The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-12-08
sIFH Of SITUATION.
,.,t,s Are Taking Their Time
,l.aI Making an Advance.
10 SPECIAL NEED FOR HURRY
~. predicnment Becomes
However. ms the
r improve in Practice

~ YORK, 49, ,-., rN.,o,,,
',.s ,p from London, dated De'em-
i's Two great battles are I'M
80 I.sdysmith and Kimberley
w. ,,,.,urs are impatient TO have
Y one leading English journal,
~ xi,b the conviction that the
:, whites army is critical dep
II delay and well-nish raises cry
I, 10 Ladysmith. 1t has also pup
..asnce Of large achievements
c.,.,al cronje has received from
!, Mateking to enable him to make
~, i, stand at spytfontein.
otsce, having allowed General
q me hand, is content to leave the
IN his hands and devote IT.
u. ~ ,be rapid dispatch OF the Fifth
H., divisions and to arranging the
4, 4, The mobilization Of the Seventh.
slp,rnen outside of that office do not
a. uneasy feeling OF the Times
,.rrisons are in critical condition
~, ,he difficulties OF the situaLon
4, IN the Tugela or beyond the Modder
,,.r,s,ed by the inac!ion OF the Brit
,..sss They assert that both Generals
..asr and Clery, being in searchllght
.nn,,,tion with the beleaugeret gar
,ns know what is going on and pre-
liz bov Urgent is the need OF rel 81.
,lso maintain that the Dutch forces
= le.s 10 gain by delay than the Brit
.Ipre concentration OF forces is going
h, both camps and the reserves o. ar
I,rv and cavalry are a more important
r,r,are for the two relief columns than
strengthening OF the defenses of Col .
and spytfontein is for the enemy. !
situation, when viewed comprehcn-
,lv Al midnight, was distinctively fav-
ktls 10 the British side and there was
,pp,rent reason for hurrying. much
tashng the campaign.
Csisral Melhuen. on resuming command
Wednesday. had an additional hi saie
infantry, another regiment of Ian ers
an Increased force OF artillery as
thtu. re ~ Ia
kitan for using the bayonet AMI ham
aing the enemy's works with an artil-
b fire and maneuvering with cavalry.
srs we're ample compensations for the
iy IN rnending the bridges and If Cen
h cronie bad been reinforced, the Dutch
Dis were weaker in Natal and Maze
rs vas safer in consequence of the con-
- Ill
).g
M details Of two sorties by Kekewicn
prison, furnished by the war Office.
frtr sud special correspondents proved
p we'll 1t was able TO protect itsslf.
Pil,s advantage of the weakening OF
!. Nsisging forces by the Withdrawals
hs defense OF Modder river, KeAe-
Fshi men attacked the enemy's center ;
L hsn right afterward, his right flank,
|4afA lager and four redoubts and
|s1oyed large quantity of military /
Ee and fpodstuffs 1t was timely {
4 orilllant stroke, for which the gar {
" deserved thanks in a general order.
.Nle aas oeen vigorous intrenching at I
l'uonieln, but General Cronje will be in t
'iss' Of having his retreat eastward TO {
's'iaal cut of when Lord Methuen ad-
aH % the attack. Methuep's force is I
!, s'mated to be fully 10000.
,as sravest feature of the situation in /
NJ IS the marked Improvement in the
lntl! practice OF the Boer batteries r
. . ladysmith. While the naval gun S
-. Al0ehed out big howitzer and
,sss TWO more siege guns had been {
w up and, according 10 the Times Q
s'.., 'nlee creusots, four big howit- j
' Two batteries of long range field
Y. ala other heavy ordnance we're o
,i.ls steadily The rations, moreover. l
!, '''1 reduced all around in the gar g
y |. General Butler not only knows a
!. !, ,.,s, OUT has provided so strong a >
n ' .. mat the siege will be prac- II
!. ,a'Sea as soon as Clery is ready Ito J.
..e nrst blow. The British forces !,
I "a satal are now estimated at o. q
, =, NO. general Clery will have not less
I, W., men Tor operations on either
NJ .olehso' Butler may be waiting
it,.,. '' siS OF the eighteen powerful Il
"nch We're sent out from Eng
1 !. csle section of this battery ar
M Iapetown three days ago and its il
~, AlsAs would be source of h,
nv r,a. io' the relief column.
~. veterans who discussed the II
1,rI,s aN night refused to believe thar
q YOU'D be reduced to extreni.Ies ts
N alse q British army was en- n
!, 'hVe miles away. There
h, ssaconhrmed rumor during the ID
s, us' inc Ladysmith garrison hal W
halIs, ysSSiul sortie on Monday. An W
4, w was that the garrison was tt
n. ''uhesnay and, unfortunately. Il
Il Ivn. more trustworthy report thai q
h,s ha, the correspondent OF the ii
Rutj,h N. captured by the Beers olt- N
u N . neS He is brainy journal W
/, ~ excellent artist, who did good III
}, s 4. santiago campaign and left Fl
~, J, 'wehty-four hours notice IN ia
~ safee journals. The adyanc, ~ W
tosns raiders on Dordre eht aud az
dm VI Cape Colony is not re- er
,lth serious affair by experts in re
d b,l,a. war office. General Gate
ih.r s'sa 10 be under orders 10 IN
leirs ~ ~ and hold them back from co
~, s,s,. ne Dutch armies in Natal and be
n s' as border. He must have over
II F,s., Inc East London line and
nil,h,aV can not have less than
arf ~. meh for operating against 81
s a, ~. nm 1900 troops at Port Eliza.
lsny ~. general is playing with
On, p'onably under RULER in m,
dent s,..- be
srim '' gyms address to the Basutos ell
y scbrs,a nusemept in London ana M
shiitr reply to the prssi- co
colo,sss EXPLANATION of the i,ysssion Ia
p rS,sny is regarded with ssti s9aC du
tween ,ha, The once friendly reIa- TO
ID these Dutch leaders are now wa
Il MA. wa
iAs sI"se bulletin issued al midnight SIT
i R.s Message has been reaeiSei
Of s,,, ,oss at Pretoria giving he Br
SHOW ' ,, prisoners there Tae lef
men .nlrty-six officers and only thu
/ and a. Al presumably the bulk o, ret
|as,ss,n ls have been removed from ow
a ~ sspltal, All the prisoners be-
L s.n, British at Modder rye me
cermsn,s south Among them are MS nn,