Omaha daily bee., 1899-12-19
CROSS TUGELA RIVER
Report that Buffers Forces Have Driven the
Boer Army Back,
VICTORY WON AFTeT rrs FIGHT
From Same Source it is Learned Metnni
Communication is Cut OFF.
SEASONED TROOPS GOING FROM INDIA
-Four Regiments with Artillery to Sail at
Once for Durbn,
EASoNED TROOPS GOING FROM INDIA
FIFTH DIVISION TO RELIEVE METHUEN
Dispatch from Cnpctovn that General
Warren Has Bccn Ordered to Pro-
cced to Modder River-Bocrs
Have Plenty of Arms.

LONDON, Dec. 19.-The Daily Mail hears
from hitherto reliable correspondent that
General Butler. after a stiff fight crossed
the Tugela river. The correspondent also
states that General Methuen's communica-
tions are cut.
The War office has been in communication
with General Sir William Lockhart, COM
mander- in-chef in India, with view of as
cortaining what troops can be spared from
his forces and it is understood that as
result the force will almost Immediately
leave Bombay for Durbin, including four
regiments of seasoned troops, with an am
muuiton column and brigade of artillery,
including horee and field batteries. 1t Is
hoped that this force will join General Bull
Ter within a month.
The duke of Connaught visited the War
Office yesterday. Since the appointment of
Lord Roberts commander chief in
South Africa the question of rank no longer
bars the duke from going to the front and
As he has strong desire to go it is be-
lieved that only the queens reluctance
stands in the way. 1t is not unlikely that
this will be overcome.
The Times says, editorially: Lord Rob-
erts will have absolutely free hand and
may be expected to resume the original
plan of campaign devised by General Butler,
under the necessity of relieving Ladysmith."
Warren to Relieve Methuen.
According to dispatch from Capetown Sir
Charles Warren and his staff have started
for De Arr. This seems to indicate that the
Fifth division will be sent to reinforce Lord
Methuen, which will meet with general ap-
proval, as the opinion is held everywhere
that it would be useless to waste away more
time by fritterng away men between the
various columns
Lord CheSham, commanding officer of the
Royal Buckinghamshire yeomanry, has been
authorized to organize a force of 5000
yeomanry who will proceed to the Cape.
The yeomanry forces sent out will be
drafted so as to work together with The
mounted infantry and mounted militia from
Canada'and Australia. 1t is understood that
the volunteers selected will hot form sepa-
ratio corps, but will join their linked battal-
ions of the regular forces in South Africa
Throughout the country volunteers are re-
spending with the utmost alacrity to the
official notices, Lord LonSdale says he be-
lieves the government will get from twenty
to fifty men from each yeoman regiment.
1t is asserted that many oflivers of the vol
unteers are offering to go as troopers if not
accepted as officers.
The Daily News, commenting on the spon-
taneous response to the governments appeal
for volunteers from all parts of the empire,
says the most remarkable scene of all re-
corded from the United States was the
demonstration in favor OF the British in the
Church of the Messiah in New York, during
the discourse of Rev. DR.. Minot j. Savage on
Sunday.
The inquiries among the Liverpool ship
owners show that transportation for 10000
men, with horses and equipment, can be
ready before the men are prepared to start
The government has chartered the PENN
sular & Oriental Steam Navigation COM
pany's steamer Assaye and the Goorkha of
the Union line.
j. B. Robinson, the South African mil
lionaire writes to the Daily Chronicle reas-
serting that the Beers have unlimited sup
plies of ammunition and ample stores of
food and declaring that all statements to the
contrary should be ignored.
No further news has been received from
Capetown, but the Cape Argus has a dis
patch from correspondent describing the
battle at the Tugea river, who says:
General Barton carried the village of
Colenso at the point of the bayonet and
under raking fire"
The few accounts of the battle that are yet
to hand fail to give an accurate idea, but
the fact that General Clery commanded de-
stroys the belief that he was engaged in a