The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-12-04
TROOPSHIP ON ROCKS.
Great Britsin's Transport Went Ashore In
ST. Helena Bay.
LARGEST ARMY NATION HAS EVER HAD
II Now in the Field and Over Three
Thousand Have Been Lost He
fore Enemy's Borders Crossed.

fee publishes the following dis
patch from Cnpetown dated yester-
dry, The transport 1smOre Is ashore
ON the rocks Ia st. Hcleun bay. The
troops have been safely landed but
the horses are still ON board. n.
NJ. s. Doris and Ni0be, with the
transport Columbian, have gone to
her assistance. Colonel kekewich
REPORTS under date of Thursduy, Mo-
Iycmber 80. that the Bechuana police
captured the Bocr 1nager west of
Kimberley Tuesday, November 2s..
Communications by searchIight with
Kimberley has been established
from Modder river.
London, December 4, 4:30 a. m.--The
week opens without word of news such
as the British public is so anxiously
awaiting. With larger army In the
field than the country ever before mobiliz-
ed, IL can only be said that the loss of
$500 men entailed before the enemys
borders have been crossed, is a serious
matter and while there is no feeling Of
the war; it is regretfully admitted on
all sides that the strength of the Boer
resistance has been woefully moderated.
1t is now seen that the attempt to hold
a useless position at Mafeking was
serious tactical mistake. as was also the
endeavor to keep the large civil popula-
tion in Kimberley. Perhaps the bright
est spot for English readers today is tho
that PRESIDENT Mckinley
had designated the son OF Secretary Hay
to succeed Mr.. Macrum in Pretoria. The
DAILY Telegraph says; This appoint
ment is a graceful concession on the part
of the United States to British feeling.
Our countrymen will be safe in the hands
of the new consul.
South African news is now six days In
arrears. The censorship does not yet per-
NIT details of the Modder river battle to
be transmitted, Some vague statements
irave been published In the Capo.own ma.
pers and according to these. the Beers
numbered 5000 men and were entrenched
on both banks OF the stream, although |
mostly on the northern bank. The Brit. |
ish according to these accounts, drove |
the enemy across the river, compelled |
them to retreat and established themselve,
on both banks These details are too t
measre, however. to enable an accurate
idea OF the engagement TO be formed
dispatch has reached London an
nouncing that Lord Methuen is again In
the field, and it is also said that Count
Gleichen, who was wounded in the fisht-
ing at Modder river. was struck by
bullet in the neck.
Serious news comes from the north sec
tons of Cape Colony. The whole border
district between Colesburg and Burgbers-
dorp has declared for the Beers. in
Venterstad alone more than 1000 have
loined the rebellion. The farmers have
formed commando engineering COM
pany and talk of triumphant march or
Capetown. General Buffers proclamation
has been torn down and tramped upon
and the royalists are hidden to hurry to
Capetown to prepare coffee for the rebels.
The revised list shows that moditica,
Ion has been made in the command of the
sixth division. Instead OF Lieutenant Gen
'ral Sir Charles Mansfield Clark. the
commander will be Major General Thomas
eiley-kenny, inspector general OF auxil- 4
airy forces and recruiting with Major
General Knox and Major General Clements
IS brigadier commanders. General KEEL
ey-kenny has had no South African ex-
erience.
With regard to Natal it is stili doubtful
whether the bridge over the Tugeia at
'olenso has been destroyed. There Is
eport that the British drove the Beers
If while attempting to destroy it, but 8
ne probability is that the structure was Y
mined and fred afterward.
According to dispatch from Pitters
'raal dated November g. the Beers were 6
hen attempting 10 turn movements from
teynsburg and the district north of
torkstrom in cooperation with the rebels i
y way of harrisburg Tarkastad against
General Gatacres' column.