The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-12-28

two miles along the line, and drew the
fire of four guns and two Vdckers ma
chine guns. Four horses were hit.
THE Queens Christmas message was
received with enthusiasm.
"Gatacre is endeavoring to reopen
communication with the Indwe col
lieries"
The Daily Chronicle publishes the
following from Cape Town: Herr
Schlesinger, an agent of the New York
Equitable Assurance Society, who has
arrived here from Pretoria, says the,
Beers possess immense stores of food
imported by speculative capitalists,
under a belief that mining would be
allowed during the war; He says also
that there were thousands of specula-
tors at the Pretoria railway station
when the British who were captured at
Nicholson's Mex detrained. The people
were ordered by the Boer commando ant
to bare their heads and they did So
The British astonished, returned the
salute"
A special correspondent of the Daily
Chronicle" telegraphing from Sterks-
troom, Cape Colony, Thursday, Decem-
Der list, says: Strong measures are
necessary to check the hostile feeling
among the Dutch colonists, whose sedi-
ton is shown in the removal of rail-
way bolts, the obstruction of bridges
and culverts and attacks upon solitary
horsemen. Disaffection is bound to in
| crease, unless immediate reinforce
ments are forthcoming. The loyal
Dutch and British settlers are becom-
ing alarmingly impatient"
The Imperial Government accordin Z
to a dispatch from Calcutta to the
Times" has accepted an offer of two
batteries made by the Indian Govern
| ment.
A dispatch to the Times from
| Pfetermaritzburg, dated Thursday, De-
| cember 21st, says: ga strong suspic-
ion exists here that the ostensible in
nocent bills of lading furnished by Ger
! man steamers arriving at Delagoa Bay
really conceal contraband, and the
local papers are urging a more rigid
examination of cargoes.F'
The Times" which comments ed
itorially upon the severe strain. says:
1T is difficult to avoid the conclusion
that our troubles are due to the I'M
reality of the presumably practical les
sons given in the maneuvers at Alder
shot"
Dispatches from Modder River repre-
sent Dutch disaffection in GriGulland
West as growing very serious. In some
towns the entire Dutch population has
joined the Beers. The rebels have
formed a lager at point about thirty
miles west of Modder River Camp.
1t is also announced that the Beers
h roic he cio Of L md
have all withdrawn to Magersfontein.
The Cape Town correspondent of the
Times" under date of Friday, Decem-
Der 22d, says: Anxiety regarding the
attitude of the Colonial Dutch is stead
lily growing. They make no effort to
conceal their sympathy with the two
republics, and the only question row
is whether if the military situation is
not changed they will keep from open
rebellion. Even in districts that have
not been visited by the Beers, in the
eastern part of the province, the Dutch
farmers are riding about armed. This
is the case also in districts only fifty
miles from Cape Town, where a sedl-
tious movement is busily propag5ted.
The British forces are inadequate to
guard 1000 miles of communications.
A dispatch to the Times" from Nate
king, dated Monday, December J ith,
by way of Mochudi. Tuesday, December
10Th, says that Lady Sarah Wilson.
who was captured by the Beers while
acting as correspondent for a London
paper, has arrived there, having been
exchanged for Viljoen, a notorious
horse thief and convict.
CHURCHILL'S ESCAPE FROM CAP
TIVITY.
LONDON, Dec. 27.-Winston Spencer
Churchill has cabled, and the Morning
Post" publishes to-day, an account of
his escape from captivity with the
Beers, after having been made pris-
oner in the reconnaissance of an ar
mored train at Estcourt. The dispatch,
which is dated Lourenzo Marques, De
cember 21st, says:
ION the afternoon of December Eth,
the Transvaal Secretary of War in
formed me that there was little chance
of my release. l therefore resolved to
escape. and the same night L left the
State School Prison at Pretoria By
climbing the wall when the sentries'
backs were turned momenta1iiy. L
walked through the streets of the town
ers, but was not challenged in the
crowd. l got through the pickets of
the town guards, and stuck to the Del
agoa Bay railroad. / walked along it.
eYading the watchers at the bridges
and culverts, and waited for a train
beyond the first station. The LILO
goods train from Pretoria had arrived
before / reached the place, and was
moving at full speed. l boarded it with
difficulty, and hid under coal sacks. ]
jumped from the train before dawn,
and was sheltered during the day in
small wood, in company with huge
vulture, who displayed a lively inter
est in me.
Il walked along at dusk. There were
no trains that night. The danger of
meeting the guards of the line con-
tinued, but 1 was obliged to follow it, as
l had no compass or map l had to
make wide detours to avoid bridges,
stations and huts, and SO my progress
was very slow.
Chocolate is not a satisfying food.
The outlook was gloomy, but l perse-
vered, with Gods help. For five days
my food supply was very precarious.
l was lying up by daylight and walking
nights
Meanwhile my escape had been dis
covered, and my description tele-
graphed everywhere. All trains were
searched, and every eye was on the
watch for me. Four times the wrong
people We're arrested.
THE sixth day / managed to board a
train beyOpd Middleh,lrg whence fhere