The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-12-17
BRITISH POSITION DESPERATE.
Repeated Defeats Likely to Have
Most Disastrous consequences.

New York, Dec. ia dispatch to
the Herald from London says England
went to sleep last night without know
ing the worst news that has come from
the seat of war since hostilitieS began.
What time the war office received the
news of General Buffers reverse,
which was practically a defeat. is not
known. but it was after midnight when
il made public Buffers report.
While the report is fairly clear. it
needs calculation in certain parts. but
there can be no mistaking the result OF
the battle. Eleven British guns lost,
attempts by two columns to cross the
river repulsed with heavy losses and a
retreat to camp-<hat is the outcome
of Buffers first attempt TO relieve
Ladys7nith.
Two points in his report stand out
with tremendous significance when the
circumstances of the reverses expert
enced by Methuen and Gatacre are re-
called. When he moved out in full
force from Chieveley early yesterday
morning it was his intention to force
a passage at one of the two fordable
places on the Tugela river, but he dis
covered that this was not feasible, ow-
ing TO the fact that the number of the
Beers had been underestimate. At
Stormberg and Magersfontein the same
fact was discovered, but not until the
British advance had been surrounded
by the mobile foe.
Again as in these two other engage
ments, the British on the Fugela were
caught in an ambush The river. bed
at the point selected for General Hid
yards column to cross turned out to
be fun of Beers, who overwhelmed the
British artillery.
II seems almost incredible that the
artillery should have approached so
near the river without cavalry or even
infantry skir1nishers having first devel-
oped the enemy's position Colonel
Long, who was in command of the
batteries, seems to have only discov-
cred that the river was full of Beers
when he got quite close to 1t with his
guns. He was subjected to a CALLING
fire at close range. which killed his
men and horses before he could extri-
cate himself.
No mention is made of any support
from Ire infantry, though il is hardly
possible that the batteries would be
sent so far forward without some sup
Fort being provided. The scouting ap-
pears once more to have been very in
adequate. Both the number and exact
positions of the Beers seem to have
been unknown to the British.
1t is difficult to measure the probable
consequences of the reverses. Southern
Natal is secure, but it does not ap-
pear that General Butler can advance
again until reinforced.
Meanwhile the situation of Lady
smith is most perilous. 1t is not pos
sible that the news of the reverse will
shake in any way the grim determina-
ton which now animates the British
nation to fight the contest to a finish.
Already the war Office is taking ener-
getic steps.
In the course of the next few days a.
large body of troops is due to arrive
at Cape Town. The seventh division
is to be modified and an eighth may
also soon receive orders. This is, SO
far as the United Kingdom is con-
cerned, the uttermost that can be done
with the exception of calling out the
last reserves that can be drawn from
the garrison and regular troops
The moral fibre of the British en-
pire is now being tested as it has not
been since the Indian mutiny and the
Crimea.