The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-12-03
DISAFFECTED LuTCH IN CAPE COZ.
ONY ARE FLOCKING TO THE
KRUGER STANDARD
RECRUITS ARE MOSTLY YOUYG
ACTUAL OWNERS OF FARMS IN
CAPE COLONY REFRAIN FOR
FEAR OF CONGREGATION
ARE SILENTLY DISL0YAL


sor, Who Is Apparently Conceal
ing Facts as to Results of Gen.
Methuen's VfctOry-List of Modder
River Casualties Finally Sent In.
| LONDON, Dec. q The meager official
dispatch, giving a list of the British
| casualties at Moddar river and announc-
| Ing the bare fact that Lord Methuen is
| stlH there awaiting reinforcements IS
only supplemented by a brief special mes
sage from Cape Town tonight stating
that the Beers destroyed the bridge over
| the Modder river before the battle, and
are now concentrating at Spytfontein,
where the final battle before Kimberley is
relieved is expected to take place
That the censor has apparently stopped
all press messages from the front relating
| TO the battle is not regarded as a favor
able indication. As to the material re-
suits OF Lord Methuen's engagement It
| Is not yet clear whether Lord Methuen's
force actually crossed the Modder river,
! or Is still attempting the rebuilding Of
| the bridge before the artillery and cav
! airy can cross. In any case the railway
| must be carried over the bridge before
| the Indispensable big naval guns can
pass, because Lord Methuens last mes
! sage showed that they were worked on
| trucks along the railway. 1t IS a signtf-
! icant fact that Lord Methuens cable
| gram makes no mention Of the Boer loss
| which, therefore, is assumed TO be small
dispatch from Cape Town this even
| ing says Lord Methuen's advance un-
| doubtedly IS beginning to affect the Boer
| strategy, and probably explains the with
] drawal from Mooi river. The continued
| presence of commandos in Cape Colony
| tends to influence the opinion that the
! Beers are making desperate efforts TO re-
| cruit their forces from the Dutch resi-
| dents. While it is impossible to obtain
exact statistics, it is absolutely certain
| that the disanected Dutch have joined
the Beers in great numbers, which are
! still increasing. Most of the recruits,
| however, are young men. Gen. BulIer's
message, clearly indicating the punish
| ment for disloyalty. having deferred the
actual holders of farms from joining the
| Beers through fear Of conhscation Of
their property.
There are now clear proofs that the
| loyalty of the border Dutch is unable to
withstand the proximity of Boer COM
mandos The rest of the colony Is ap-
parently quiet but there is strong IN
! dercurrent of sympathy for the Beers.
The outlook regarding Cape Colony, how
ever, may be regarded as hopeful
The Beers, as we'll as the British, un-
derestimated the strength of their op-
pcnents, and every engagement has evil
IDENTIFY tended to establish a hearty re-
spect for Tommy Atkins.
LADYSMITH RELIEF.
The latest news from Natal indicates
| that the bulk of the Ladysmith relief
force has arrived at Frere though there
! is considerable conjecture as TO the
! wherea bouts of Gen. CIery, whose move
ments have not been chrouicled recently.
! 1t is surmised in some quarters that he
may. reappear in totally unexpected
| quarter on the flank or rear of Gen. Jou-
! berts force which is supposed 10 be con-
! centrated at GrObelaars kloof, norJh of
! Tugela river. AS Gen. Hudyard's advance
guard was in touch with the Beers as
| long ago as Tuesday last, developments
| should not be long delayed.
| Dundonald's mounted force, Nov. Is,
accompanied by four guns, went in pur-
suit of & body of Beers returning to Co.
| lenso. They followed The Beers TO with
! in two and one-half miles of Colenso,
when the Beers replied 10 the British
shells with long range guns There were
| no casualties. COIenso bridge, ii is add
ed, was afterwards blown up
Another detachment of 5000 British
| troops sailed for South Africa today
Owing to the phenomenal sale of the
/ newspapers, consequent upon the war, q
paper famine is threatened 1t Is report
ed that the American supplies have tenn
| porarily failed.
GEN. JOUBERT ALIVE.
According to a special dispatch from
lin
| 10, but Gen Buffers dispatch Of Nov .
! showed that Gen. White was in c0mmuni-
cation with Gen. Joubert. or somebody
| tmpersonating him, about Nov l9.
WAR OFFICE REPORTS.
The war office has received the fol-
| lowing from Gen. ForrestieT-W Walker:
Cape Town, Friday, Dec 1.-Gen Cat
acre reports no change in the situation.
Gen. French has made reconnots-
sance from Naauwpoort to Rosmead-
| The troops returned today
Gen. Methuen's flesh wound is slight.
| He is remaining at Modder river for the
reconstruction of the bridge. Am rein
| forcing him with Highlanders and cav
| airy corps. Horse artillery, the Canadi-
| an regiment, Australian contingents and
| three battaIions of infantry moved up to
the De Aar and Belmont line"
| AS surnised, the British dead and
| wounded at the hard-fought battle Of
| Modder river number hundreds. Up to
| 2 o'clock this afternoon only the bare
total 4SS of which number seventy-three
were killed, had been given out. so 1t IL
impossible to deduce from the butchers
bili'' such information regarding the na-
ture of the fight detailed as losses Of
the different units generally indicate.
From Gen Forrestier-Walker's dispatch
! II is proved that all reports of Gen Me-
thuen's advance otter the battle of Mod
| der river were premature, though with
! the railroad working, he should not be
| long in constructing temporary bridge,
! His enforced delay, doubtless, will be Of
considerable service in giving his hard
| pushed column needful rest, and in al
! lowing the arrival of reinforcements, Of
! which he must be sorely in need, after
! three such fights, placing hors du combat
| UPWARDS of LOCO men out of less than
! 1000.
! Gen. Forester Walker's announcement
| that the Canadian marksmen and other
! reinforcements have been pushed forward
| TO the neighborhood Of the Orange river,
! to protect Gen. Methuens line Of COM
rnuntcation, has relieved much anxiety
here, where it was fully expected thA
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