The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-12-29


Durban-BOers VIII RetaIiate by
Cutting PrisOners' Rations If
English Cut on Food Supplies.
DURHAM. Natal. Saturday, Dec. "a
Mr. Winston Churchill on arriving here
arter his escape from the Beers. received
tremendous ovation. He says. from
conversation with members OF the Trans
VaaI executive at Pretoria, he learned
that the Beers began the war with trent
cation, but that President Kruger ts
now convinced that Great Britain Will
no" soon sue for peace. In the highest
1ransVaal circles, Mr.. Churchill saws.
there IS serious talk OF compromise by
"hlch Great Britain will cede the terri
tory now IN the hands Of the two forces
ana pay an indemnity Of e2O 100000 Cs1OO-
oVV,VVV)' besides guaranteeing the complete
independence Of the TransvaaI
GOVERNMENT CRITICISED
LONDON, Dec. 29.-During the con-
tnued lull in the military operations in
South Africa the papers are fil1ed ~
| letters and articles criticisfne The co.
erhment and the campaign and suggest.
| ing remedies improvements. alterations
IN the plans and the like. The Times
| complains of censorship and conceal.
| ment 1t says nothing has transpfred 10
sho" now Gen. Gatacre came to lose 600
men at Stormberg.
The dispatches from the front all rep
| resent the Beers as IN a nervous condi-
| ton and in constant dread Of the British
| advance but this is probably an exag-
! geration
The Modder River correspondent Of the
| Daily Mail gives an explanation of a
VI fro 4,,o- H., !,
the Boer trenches. He says:
The Beers have wires stretched along
| the ground in front Of the trenches. and
| connected with lamps. II wire be
| touched lamp is extinguished. thus
| giving warning. One night a high wind
extinguished a lamp, which resulted in a
| false warning. The fire ceased when the
! Beers discovered the alarm was false
The correspondent Of the Daily News
/ at Frere Camp announces that a tram
! way IS being constructed from the rail-
way to a hill commanding the Boer
! position. and that along this the British
| win convey heavy guns.
! According to a, dispatch from Lady.
| smith, dated Wednesday, Dec. 20, the
| heat was then intense. being 102 Fahren-
! heit in the shade. There were many
cases of enteric fever in the town at
that time. but not enough to cause
! alarm. On the other hand reports from
/ DO6T sources Oh Tie COIIilIcuI assert LIoE
| typhoid fever IS epidemic in Ladysmith.
BOERs TO RETALIATE.
The Transyaal government. according
/ to information supplied by Boer sympa-
! tlizers threatens to reduce the rations
! of British prisoners If Great Britain
stops the entry of food by Delagoa bay.
The British government now evinces
| marked change from its attitude in the
early stages Of the war and shows dis
| position to accept assistance from any
! quarter. The imperial yeomanry commits
! sion has issued a statement to the effect
| that the government considers the fOTHla-
!. ton and dispatch of yeOnanry one OF
| the most pressing needs OF the situation
and has intimated that It Is now prepared
| to accept from 5000 TO 100000 yeOTaanry,
! instead of the 5000 originally asked for.
| 1t is expected that the first contingent
of 1000 Will sail about the middle of Jan
uary.
The government has announced that It
| will accept the services Of a battery from
the Honorable artillery corps. When their
( services were first offered they were de-
| clined on the ground that the corps was
I not affiliated with any regiment of regu-
/ lars. 1t will now be attached to the City
/ Imperial corps.
Lady Chesham and Lady Georgiana
! Curzon have issued an appeal for public
/ funds to establish a field hospital for th9
/ yeomanry.
Cape Town dispatches complain Of the
inadequacy of the hospital arrangements.
+ 1t is now expected that the war will cost
! at least $50 600, 900 (S300. 900 00O) and II is
/ suggested that the sinking fund of the
national debt should be suspended for
five or six years in order to defray the
l cost.
HOW BOERS RECRUIT
KANSAS CITY, Mo. Dec 2S.-The Brit
! ish vice consul here. Mr.. Burrough made
: the statement today that agents of the
Beers are at work in Kansas City. getting
recruits for the South African war, un-
der promise of free transportation, free
lands and honorable citizenship after the
war is over. The plan, he states. is to
forward such recruits to Philadelphia,
which he says is the rendezvous for the
| Boer recruits. It IS his belief, however,
that not very many men have been sent
from here to Philadelphia.
METHUEN's REPORT.
The war office has received the follow
ing from Cape Town, dated Wednesday,
Dec. q:
"Methuen reports as follows:
At $50 yesterday evening the BoeH
on the south side of Magersfontein open
! ed a very heavy fire for some time This
morning the naval brigade fired at the
enemy at the west part Of Magersfontein.
! Inc cavalry DrlSaQe Is TGCOnnOiJerlllS III
a northeasterly direction.
Lieut.. Masters has made an extended
| reconnaissance westward and nOrthward
of EnsIein and reports all well. The
farmers were glad to see our men They
| We're suffering from want Of food.
g I have established a market here,
where 1 can purchase fresh milk and
vegetables, selling TO the farmers tea and
| other articles which they cannot other
wise purchase.
Heavy rain fell last night
"Gatacre and French report no change
in the situation.
''Baden-Powel reports all well Dec.
-12"
BRITONS MAY TURN TABLES.
In view of the apparent supineness OF
the British commanders IN preventing
the daily strengthening and extending OF
the Boer positions along the Tugela and
Modder rivers, which are now considered
to be practically impregnable, many eX-
perts here are coming to the conclusion
that the British have given up the idea
of carrying these positions by ASSAULT
and will await the transport and cavalry
Continued ON Fourth Page. !