St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1899-12-20
WAR IN THE TRANSVAAL.

London, Dec. 19.-Lieutenant General
Sir Charles Warren, commanding the
fifth division Of the first army corps, has
arrived at Cape Town. 1t is understood
that he will proceed to Port Elizabeth.
No further news has been received re-
garding the battle at the Tugela river
The latest accounts regarding the battle
at Magersfontein show that the retire
ment Of the British troops was executed
with the greatest GOODNESS and order UNI
der heavy Boer artillery FIRE on Tues
day.
Mafeking was safe on Dec. 6, and Col
onel Baden-Powell, the British COM
mander there, were still actively push
ing ON his defenses. At that time the
Beers had offered to exchange Lady
Sarah Wilson, who was captured while
acting as correspondent for the Lon
don Daily Mail, for General Ben Filjoen,
who was captured at Elandslaagte, but
the offer was declined.
The other beleaguered garrsons and
positions are still holding out. 1t is said
that If the Victoria cross were to be
granted for every act of conspicuous
gallantry on the part Of the British
troops 1t would be necessary to distribute
the decoration by hundreds.
BLACK week." as last week is now uni
versally called, has evidently aroused
the government and the war Office to
a full sense of their responsibility, and
of the magnitude of the task before them
The papers unanimously applaud this
awakening, despite the fact that they
recognize that the heroic measures now
decided upon SAVIOR rather of weakness
than or strength.
A dispatch from Stermstroom, Cape
Colony, says: AS result Of the British
reverses the whole country to the north
ward is virtually in a state of rebellion.
The natives there, as we'll dis those in
Basutoland, are said to be much dis
turbed and to be losing heart regarding
the strength Of the British.
1t is high time that something very
energetic was done. The British losses
in killed, wounded, prisoners and miss
ing, throughout the campaign, now reach
the enormous total or 1861.
Shortly before midnight the following
notice was posted at the war office:
las the campaign in Natal in the
opinion of her majesty's government, is
likely to require the presence and undi-
vided attention Of General Sir Redvers
Butler, it has been decided to send Baron
Roberts of Kandahar and Waterford
as COMMUNICATIVE hief in South Africa,
with Lord Kitchener as chief of staff"
Acting upon the advice of the mill
tary authorities, her majesty's govern
ment has approved the following meas
ure:
"All the remaining portions of the
army reserve, including section D, are
called out The seventh division, which
is being modified, will proceed to South
Africa. The commander in chief in
South Africa has been authorized to
continue to raise at his discretion local
troops, mounted.
Mine battalions of militia, in addition
to two battalions which have already
volunteered for service at Malta. and
one for service in the channel islands,
will be allowed to volunteer for service
outside of the United Kingdom, and an
equivalent number Of militia battalions
will be embodied for service at home.
"A strong force of volunteers, selected
from the yeomanry regiments, will be
formed for service in South Africa.
Arrangements are being made, and
will shortly be announced, for the en-
ployment in South Africa of a strong
contingent of carefully selected volun-
teers. The patriotic offers which are
being received from the colonies will, so
far as possible, be accepted, preference
being given TO offers of mounted contin-
gents"
The war office has received the follow
Ing dispatch. dated Dec. II, from General