Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1899-12-19


Desperate situation.
London, Dec. 1S.-As might have been
expected, the desperate state of the
British arms in South Africa, as re-
vealed by the defeat of Gen. Butler at
Tugela river, where, at one stroke he
lost treble the number of guns Yelling
ton left in the hands of Napoleon during
the six years fighting in the peninsula,
while adding to the determination of
the authorities to send every availabl
man to the front, caused something in
the nature of momentary panic among
the public, which was reflected on the
stock exchange, as already cabled.
It is long since the tone of the news
papers and the comment in the clubs
and other resorts has been SO chastened
and pessimistic. Some of the COM
ments go so far as to say the crisis is
so far-reaching that Great Britain
stands where she stood over cen
fury back, when the American col
onists, men of British and Dutch blood,
were in arms
Gen. Buffers dispatch to the war Of
nee is as 1OllOWS:
Butler to Lansdowne; Chievely Camp.
Dec. Ill regret to report a serious re-
verse. I moved in full strength from our
camp near Chievely at four o'clock this
morning. There are two forbade places in
the Tugela river and it was my intention
to force passage through at one of them.
They are about two miles apart. My inten-
ton was to force one or the other with one
brigade, supported by a central brigade.
tn ia ba loft rif Coz
Hildyard, the right road, and Gen. Lyt-
Teton was to take the center and to sup
port either. Early in the day l saw that
Gen. Hart would not be able TO force pas
sage, and directed him to withdraw He
had, however, attacked with great gall
lantry, and his leading battalion, the Con-
naught rangers, 1 fear suffered a great
deal. Col. I. G. Brooke was seriously
wounded. I then ordered Gen. Hildyard to
advance, which he did. and his leading reg
iment. the East Surrey, occupied Colenso
station and the houses near the bridge.
AT that moment heard that the whole
artillery had sent to support the attack
the Fourteenth and Sixty-sixth field bat
teries and six naval 12-pounder quickirers,
under Col. Long, had advanced close to the
river, IN Longs desire to be within effective
range. It proved to be full of the enemy,
who suddenly opened CALLING fire at close
range, killing all their horses. and the gun
ners were compelled to stand to their guns
Some of tho wagon teams got shelter for
troops In donga, and desperate efforts
were being made to bring out the field
guns. The fire, however. was too severe
and only two were saved by Capt. Scho
field and some drivers whose names / will
furnish. Another most gallant attempt
with three teams was made by an officer
whose name 1 will obtain
"Of the Is horses 13 were killed, and as
several drivers were wounded. would not
allow another attempt, as it seemed that
they would be shell mark. sacrificing life
to gallant attempt to force the passage.
Unsupported by artillery, l directed the
troops to withdraw, which they did in good
order.
Throughout. the day a considerable force
of the enemy was pressing on my rigtN
flank. but was Kept back by mounted meE
under Lord Dundona,d and part of Gen.
Barton's brigade. The day was intensely
hot and most trying on the troops, whose
conduct was excellent. We have aban-
doned ter earg and lost by shell fire one.
The losses in Gen. Harris brigade, fear,
are heavy, although the proportion of sc
verely wounded, hope. is not large. TIL
Fourteenth and SiSty-rath field batteiies
also suffered severe losses. We have re-
tired TO our camp at Chieveiy
Elementary Panic.
London, Dec 1S.-The news of the de-
feat of Gen. Butler at 'rugela river.
caused momentary panic on the stock
exchange here, where there was in
tense excitement in all departments
Immediately after the opening, jobbers
started realizing ard all prices opened
from one 10 six points below The clos
ing prices of Friday. consois being
down IA. Prices on the stock exchange
closed better than they opened, but be-
low the best. Rand mines closed at 3d.
De Beers, 24Ka; Gold Fields, 6 1916
Chartereds, 3A.
New York Feels 1t.
New York, Dec. 1S-Five minutes of
active trading on the stock exchange at
the opening Saturday, demonstrated
that the market was to be allowed 10
run into unopposed Generalization.
Running sales at the opening showed
quotations far apart. Extreme de-
clines in the Observation-Disclosures
stocks ran up to 2Ha points, in sympathy
with the decentralization caused on the
London stock exchange by the unex-
pected disaster to Gen. Butler in South
Africa, But even on the opening trans
actions, the prices quoted were on a
scale upwards, the recovery of ! to
points being almost instantaneous.
Casually List Grows.
London, Dec. 1S.-The revised list OF
the British casualties at the battle of
Magersfontein shows the total to be
e63, of which number 70 were officers.
The Black Watch were the heaviest
sufferers. OF the rank and file AZ were
killed. 1872 were wounded and III are
missing.
Capture Lots of Loot.
Pretoria, Dec. 13.-An official dis
patch from the Modder river says;
1.-The Beers captured great quantity Of
loot, including 200 I.ee-Metfords. cases Of
cartridges and hundreds of bayonets. Greai
numbers of the British have retired from
Tweo-Rivieren, In the direction of Bel:
mont. The loss of the British was very
great. There were heaps of dead on the
field The wounded are being attended
to, temporarily, at Bissels' farm. The
sappers and miners must have suffered Sc
yerely. The Beers suffered heavy losses
in horses cannot otherwise describe the
battlefield than as a sad and terrible
slaughter. Monday was, for US. brilliant
our men. and will enable them to achieve
greater deeds"
Beers sheIIed by British.
Modder River, Dec. 15.-During a
demoastr in force this morning
he Briiiss eu,s shelled the Beers for
couple Of s.,-e-s. The Beers did not
eply uni lie Bfit;sh were retiring.
The BoeTs are further iGtreIc,4.ls
nd strengtheDirg Their old defenses.