Omaha daily bee., 1899-11-29
Telephones s1s-eo4.

patches This is particularly tantaizing at
the present crucial moment While the
latest news is of a fairly reassuring char
acter, from the British viewpoint, much of
It is assumed to be true on insufficient evi-
dence For instance, the reported capture of
Honey Nest kloof, of which there IS no con-
frmaton while the stories OF the rapid re-
tirement of the Beers in Natal must be re-
ceived with caution The facts appear to be
that the British scouts have lcet touch OF
the burghers, portions of whose force, after
withdrawing out of the reach of observers,
may, it is claimed, make detour with the
= object Of interrupting the British line OF
communication Sharp fighting may be ex-
, pected at any time at the southern frontier.
Possibly General Gatacre's first battle will be
in the rough passes OF the Stormberg noun
tans.
The casualties in the reconnaissance of the
armored train Friday, November "a, were
Killed:
LIEUTENANT f. OWEN LEWIS, Bonn
bay infantry, and one private
Wounded: One.
In the reconnaissance of Sunday Novem-
Der 26, Ninth Lancers, wounded, Lieutenant
]. G. Sterling and one tropoer.
The particular service squadron OF the
British fleet has been ordered to proceed to
Gibraltar December s. 1t will probably re-
place the channel squadron, which is COM
ing home for Christmas leave.
1t is said that the French cabinet has in
structed the minister OF war to refuse all
officers leave to go abroad and that officers
absenting themselves in order to go to the
Transvaal will do'so at the risk OF dismissal.
A corrected list of the British casualties
at Gras Pan SLOWS that Flag Captain Regl-
nald C. Prothero of the Doris and Lieuten-
ant of Marines Walter T. c. Jones, also of
the Doris, previously reported wounded,
were killed.
The additional casualties telegraphed by
General Butler appear to be the first ihtima-
tion of the actions of General Methuen's
forces, which have not yet been repor ed.
AS the Ninth Lancers participated in a re-
connaissance on Sunday, they must have
safely returned from the pursuit of the
Beers after the battle of Gras Pan.
Embassies Would Like to Know.
The Associated Press learns that the ac-
tion OF Lord Pauncefote and other British
ambassadors in notifying the powers that a
state of war has existed since October II
between Great Britain and the South African
republics has prompted inquiries by the va
rious London embassies regarding the ma
ture Of the hostlities.
The Associated Press Is officially informed
that the notification has in nowise changed
the British views as to the Beers status.
But in spite of the ambiguous references in
the queens speech and other official docu-
ments at the commencement of the war re-
garding military operations" and other
evasions of the usual term war" it appears
that the United States has consistently
recognized the Beers as forming, practically,
an independent state, considering the claim
of British suzeranty too slight thread to
put them in the light of rebels. 1t Is tacitly
admitted by the British officials that the
kusual communications relative to "a state
of war were not made earlier because it
was not thought that victory would be o.
ferred long enough to make such dip!o-
matte step necessary.
The government maintains that giving
tho Boera bellgerent rights does mt con-
stitute an acknowledgment of their claim to
independence, evdencing proof Of this
contention that both foreign governments
and the government of the United States
treated the confederates as belligerents.
The war Office has decided to test the
Mills Web cartridge belt in use Ia the
United States army and has given an initial
order to a Boston firm, which, at the outbreak
of the Transvaal war, transported factory
to England, Immediately receiving a recon
pense for this enterprise by the aforemeu-
toned order. The British army is now
using leather cartridge belts which have
been found to become stiff and covered with
yerdigris.