The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-12-02

LONDON, Dec. 2-(4:3O a. m)-Ab-
solute silence has fallen over affairs
in South Africa. The War Office has
not yet received Lord Methuens cas-
ualty list The public and the press,
hitherto patient, are beginning to muir
muir at the apparently needless delay
which keeps many families in a state
of painful suspense.
1t is regarded as practically certain
that Lord Methuen has been reinforced
by battalion of the Gordon Highland
ers, a regiment of cavalry and a bat
terry of artillery, and that De Aar is
being daily reinforced by troops to hold
the lines of communication. 1t is sup
posed that the Natal advance has been
delayed by the necessity of getting
supplies to Pietermaritzburg, but not a
word emanates from any of the va
rious commands.
Lieutenant General Sir Charles Mans
field Clarke, who, as already announced,
will command the Sixth Division, has
seen much service in South Africa, par
ticularly in the Zulu and subsequent
wars. He has also held a number of
high staff appointments at home and
is reputed to be a very capable officer.
Kimberley, current on the Stock Ex-
change to-day, may be premature in
their literal sense, there seems no doubt
that the pressure on the garrison has
been much lightened by General Me-
thuen's successes, and the atual relief
OF the place is likely to be fact very
SOON
A cleW to the urgent reasons which
dictated General Methuen's hurried
march may be found in Governor Mil
ners hint to the Relief Committee at
Cape Town to prepare for the reception
of 10000 refugees, indicating that the
garrison must have had reason to fear
the reduction of Kimberley by starva-
ton and disease.
The most recent news from Kimber-
ley comes by way of Pretoria, and al
most see4-4..rJ show that Kimberley and
Mafeking are acting in concert with
General Methuen, for, at the time the
battle was raging at Gras Pan, both
Colonel Kekewich and Colonel Baden
Powell made sorties and assailed the
beleaguers. The result of the Mafeking
sorties is not known, but, according to
dispatch from Pretoria, Colonel Keke-
wlch inflicted considerable loss on the
Beers, two shells killing nine and
wounding seventeen in a group.
1t is reported that General Methuen
resumed his northwest course Wednes-
DAY, IN order to form a junction with
the kimberley forces Saturday or Sun
day. 1t is suggested in some quarters
that the Beers have been withdrawn
from the north of Cape Colony, and
may be hurrying to attack General Me-
thuens rear, but as reinforcements
nave been pushed rapidly forward from
Orange River and De Aar, it is claimed
they thought to circumvent such de-
signs.
A special dispatch from Pretoria.
dated Sunday, November 18th. saws
there was another sortie from Mafek-
ing on Saturday, November 10Th. On
the morning of that day the chartered
police attacked Eloff's fort with great
determination. The fight was pro-
crossing when the dispatch was sent.
Several ambulance trains left Ma
feking November 18th for the Free
State. where heavy fighting was ex-
pected during the then coming week.
When the Boers, 1T is added, would re-
sist the advance of the British in the
direction of Kimberley.
From Lord Wolseley's announcement
that it had been decided to call out one
more division, it appears clear that the
War Office does not look for a speedy
collapse of Boer resistance.
The brief kilograms coming from Ma
tai and the central theater of the war
convey little information about the sit
uation. Nauupoort reports that half
the ColeSburg Dutch who responded to
the Boer summons for military SER
vice have now returned to their homes.
so perhaps the serious civil troubles
hampering General Gatacre NAV be les
sened and the military operations un-
der his direction will commence.
So far as known the Ladysmlth relief
force is still at F'rere, though the bridge
was perhaps sufficiently stable to per-
nit of it's passage November 10Th in
which case the opposing forces NAV al
ready have come in contact near Co.
lenso, where, apparently, the Bonrs ara
strongly entrenched on The north side
of the river.
A special dispatch received here TO-
day from Frere, dated Tuesday No.
vember 2Sth, says that while atten,nt-
ing to blow up a 500 foot bridge over
the river at Colenso the Beers wore
driven back by British artillery and
mounted infantry.
SENATOR HANNA.