The Yale expositor., 1899-12-08
IRE NEARER 70 kimberley
British Relief Column Has Crossed
Modder River.
FOUNDRY CASTING SHELLS,
1t Is Believed There Is Scarcity OF
Ammunition In the Besieged City
Beers Are sim Firing on Ladysmith
"Details of Recent Battle.

London, Dec. Sit is reported that |
Modder river bridge has been repaired,
and that the British resumed their |
march toward Kimberley today.
The fact that the De Beers mines |
foundry is casting shells while the gar
rison seldom replies to the Beers ar
tillery is said to point to a scarcity of
ammunition at Kimberley, partially
accounting for Gen. Methuen's haste.
All the news from Natal emphasizes
the difficulties before Gen. Clery. There
is growing a belief that some delicate
thanking operation has been intrusted
to some tactician, while Gen. Hildyard
carries out the direct front demonstra-
ton.
The latest advices from Ladysmith,
dated Saturday, Nov. 25, say the she'll
ing Of that place was continued. 1t
also appears that Gen. Schalkburgher,
commanding the Beers, sent a message
suggesting that all the wounded be
sent to a neutral camp, and that Gen.
White peremptorily refused, when, it
is added, the Beers deliberately shelled
the hospital.
All accounts agree that the Boer
shells were much more damaging than
previously. A number of civilians and
police were killed or wounded, while
the Liverpool and Gloucester battalions
lost eleven men Nov. "a.
The siege of Ladysmith was then
growing stronger. The Beers were
estimated to number from 10000 to
! $4,000 men. The health of the British
| garrison was good.
The Boer force at Colenso is esti-
mated to be $4,000 men, with fifteen
guns.
The later details received from Mod
der river seem to show that even the
desperate courage the attacking force
displayed all day long Nov. 2S) fallea
to drive the Beers from their strong
intrenchments, and night fell on an
undecided battle. But, apparently, dur
ing the course of the night, Gen. Cron-
lie. commanding the Beers, who are
said to have numbered 1900 men, de-
|
for the British found the town ana
surrounding positions evacuated when
daylight broke, and the whole Brit
ish army crossed the river and en-
camped on the Boer positions.
The experts here are unanimous in
expressing the opinion that kimper'
ley's needs must be very pressing to
induce Gen. Methuen to expose th'
whole of his command to the Boe'
marksmen, snugly intrenched IN
semi-circular position. So deadly was
the fire zone that the Scots GUARDS
were compelled to leave their Maxim
guns behind when they were force'
to seek less exposed grouad. 1t wa
only after dusk that a portion OF tn
british troops succeeded in crossln!
the river by a mill dam on the eX
IRENE left. When night fell the Boe
: artillery fire was still as vigorous as II
: the morning, but the Beers retiremen
: in the night saved the sit alton for tn
; British. The exhausted condltion o
= the British troops precluded the posi-
, bility of a pursuit of the enemy.
The conclusion of the correspondent
, that the Beers must have suHere
= heavily must be confirmed from onlcla
g sources before it is accepted as rae
J, In any case, the Beers retired withou
J., any sign of disorder, carrying OH tnei
: guns and equipment. Thus Gen. Cron
les force is still intact.
The fact that Gen. Methuen ana 90
Kekewjch are now in communicate
may cause a reconsideration OF Tn
Boer commanders plan to give oattl
, at Spytfontein, where he might o
9 simultaneously attacked by both BIZ
. ish forces.