The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-12-20


Of Artillery to Reinforce
Gen Butler.
Volunteers Responding With Ut.
most Alaorlty.-.Mauy Officers
Willing to 20 a. Troopers.
London, Dec 10. 4 80 q. m The
war cfflce hes been 10 communication
with Gen Sir VIM Lockhsrt, com.
mander 10 chief of India. with q
view of ascertsiniug what troops can
be spared from his forces. aud il is
understood that. % Q result of those
inquiries, force will almost imme.
distely leave Bombay for Durham,
including four regiments of seasoned
troops. with an ammunition column
and brigade Of artillery. including
horse and field batteries 1t is hoped
that this force will reinforce Gen
Butler within q month
The Duke Of Connaught visited
the war office yesterday. Since the
appointment of Lord Roberto az com.
mander 10 chief 10 South Africa the
question of rank no longer bars the
duke from going to the front. and as
he has q strong desire to 20, it is
believed that only the queens reluc
tsnce stands 10 the way 1t is not
unlikely that this will be overcome.
Lord Chesham, commanding officer
Of the Royal Buckinghamshire Yeo.
manry. has been authorized to organ.
ize force Of 5000 yeomsnry. who
will proceed to the Cape. The yeo.
msDry forces sent out will be drafted
90 % to work together with the
mounted infantry and mounted mill.
tie from Canada and Australia
II 10 understood that the volunteers
selected will not form Q separate
corps. but will join their linked bat.
tslions Of the regular forces 10 South
Africa
Throughout the country volunteers
are responding with utmost alacrity
to the official note. Lord Lousdale
says he believes the government will
only accept from 20 to so men from
each yeomanry regiment 1t is az
serted that many officers of the
volunteer regiments ere Offering to
60 40 troopers. il not accepted as
officers.
The Times says editorially Lord
Roberto will have absolutely free
hand and may be expected to resume
the original plan of campaign sban.
doned BY Gen Butler under the ne
oessity Of relieving Ladysmith ="
According to dispatch from Cape
Town. Gen Sir Charles Warren and
his staff have started for De Aar
This SCENE to indicate that the Fifth
division will be sent to reinforce
Lord Methueu. . decision which will
meet with gonersl approval. ne the
opinion 10 almost everywhere held
that it would be useless to waste any
more time by fristering away men
between the various columns
The Morning Post in . rather
alsrmist article remarks upon the
difficulty Of deciding such = crucial
matter. and ssys "Besides three
generals in tho field. ell Of whom
need TO be reinforced, there is the
rebellion in Cape Colony to be con.
sidered This makes four pressing
calls on the Fifth division The
trouble 10. who IN to decide aud on
what principle 2"
The morning Post, reviewing the
vsrious positions Of the beleaguered
commanders and garrisons. asserts
that the relief Of Lsdysmi,h is the
most important emergency. and that
Q victory in Natal would change the
whole face Of affairs. 1t also points
out the urgent need of having the
navy in readiness to move at any
moment to protect tho line of com
muhication with South Africa sug
gesting that . quarrel with some
foreign power might come any day
without any Britioh intention to have
one "
j. B. Robinson, the South African
millionaire, writes to The Daily
Chronicle reasser,ing that the Beers
have unlimited supplies of ammuni
tion and ample stores Of food, and
declaring that all statements to
the contrary should be ignored
No further news has been rece;v.
ed FROM Cape Town but The Cape,
Argus has dispatch from CORES
pondcnt. describing the battle at the
Tugela river, who says:
"Gen Barton carried the village OF
Colenso at the poiD, Of the bayonet
and nndar "a 1akin EEa