The record-union., 1899-12-30

eign Intervention, and pretending to re-
late the exact attitude of all European
Powers, including Emperor William,
who. the Colonel Says, fully sympa-
thizes with England" Baden-Powell
makes the extraordinary statement
that the American Government has
warned the others of her intention to
side with England should any of them
interfere
A War Office dispatch from Colonel
Baden-P Powell. dated December 18th,
after announcing that Lady Sarah
Wilson had arrived safe at Mafeking,
adds that the health and spirits of the
garrison are very satisfactory.
RELATED DISPATCHES.
LADYSMITH, Sunday, Dec. "a (via
Pietermaritzburg).- General White has
had a slight attack of fever but he is
now convalescent. The Beers shell fire
has been very damaging recently. On
Friday one shell killed six men and
wounded nine. The same missile killed
fourteen horses. Another just missed
the Fifth Lancers' lines, slightly
wounding six officers. Several shells
have fell close to General Whites
house, compelling the removal of head
quarters to another point. 1t is re-
ported General Joubert. is again in COM
mand of the Beers. The military au-
thorities appear confident, but they are
very reticent. Beers have been OBJ
served moving northward and west
ward in large numbers.
PIETERMARITZBU Wednesday,
Dec. pa dispatch from Ladysmith
dated December 22d. says: The Beers
have mounted another howitzer on
Surprise Hill, replacing the gun cap
tured in the sortie of the Rifle Brigade.
While they watch us nightly with
searchlight, and lombard the place
daily, they show no signs of assaulting
the town. They probably think they
can starve US out, but we have plenty
of provisions.
The total casualties since the siege
began are seventy men killed and 276
wounded.
PRETORIA, Tuesday, Dec. 26 (by
way of Lourenzo Marques. Thursday,
Dec 2S).-Commandant Snyman re-
ports as follows from Molopo: ION
Monday morning the enemy from Ma
feking attacked one of our forts in force
with cannon and an armored train, and
so persistently that there was fighting
right on the walls of the fort. But we
have retained our fort. The British loss
is reported at fifty-fiye.'
The other commands report "All
quiet" with the exception of the usual
bombardment of Ladysmith.
Commandment Swart reports from the
lager at Alowynskop, near Zeorust,
that he had an engagement on Friday,
Will 20 re
neighborhood of Derdorpoort. The
Kaffirs occupied strongly fortified
ridge. and were we'll prepared for
emergencies. After heavy fighting the
Burghers captured the Kaff1r position,
losing three killed and five wounded.
General Schalkberger reports under
date of December 23d that trains are
now running to Colenso, indicating
that the Beers have built connection
around Ladysmith-
General Cronje reports from the
Modder River December oath that the
Beers captured two British forts at
Kuruman, December 18th.
1t is rumored that General Methuen's
big naval gun has exploded.
The Transvaal Government has pro-
mulgated a new gold tax law, by
which individuals and companies work.
ing their own mines are taxed 80 per
cent. of the output, while mines work
ed by the Government will pay 80 per
cent Suspended mines will pay 80
per cent. on their probable output, cal
culated on three months workings. Re
ducing works will pay 80 per cent. of
their net profits. The law is retroac-
tive to October 10th.
KIMBERLEY, Friday, Dec. %. via
Modder River, Dec. 81 Before dawn
to-day a detachment of the mounted
forces with artillery and light infan-
try, moved out in a westerly direction.
Boer artillery from Kamperdam opened
fire at Ottos Kopje Kimberley, fort
replying with twenty shells.
The British force accommodated out
posts along the Lazaretta ridge, the
Boer patrols retiring. Having accom-
plished this, and having discovered
Boer reinforcements approaching from
Wimbledon ridge, Colonel Chamier,
with the Royal Artillery, exchanged a
dozen shells as soon as the guns could
be limbered up. Some 500 Beers
poured in a heavy fire from their
earthworks, the British finally retiring
with the loss of one horse. The move
ment showed that the Beers were still
keeping their guns in the vicinity of
Kimberley and are able to summon re-
Inducements rapidly. 1t shows their
proneness to vacate a position imme-
diately when weaker than the oppo-
sftion force.
LADY SARAH WILSON.
MAFEKING, Sunday, Dec oath, (by
native runner to Mochudi Lady
Sarah Wilson is living in bomb proof
shelter of her own construction under
the private residence of Mr.. We'll.
There she is enabled to exist with some
sort of comfort, and if she chooses to
spend part of the time in the house
her shelter is close enough to enable
her to take cover between the ring of
the warning bell and the arrival of the
projectile.
The correspondent of the Associated
Press at Mafeking, to whom she
granted an interview, was struck with
the fact on entering her bomb proof
refuge, that she is unquestionably an
old campaigner. Even in this noisome,
dark hole, dug under the ground, she
manages to make herself comforta-
BILE. She has whisky and soda as we'll
as cigarettes to offer visitors
Lady Sarah's adventures were excit-
ing, sometimes amusing and often
spiced with considerable danger. 1t
was on a Thursday that she left Mafe-
king. She arrived at Settlagon Hotel
that night. Before morning she was
aroused by the rattle of musketry and
the boom of guns. 1t was Captain