The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-12-27
LATE WAR NEWS.
BOERS HAVE LARGE RESERVE
FORCE AT PRETORIA.
British Journals Continue CRITICS.
ing the Management Of the
Campaign in South Africa.

Campaign in South Africa.
LONDON, Dec. 27.-The Cape Town
correspondent of the Daily News,
telegraphing Wednesday, December
10th, says:
Lord Methuen, understand, intends
to remain at Modder River about three
weeks longer.
From Boer sources, hitherto singu-
larly well informed, learn that there
are 5000 European officers and men
skilled in modern military tactics, par
ticularly artillery, now in Pretoria as
reserve.
Our administrative officials in the
Cape service, who have just returned
from official relieving duty in the Dutch
district, says the news of the British
reverses has been received with great
joy, even in localities where there is
lie open revolt"
The newspapers continue actively
discussing and criticising the manage
ment or rather mismana cement, of the
campaign. The advent of horse sick
ness draws increased attention to the
question of transports and the want Of
wagons, which may tie the British
forces to the railways.
The Daily Chronicle" says: PLENTY
of wagons could be obtained from the
United States, but the Government with
very indiscreet patriotism has refused
to avail itself of the opportunity. 1t
would have been better if the authori
ties had followed Lord Kitchener's ex-
ample at Atbara bridge. VIII they even
now apply to the American factories?''
The Times" editorially attacks the
administration of the War Office, call
ing attention to the correspondence dis
closing ''glaring defects and declar-
ing that the British army is being man
aged for the benefit of the War Office,
and not of the nation.
Dispatches from various points indi-
cate the steady growth of the Dutch
disaffection.. The Cape Town cores
pondent of the DAILY Chronicle" re-
ports the discovery of plot to con-
nive at the escape of Boer prisoners.
The Times" advises stern treatment Of
the disaffected Dutch colonists, and the
enforcement of the penalties of treason
against persons and property.
The Sixteenth Lancers will go to
South Africa from India at the special
request of Lord Roberts, even after
the Government had decided that no
more troops should be withdrawn from
India.
The War Office has nominated Sir
William Stokes as consulting surgeon
to the South African forces. He will
leave Dublin for the Cape in few
days.
Lord Somerset writes to the Times"
urging the seizure of Lourenzo Marques
and its retention, if necessary, until the
end of the war, In order to prevent the
landing of war material for the Beers.
The transport Tantallon Castle has
arrived at Cape Town with number
of .Howitzers and rapid firers, which
General Butler urgently needs. The
Government has chartered = the Lake
Erie of the Elder, Dempster & Com
pany line, which was built for the Ca
madam mail service. She is a vessel
of 10000 tons.
The recruiting of British colonists in
Cape Colony is actively proceeding.
Thirty thousand are already under
arms, and several thousand more will
be added. Those now in the field in
clude the Cape mounted police, the
Rhodesian and Natal forces and the
colonial troops beleaguered at Kimber-
ley and other points.
Dispatches from Modder River dated
Thursday, December Dist, report that
intermittent firing was continued on
both sides, although the Boer shells
fell short. A number of Free State
burghers had surrendered. There is an
unconfirmed report that Canadian
picket was cut off near Belmont. 1t
is also asserted that fever is raging
among the Beers.
The tests of wireless telegraphy at
Modder River have been highly sue
cessful, communication over a distance
of seventy miles being perfectly estab-
lished Six Marconi instruments, in
tended for the Beers, have been seized
at Cape Town.
A dispatch from Chiveley Camp, dated
Thursday, December 21st, says: "Lyd-
dite shells are daily thrown into the
Boer camp to prevent them working
at the trenches. The firing of big
guns is heard daily from the direction
of Ladysmith."
Commandant Demeillon, who was
at Glands Laagte and brought
to Simonstown, where he succeeded in
making his escape from the British
cruiser Penelope, has been recaptured
The Times" in special article dis
cussing the Boer importations through
Delagoa Bay, says: Were we to
adopt, either with or without the con-
sent OF Portugal, the drastic measures
which are suggested in some quarters
we might Hind ourselves suddenly con-
fronted with international complica-
tions far more serious and Injurious to
the successful prosecution of the South
African war than the evils of which it
was sought to secure an abatement"