The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-12-23
1T MAY NOT BE.
Ladysmith's Stability Is Not Confirmed
Officially.
Beers MIGHT HAVE SAID 1T
a. e Is Expected from Lieutenant
e s,s aoaa 4. sccstOn Churchill.
THE DEATH 0ss. I'd ROBERTS SON
A Correspondent Tells How the Battle Was
Fought al Iusela River.
COL. LONG EXHAUSTED HIS AMMUNITION
Bocr Fighting Line Is Said to lie
Very Thin and One Success
Might Crush 1t.
THE DEATH vss I'd ROBERTS SON
A Correspondent Tells How the Battle Was
Fought at 1uecla River.
COL. LONG EXHAUSTED HIS AMMUNITION

London. December %. 445 a. m.-I3e-
lated South African dispatches throw no
light upon the present situation at the
seat OF war. There is no confirmation OF
the report that Ladysmith could hold out
several weeks longer, and it is feared that
this was circulated by the Beers for their
own purposes. 1t is hoped that Mr.. Wins
ton Churchill. having arrived safely at
Delagoa bay will soon be heard from re-
garding conditions in the Transvaal, as
he must have obtained important informa-
ton
A Capetown dispatch OF December II re-
ports that Commandant Diedricks of the
Boer forces was killed in recent en-
gagement, but no details are given. Adj
vices from Naauwpoort describe every
thing as quiet there and the only fresh
news from Arundel concerns the weather,
which is excessively hot.
The Daily Telegraph has special from
Chieveley dated December 16. which tells
how Lieutenant Roberts son of Lord
Roberts. fell at Tugela River. 1t says:
1.-The horses of the Fourteenth and Sixty
sixth batteries had been killed and Lieu
tenant Roberts. Captain Schohed and
Captain Congreve of the Rifles attempted
with gunner volunteers to drag out the
guns. lieutenant Roberts was hit by a
shell. Captain Congreve was struck and
injured slightly. After a while Captain
Congreve. Captain Foster and Major Bap-
tie brought Lieutenant Roberts from the
open into a little ravine where he lay
hidden from the enemy's terrible fire. Four
gunners sixteen men of the Devonshirc
regiment and numbers of other men were
with Colonel Bullock. When the retire
ment was ordered these men, with isolated
parties of Devonshires and Scots Fusileers
together with some of the Queens, We're
cut off and captured. Many fought until
late in the afternoon, a part of the Irish
men running the gauntlet of the Boer
Mausers from hiding places along the
river bank. At p. m. forty Beers APP
preached the abandoned guns. On espying
Colonel Bullock Captain Congreve and
The others in the ravine, they called upon
the British to surrender. Colonel Bull
lock declined and threatened to shoot. al
though his party had only fourteen rifles.
The Beers retired from the guns and a
parley ensued. Then a hundred Beers
rode up to within few yards of the party
but Colonel Bullock swore he would not
be made a prisoner, whereupon Boer
knocked him down with his rife butt
Afterward the enemy gave our wounded
water and cordials. Then. having taken
all their arms. ammunition and field
glasses, they let them return by our am
Major Walter and Captain Goodwin were
taken prisoners. The Scots Fusileers lost
nearly two companies captured"
A dispatch to the Daily Mail from
Chieveley, dated December II, estimates
the casualties in General Buffers repu,ss
as 1150, including 1872 missing. 1t an
nounces that a portion OF the British
troops have returned to Frere.
A correspondent of the Associated Press
at Modder river. under date OF December
II, describing the changes in the art OF
warfare says: 1T would be almost I'M
possible 10 take such position as Magers-
fontein by assault. The modern battle,
last six days, where formerly it would only
have lasted a few hours. The Boer
trenches, which are rather like under
ground dwellings, always promise a safe
means Of retreat. They are very wide and
deep. and are casemated at intervals
allowing the concentration OF defenders
at any given point without danger to
themselves The British here are anxious
that the Beers should attack them and
the belief is prevalent that treachery Is
largely responsible for the underestimate
placed upon the Boer forces by the cav
airy scouts"
The chieveley correspondent of the
Standard, who attributes the whole dis
aster involved in General Buffers repulse
to the mistake of Colonel Long in taking
the artillery too close to the river, says:
"Colonel Long fired for ninety minutes
and simply exhausted his ammunition
owing to the gravity of the situation
the war office officials Will not remit their
duties during the Christmas holidays. The
war office has issued an official warning