The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-12-26

commander at Cape Town:
Cape Town, December 20.
"Methuen wires that he has received
a rude reply from General Cronje re-
specting his representations as to Lieu
tenant Chandos-PoIe-Gell, saying that
this officer is regarded as a spy. Cen
eral Cronje also states he will hold no
further communication with Methuen."
Tuli. December IL (via Lourenzo
Marques, Saturday, December 49,
Colonel Plumer, with a strong recon-
entering party of horsemen, has re-
turned here after a weeks expedition
into Transvaal territory. He reached
a point fifty miles from Petersburg, in
the South African republic, but found
nc Beers. the country being seemingly
empty of men.
BRITISH VALOR AT COLENSO.
London, December 21.-Belated sto-
ries from Chieveley Camp, Natal, all
concur in saying the British did mar
wells in an impossible situation. The
oldest war correspondents say they
,ver saw anything comparable with
the bravery of the men and officers.
The naval contingent created an i'm
menSe furOre, engaging the Beers sin
gle-handed and hailing shrapnel and
Lyddite shells on the Qualifications
north of the town, in a vain effort to
silence the murderous fire of the Beers,
while the British forced the passage of
the river.
The advance of the Second brigade
along the o leading to the bridge,
in the face of a deadly fusillade, is
described as magnificent. The British
forced their way across the fire scene
under a perfect storm of bullets from
the invisible Beers. The patter of the
bullets on the dry plain, it is added,
raised the dust like heavy rain drops
en- water.
The queen has been greatly annoy
ed by the unfounded statements that
she is in ill health n perpetually
weeping. A paragraph contradicting
these stories appears in the papers,,
which that it has never been her
majesty's habit to display grief like
a hysterical school girl"
A DEARTH OF WAR NEWS.
London, December 22-4:45 a. M
There is still no definite news regard
ing the military operations in South
Africa. Probably this is because the
only cable that is now working is
choked with official dispatches.
General Buffers casualty list at Co
lenso, just published, shows that 14s
were killed and TAG wounded. Two
nunureu anu IWenly-SeNeH DIRE uc-
scribed as missing, ARD OF TIL about
40 are known to be prisoners in the
hands of the Beers. This makes a to-
tai larger han General Buffers Origi-
ma estimate.
Royal letters, signed by the queen,
are being circulated by the archbishop
to the bishops of the various diOceSeS,
authorizing a collection. in the churches
throughout England on January 7th in
aid of the fund for sick and wounded
soldiers and their families.
Interest centers for the moment in
the preparations to send out reinforce
ments. The various city guilds have
given en additional G12,00O sterling
for the expenses of the imperial VOL
unteers, besides gifts Of horses, ambu-
lances and other paraphernalia. The
latest notable volunteer include two
nephews of Major Charles Sherston
and Major Maxwell Sherston. Their
brother was killed at Glencoe.
The admiralty a decided to dis
patch another naval brigade of 700 men
to South Africa.
It is believed that, in mobilizlng the
Eighth division, the war office Will
have recourse to some extent to the
militia, it being deemed inadvisable to
denude the home garrisons oVermucn
eff regulars.
The chancellor of the exchequer, Sir
Michael Hicks-Beach, has issued a for
NAL denial that any differences exist
in the cabinet regarding war expendl-
lures.
According to a dispatch from cape
Town, there is a good deal OF distress
in the Orange Free state, owing TO d
scarcity of grain.
The Daily Mail says: we under-
stood that news has arrived from Gen
eral White to the effect that Lady
smith is well supplied with food and
ammunition and can hold out mucn
longer than has been estimated. Inc
troops are described as in good spirlts
and anxious to fight.
(Correspondence of Associated Press.)
London, December 13.-Letters from
British officers and soldiers ngntlns III
the Transvaal and lengthy description
from war correspondents that filter IN
to print through the mails, TEEN "itn
thrilling and pathetic incidents.
The Times correspondent gives a
graphic account and explanation OF the
British disaster at N1cholsons wen
where Cartoons column, consisting ol
six companies of the Royal irish IuSi-
Iers, four and a half Oh TIE
Worcestershire regiment, anu NO. N
mountain battery,
Two hours before daybreak, says
this CORRESPONDENT, while the column
was in an enclosed country, eitneI Q
shot was fired or a boulder roiieo imC.
the battery In Column VI -
mules stampeded and easily prohs
away from their half asleep drivers
They came back upon the Gloucester.
shire regiment, the van party o.
whom fred into h mass, believing, II
the darkness. that it was an ATTACK
This added to the haos: the rahh:
were broken by the frenzied animals
and they dashed through the ranks Q
the rear guard, carrying the nrst an.
second reserve ammunition annual
with them. It became a hopeless panle
The animals, wild with the snoutin,
and the turmoil, torn down the nullai
into the darkness n the last that wa
heard of them was the sound OF am
munition boxes and paniers as tne.
were splintered against the oouIo Gs
Tha b,,hh,Ib of these few minutes wa
sufficient to have alarmed the enemy
"By effort the officers sue
coded in getting the men again unde
control and when daylight came tne
---sfDn xyhinh nrlSRnt