The record-union., 1899-12-05
Fall! TO Give an Intelligent Idea Of What
Happened on That Day.
The Engagement Said to Have
Lasted Fourteen Hours, Night
Falling on an Undecided Battle
British Subjected to Terrific
Fire While Trying to Force the
Bridge-Boers Retire From
Their Position During the
Night, Taking Their Guns With
Them.

LONDON, Dec $3.50 a. m.-There
is little further news from the seat of
war. Even the latest accounts of the
battle at Modder River fail to give an
intelligent idea of what happened.
There is feeling of disappointment,
and continuing anxiety respecting
General Lord Methuen.
The Times" says editorially: 1.-The
battle affords splendid proof of the un-
surpassed qualities of the British SOL
der, but while victories won solely by
the exercise of these qualities are in
deed magnificent, they are not war.
They fill US with pride, but with pride
not unmingled with regret at the per-
sistent perverSity of circumstances
which, apparently, prevents us obtain
ing equal or greater results by process
es savoring a little of that military
science of which we hear so much
Julian Ralph, describing the battle
at Modder River in the Daily Mali
this morning, says: 81 can testify that
the British never once saw the enemy,
yet they were not able to raise hand or
foot without being riddled. Despite all
this. however, the day belonged to the
artillery. The infantry never advanced
two PAGES this day of hell. The shells
Of our twenty guns were accurately
planted in the enemy's trenches and
broke the hearts of the Beers. for after
dark they had all retreated.''
Mafeking is safe. or was so on No
vember oath. The British had cap
tured twenty-five Burghers of Com
mandant Dutoit's force.
An Associated Press dispatch from
n11rI no hot
there from Pretoria assert that the
Beers are full of confidence, and are
we'll prepared for a six months siege
Of Pretoria
Patriotic demonstrations in the the
aters and music halls of London con-
tinue undated. There was a remark
able scene at the Empire last evening,
when Mrs. Brown Potter recited poem
called Ordered to the Front" with SOL
diers and sailors grouped around her on
the stage On each side of Mrs. Brown
Potter stool a sailor, one carrying the
American and the other the British
flag. When the curtain fell and rose
again to an encore she tied the two
flags together amid loud cheering. the
entire audience rising. singing God
Save the Queen" Lord Rothschild and
q
house
METHUEN'S VANGUARD MAY
HAVE ENTERED KIMBERLEY.
LONDON, Dec. 4.-The Evening
News" says it learns that a cable dis
patch was received to-day from an Of
ficer of the Guards saying simply:
I'm Kimberley" which, it is added,
may mean that General Methuen's van
guard has entered Kimberley.
1t is now said that most of the guns,
swords and carbines and a portion of
the ammunition have been landed from
the British transport Ismore, ashore IN
st. Helena Bay.
Later an official dispatch from Cape
Town announced that the Ismore broke
UP yesterday evening. Her stern is OUT
of the water, but her bow is gone. All
hands and twenty horses out of 3oo
were saved. The loss of the Ismores
horses is quite serious at the present
moment, when they were particularly
needed. They consisted of selected
trained chargers and gun teams.
tt is not vet clear whether the six
field guns on board the transport were
saved. In any case much war ma
terial and hospital equipment were lost.
THE BATTLE AT MODDER RIVER
LONDON, Dec. 1.-THE Daily enron
icle, publishes the following dispatch
dated Wednesday morning, November
18th. from it's correspondent at Modder
River camp:
The severest engagement our column
has yet had, and probably the severest
of the whole campaign, was fought yes
terday on the banks of the Modder
River. The battle was waged fiercely
for nearly fourteen hours. The enemy
occupied a strongly entrsnched position,
their front extending five miles along
the bank OF the stream. They were
well supplied with artillery and fought
desperately.
Our force consisted of the Second
Battalion of the Coldstream Guards, the
First Battalion of the Scots Guards, the
Third Battalion of the Grenadier
Guards, the First Battalion of the
Northumberland Fusileers, the Second
Battalion of the Yorkshire Light Infan-
try (the Kings OWN, part of the
First Battalion of the Loyal North Lam
cashire Regiment, the Ninth Lancers,
the mounted infantry, three batteries