Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1899-12-03
Transvaal Army Heavily Re.
cruited from Cape Colony.
BRITISH REPORTS DOCTORED
ofGreat Britain. British Dead and
Wounded at Battle OF Bfodder
River Number 438.
CIV Telegraph.)

LONDON, Dec. PAS surmised. the
British dead and wounded at the hard
fpu!rt battle of Modder river number
hundreds Up to . O'Clock this after
noon. only the bare total. 43S. of which
number 70 We're killed, had been given
cut.
The meagre official dispatch giving
a list of the British casualties at Mod
der river and announcing the bare fact
that Lord Methuen is still there await
ing achievements is only supplement
Cd BY Il b. ef special message from Cape
Town tonight stating that the Beers
destroyed the bridge over the Modder
river berore the battle and are now
concentrating at Spytfnntein where
ihc final battle before Kimberley is re-
.icvCa is expected to take place
CENSOR GETS IN HIS WORK.
Tn censor has apparently stopped all
press messages from the front rela ting
To the battle. Which is not regarded S
z favorable indication. AS to the ma
terial results OF Lord Methuen's en-
SaSement: 1t is not Yet clear whether
Lord Mcthucns force actually crossed
me Aloddsr river. or is still awaiting
the rebuilding Of the bridge before the
artillery and cavalry can cross In
any case the railway must be carried
nve!. The bridge before the indispensa-
Die big naval guns can pass, because
i-oid Methuen's last despatch showed
that they We're worked on trucks along
the railroad
POE'RS LOSS SMALL.
IS Significant fact that Lord Me
thuenS cablegram makes no mention
Of the Boer loss, Which therefore. Is
assumed to be small
a despatch from Cape Town this
evsrinG says Lord Methuen's advance
undoubtedly is beginning to affec. the
''oer strategy and probably explains she
| N1thoraWal from MOOT river The con
| 5lnueu presence Of commanders -:
cape Colony tends to confirm the opfn
| IONS That the Beers are making desper#
ate Efforts to Recruit their forces from
tlle itutcn residents. While it is I'M
sns sio,e 20 OBTAIN exact statistics it is
absolutely certain that the disaffe.tef1
iutch nave Joined the Beers in sreat
numbers, which are still increas tn:
MOST CT the recruits. however. are
!"uns men. General Buffers message
a ai.y indicating the punishment for
ht n1a,s,s having deferred the actual
holders OF farms from joining the raoers
through fear Of conflscation OF .hei,.
property.
TROOPS AT FRERE.
~ latest news from Natal indicates
,la' the bulk of Ladysmit tn relief forrs
has arrived at F>rerc, ,thoueht tte 800 e
considerable conjecture as ~ az
Mneieapouts CT General C1erv. whosa
| .noNA1nents have not been chronicles
,ecently. It is surmised in some uusr-
,,na,,' 49, ~ may reappear in a totally
Unexpected quarter. on the flank ~ go
.. General Joubet's force. which ;s
nl aa 1 to be concentrated at Grobes
Ear kloof. north of the Tugela rive,
Vas Va 'i jn enna, Hiiyard,s advance guard
90 ~ TOUGH with the Beers as Ions
aso as Tuesday last, deye]onr .u,.s
H!io"!o not be long delayed
h1ERs TURN AND FIGHT
ba ,ca 81 maid mounted force, Noven,-
''si - accompanied by four e,ns
nv.lt IN pursuit of body of Beers "a
~ ,l,ns TO colenso. when the Beers re-
, T., 10 the British shells with lonp
1 r:ahse guns: There was no casualtia ties,
u, 80: pildge. it is added, was after
-. :, y" ~ o!oWn UP. Another detachn,eat
~ a,ooo British troops sailed FOR sonth
1Mlns to the phenomenal sale Of the
IA ~ rpst ~ CONSEQUENT upon the war a
iausf famine is threatened. II il -
f fsi,ld mat the American supplies hava
i1''ed temporarily 20 "