Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-11-30
WIN.
Gen. Methuen Reports Anoth-
er Victory at Modder River.
TEN HOURS OF FIGHTING.
Enemy Occupies strong Position Blu,
After Desperate Fight the British
Drives Him OR-Gallantry
orthe soldiers.

After Desperate Fight the British
Drives Him OR-Gallantry
orthe soldiers.
London, Nov. s9.-By Associated
Press.)-The war office has received the
following from Butler:
Cape Town, Tuesday, Nov. 2s.-Neth-
uen reports from Modder river, Tues
day: We reconnoitered at a. m. the
enemy in position on the river Modder
and found them strongly entrenched
and concealed. There was no means
of outfianking, the river being full.
The action commenced with artillery,
mounted infantry and cavalry, at $50
O'Clock. At g. 80 o'clock the Ninth brig
ade found itself in front of the whole
Boer force, 5000 strong, with two large
guns, four Krupps, etc. The naval
brigade rendered great assistance from
the railway. After desperately hard
fighting, which lasted ten hours, our
men without food or water and in a
burning sun made the enemy quit his
position. General Pole-Carew was sue
cessful in getting small party across
the river. He was gallantly assisted by
300 sappers."
Gafns Real Advantage.
I'll t.
London, Nov. 29.-(By Associated
Press )-It is expected, that the great
battle at the Modder river has been
fought. and that Methuen has added
another victory to his achievements of
the past week. There appears to bel
no doubt that Methuen has gained 4
real advantage though the details must
be awaited before the full effect of his
ten hours of desperate fighting fight
ing, can be gagged. This success of
the British clears another stage road
to Kimberley, the siege of which Gen-
leral Cronje must have partially raised
in order 10 give battle to Methuen.
Hattie at Kimberley.
Pretoria, Monday, Nov 27 ((By Asso-
ciated Press. General Dutort reports
that the British made a sortie from
Kimberley early Saturday morning and
fired on the Beers with artillery and in
fantry in the darkness. The British
sortied where the Bloemhor Boer force
was stationed. On our (Boer) side.
there We're 800 men. Dutort, who was
mine miles off, shastened to the assist
ance of the Bloemhor contingent with
a hundred men. Nine burghers were
killed, seventeen We're wounded and
there We're some missing. The British
left on the field a private and a SER
geant. The British have repaired the
damage to the railroad.
Bloodiest Of. Century.
London, Nov. -(By Associated
Press "a special dispatch from Wind
sor says that General Methuen's dis
patch to the queen after the battle of
Modder river says: "The battle was the
bloodiest of the century. The British
.shelled the enemy out of the trenches
and then charged. The result was ter
rible."
britain Watches Gibraltar.
Gibraltar, Nov. e9.-In the view, of
military and naval officers here there is
no question that Great Bratain is
watching closely the conferences of
continental diplomats with a view TO
guarding the imperial interests in
northern Africa and the Mediterranean.
All manner OF speculation is rife re-
garding the latest move of the admi-
rality, which has ordered the 'particu-
lar-service feet" 10 proceed at once to
Gibraltar.
The sea force thus to be assembled in
the straits, while not exceptionally
large, is effective. 1t comprises the
cruisers ST. George, of twelve guns;
Juno, of eleven guns; Cambrian, of ten
guns; and Minerva, of eleven guns; the
battleship Canopus, of sixteen guns, and
the cruisers Bellona, of six guns; Eu-
ropa, of sixteen guns, and Scout, of four
guns.
The combined tonnage of this repre-
sentative fleet is $1,000. The slowest
vessel of all, with a speed of 1877 knots,
is one which. in case the prospect of
action 1iscessitate leaving it behind,
would not be missed, on account of its
small tonnage and light armament,
while the speed of the slowest of the
80 ~ iNaASts>, aAAei Liz SMiltSSts
2O.5.
The United States transport, Meade,
which arrived here Monday after "A ten
days voyage from New York, proceed
ed yesterday toward Manila, with the
Forty-third United. States volunteers on
board.
Boers Told TO Keep Together.
Berlin, Nov. 29.-The Deutsche lei
tung publishes the following dispatch,
dated Pretoria, Nov. 81, received,
through Boer diplomatic channels:
President Kruger and President
Steyn have instructed Gen. ,Joubert
and Gen. Cronje not to split their
forces into small detachments, bur to
strike vigorous blows. Gen. Joubert
has three corps, one holding Lady
smith, the second commanding the {Tu-
gela and the third east of Estcourt in
order to cut off the British retreat.
Gen. Cronie's forces are divided into
three contingents one AT Kimberley,