreover. had been reduced all around
in the garrison
General Butler not only knows these
facts, but has provided so strong a re-
lief column that the siege will be prac-
tlcally raised as soon as Clery is ready
to strike the first blow. The British
forces in lower Natal are now estima ted
at 1000 men. and General Clery will
have no less than 10000 men for opera
tlons on either flank of colcnso. Butler
may be waiting for the first six of the
eight powerful howitzers which were
sent out from England. single section
of this battery arrived at Capetown three
days ago and it's lyddite shells would be
of great strength TO the relief column.
Cautious veterans who discussed the
situation last night refused to believe
that Ladysmith could he reduced to ex-
tremities when so large Il British army
was encamped 25 miles away.
There was an unconirlned rumor dur
ing the evening that I.;:dy ysmith garrison
had made successful sortie on Mon
day. Another bulletin was that the gar
rison was safe on Wednesday, and, un-
fortunately, there was n more trust
worthy report that George Lynch. the
correspondent of the Echo. had been cap
tured by the Beers outside the British
lines. He is a brainy journalist, an ex-
cellentt artist, who did good work in the
Santiago campaign, and left London at
"a hours notice to represent three jour-
nals
The advance of the Free State raiders
on Dordrecht and other towns Of Cape