The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-12-04
BRITISH LAUNDERING!
London Admits That Boer Strength
Has Been Underrated.
DEFENSE OF MAFBKING AN ERROR
United States Consul Macrum at
Pretoria Causes satisfnctiOn-Brit-
ish TrOOpship Wrecked.

isk TrOOpsIiip Wrecked.
London, Dec. 4.-The week opens
without a word of news such as the
British public is so anxiously awaiting.
With larger army In the field than,
the country ever before mobilized, it
can only be said that the loss Of
$500 men, entailed before the enemy's
borders have been crossed, Is a seri-
Gus matter, and while there Is no feel
ing of despondency as to the eventual
result of the war, 1t is regretfully ad-
mitted on all sides that the strength Of
the Boer resistance has been woefully
underrated. 4
1t is now seen that the attempt to
hold useless position at MafekinG
was SERIOUS tactical mistake, as was
also the endeavor to keep the large
civil population in Kimberley.
Perhaps the brightest spot for En-
glish readers Is the announcement that
President Mckinley has designated the
son of Secretary Hay to succeed Mr..
Macrum in Pretoria. The Daily
Telegraph says: +
This appointment is graceful con-
cession on the part of the United
States government to British feeling.
Our countrymen's interests will be safe
in the hands of the new consul
The censorship does not yet permit
details of the Modder river battle; to
be transmitted. Some vague state
ments have been published in the
Cape Town papers and according to
those the Beers numbered 5000 men
and were entrenched OIL both banks Of
the stream. although mostly on the
northern bank. The British. according
to those accounts. drove the enemy
across the river, compelling them to
retreat, and established themselves on
both banks. These details, however,
are too meager to enable an accurate
idea of the engagement to be formed.
Serious news comes from the north
ern section Of Cape Colony. The
whole border district between Coles
burg and Burghersdorp has declared
for the Beers. In Venterstad alone
more than 1000 have Joined the re-
belion. The farmers have formed a
communicating committee and talk
confidently of "a triumphant march on
Cape Town. General Buffers procla-
nation has been torn down and
trampled upon and the loyalists are
hidden to hurry to Cape Town to pre-
pare coffee for the rebels.
The official list shows a mOdifica-
ton has been made in the command
of the Sixth division. Instead OF
Lieutenant General Sir Charles Mans
field Clarke the commander will be
Major General Thomas Kelly-Kenny,
inspector general of auxiliary forces
and recruiting, with Major General
Knox and Major General Clements as
brigade commanders. General Kelly
Kenny has had no South African eX-
perience.
With regard to Natal 1t is quite
doubtful whether the bridge over the
Tagela at Colenso has been destroyed.
There is a report that the British
drove the Beers off while attempting to
destroy it. but the probability is that
the structure was minedand fired af-
According to dispatch from PITT
ters Kraal. dated Tuesday, Nov. 20.
the Beers were then attempting turn
ing movements from Steynsburg and
The district north of Storkstrom in CO.
operation with the rebels, by way OF
and Tarkastad againsA
General Gatacre's column.
By the wreck of the troopship Is
more. which went ashore on the rocks
in st. Helena bay. $50 horses are prob
ably lost. The troops were safely
anded
A dispatch has reached London an
that Lord Methuen is again
in the field, and 1t is also said that
Count Gleichen who was wounded In
he fighting at Modder river, was
struck by bullet in the neck.