The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1899-12-16
GREAT BRITAIN ANXIOUS.
Deeply Stirred by the Situation
of Affairs in South Africa,
GATACRE IS BLAMED,
British Prisoners Taken at Stormberp
Number 672-Pay OF the
Soldiers Reduced.

yesterday in the direction Of Modder
river.
Frere Camp. Natal, Dec. 12.-The
British cavalry reconnoitered today
abreast of Colenso and exchanged shots
with parties of Beers, who fell back
across the river. The kOpjes were OBJ
served to be thickly occupied by the enc
nay.
The railway bridge at Colenso has been
completely destroyed. Two stone piers
were blown up last night. The highway
bridge is intact.
| London, Dec. 12.-The almost complete
absence Of news from the theater of war
up to 80 o clock this afternoon increas-
es public anxiety, SO deeply stirred by
Saturdays disaster. Such scanty mes
sageS as have dribbled through seem to
| Indicate that the preparations are about
completed for simultaneous attacks at
iugela river and Modder river-the dis
patches showing that the British and
Beers were in touch in both directions
Monday.
There is no confirmation of the report
of another day-long battle along the Mod
der river Monday, but possibly there has
been a resumption of fighting. as reported
by Gen. CronJe last evening, as the
searching Lyddite shell fire of Sunday
was probably a preliminary to an ad-
| vance.
\ strange item of news has reached
here from Boer sources. announcing that
the Waschbank bridge is damaged. This
| is taken i'll some quarters as Il possible
confirmation of the suggestion that the
| British have made q wide sweep by way
of Uelpmaakar, and are preparing TO
| attack the Beers north of LadySmith in
| the rear
Beers Forced to Evacuate.
A message from Naauwpoort. dated
Monday, December II, shows that Gen.
French has apparently no inclination to
withdraw his advanced troops ut Arun-
del. it was feared might be the result
OF Gen. Gatacre's defeat. Gen. French
reports that his artillery December IL
forced an advance post of the Beers,
south of ColeSbcrg. to evaCuate its pO-
Sition and seek refuge behind Nalkop.
There is great indignation III Great
Britain at the ignorance the British i'll
tclligence department is displaying in es
timating the Beers strength i'll Cape
Colony.
Reports aver that $1,000 Beers will
have to be driven ont Of the colony before
| the passage of the Orange river can be
| commenced.
The Rhodesian force. advancing to
the relief Of Mafeking. reached Ga
hcroncS fort December and found the
Beers had evacuated the place. The
RhodesanS are preparing the railroad as
| they advance.
The latest news from Mafeking shows
that Col. Baden-Powell has been forced
to reduce the ratiOnS Of the garrison and
inhabitants. but water is plentiful there.
Gatacre is b AIMED.
Lord Durham. speaking at a fat-sto"k
sale, said he did not think Gen. Gatacrc
should have had command i'll South
Africa. He was a distinguished sOldie.
and brave To the point Of raShneSS, but in
the Soudan he had seriously Overworked
! his men by forced marches. etc. when
they We're hundreds of miles away from
a possible enemy. If the campaign had
lasted longer the men would have been
unfit for service. The war office. in APP
pointing Gen. Gatacre. Lord Durham
said, was 10 blame for the latest disaster.
From Pretoria.
4 special dispatch from Pretoria says:
six hundred and seventy-two British
prisoners were taken at StOrmberg. In
the fighting ut Modder river yesterday
evening Gen. Cronjc maintained his po-
Sition and captured fifty British sol
| dicrS."
The Beers captured three British guns
in the engagement with Gen. Gatacre's
| force ut StOrmhcrg. The sOrtc at Kim
bcrley last Saturday was an attempt to
take the Boer position at kamperdam
and to secure the waterworks.
All the British shots fell short. De
tails are expected from the Boer out
There is Il report that the British are
advancing on the plain and heavy fight
ing is anticipated. Gen. Prinz Loo and
Gen. Cronje managed the Boer forces.
Stormberg ImpreGnab,e.
Stormberg is described as Il stronger
position than Iaings Mex. The only
| road winds through lofty hills and flank
ing is impossible. Colesburg is also said
to he an almost impregnable position:
and as no troops are available to rein
force the columns acting in those direc-
tonS il becomes evident that Gen. Cat
acres misfortune or error will DELAY the
invasion of the Free State perhaps some
weeks. 1t is exceedingly probable that
he viii be compelled TO retire on Queens
town and to wait for reinforcementS
which can hardly reach him until Sir
Charles Warrens division arrives at the
Cape. The first detachmeuts will sail
Saturday next. Even if Gen. French
is not compelled to retreat he will he
obliged to pause in his advance
Be1gians Rejoice.
Antwerp. Dec. 12.-Anyone reading
Belgian press comment on Gen. Cat
acres disaster in northern Cape Colony
would think the entire British army had
been destroyed. Although the Belgian
papers are somewhat moderating their
tone. the editors of Antwerp and Ghent
and Brussels and Liege and all the rest
of the cities of the kingdom cannot con
ccal their hostility toward England and
their ill-humored disposition to gloat over
Il British reverse.
The Belgian people as n whole indeed
are iublant over the Stormberg reverse
and many celebrate the fact as if it We're
a triumph of Belgian arms over Il hated
foe.
Pay of Soldiers Reduced.
London. Dee 12-The war office has
issued 4 notice that after January | a
deduction will be made from the pay of
soldiers serving in South Africa-in the
! case of privateS. 1 pence a day. for
wives. and Il penny for each child: in the
! case of cergeants. pence for wives and
have thus far been paid 10y the govern
mcnt The order indicates a belief that
the campaign will be a long one.
Beers Attack British Patrols.
The Daily News Modder river CORE
( Spondent. in dispatch dated December
/ ~. SAYS A BoeT force Is acting against
EnShn. crossing our right flank. They
| inflicted some loss on our patrols Beers
| ,aururcd Mt EnSlin say that the burgherS
| arc greatly in need of stores for both
men and horses. The captured horses
! have 4 very starved appearance. ana are
| much CALLED Everything here points TO
an early forward movement.
No Beer at Ladysmith.
Lorenzo Marquee. Dee. 12.-The fol-
! lowing dispatch has been received from
/ the Roer faager near Ladysmith: ,Sev-
| eral Katfir runners from Ladysmlth 10
/ EStcourt have been captured. ne! re-
! ceived from t11 to $40 for the trip. The
intercepted messages show that men and
horses in Ladysmith are now on hali
rations. that whisky * 81 bottle ana
that beer is exhausted.
Pretoria. Dec 10. Sunday President
Steyn has sent the following details OF
the fight nj Stormherg Junction; ne
British with six cannon, attacked the
Beers, under Swauepoel and Olivier. ana
stormcd the BoerS' entrenched positions
| ON the kopjeS After severe hsHt tieS
we're compelled To surrender. The prls--
i oners are Mai. Sturges, six officers ami
| .p2p nan-curluliSSioDed officers and men