The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1899-12-06
In SOUTH AFRICA.

LONDON, Dec. 2 No news from
Methuen for TWEEN y.four hours. Auxi-
ETY. as TO his position is giving place to
alarm tor his safety. Ii is feared the
Beers have gotten behind him, cutting
the line OF communication and making
his position desperate. According to
Berlin despatch Commandant De
Larey's force which has been operat-
ing along Orange river has hurried
northwest to cooperate with Cronje
hemmlng Methuen in. In some quar-
ters the belief is expressed that Me-
thuen has cut loose from the line of
communication and is fighting his way
to Kimberly. His silence is due to his
active operations. Some definite idea
of losses sustained at Modder river will
be welcome to afford means whether
Methuen is strong enough to continue
the offensive or whether he must camp
south of the Modder and await rein
forcements.
LONDON, Dec "A corrected list of
the total casualties at Modder River is
as follows: Killed, 76; wounded, 1914;
missing Z. The war office has promul-
gated an order today calling out fur
Their portion of the army reserve.
LONDON, Dec. 4,-The week opens
without word of news for which the
British public is anxiously awaiting.
With larger army in the field than the
country ever before modified, it can
only be said that the loss of $500 men,
entailed before the enemy's borders
have been crossed, is serious matter,
and while there ls no feeling of de-
spondency as TO the eventual result of
the war, it is regretfully admitted on
all sides that the strength of the Boer
resistance has been woefully under
rated. 1t is now seen that the attempt
to hold useless position at Mafeking
was serious tactical mistake, as was
also theendeavor to keep the large civ
il population a. Kimberley.
South African news is now six days
in arrears. The censorship does not
yet permit details of the Modder River
battle to be transmitted. Some vague
statements have been published in the
Cape Town papers, and, according to
these, the Beers number 8 900 men and
were entrenched mostly on the north
ern bank. The British, according to
these accounts, drove the enemy across
the river, compelling them to retreat,
and established themselves on both
banks. These details, however, are
too meagre to enable an accurate idea
OF the engagement to be formed
Serious news comes from the north.
eastern section of Cape Colony. The
whole border district between Coles.
burg and Burghersdorp has declared
for the Beers. In Venterstad alone
more than 1000 have joined the rebel.
lion. The farmers have formed com.
Wandering committee and talk conf.
IDENTITY of a triumphant march on Cape.
Town. Gen. Buffers proclamation has
been torn down and trampled upon and
the loyalists are bidden to hurry to
Cape Town to prepare coffee for the
rebels.
The troopship Ismore is ashore on
the rocks in St. Helena Bay. The
troops have been safely landed, but the
800 horses on board will probably be
lost.
Regarding President McKnley's APP
pointment of son of Ambassador
Hay to succeed Mr.. Mecrum in Pre-.
torla the Daily Telegraph says:
"This appointment is graceful con
cesslon on the part OF the United States
government to British feeling. Our
countrymen's interests will be safe in
the hands of the new consul"
Another report states that the total
casualty list on the British side is now
mounting to ALSO, of whom 408 were
killed, 500 wounded and 1866 miss.
ing.