The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-17
BULLER'S LOSS 1907 MEN.
EIGHTy-7WO KILLED AND HUNDREDS
WOUNDED or MISSING.

Afriknnd-rs Said to He Joining the Beers.
Special cable D,'pd,ehss 10 THE suS.
IovpoS. Dec. 18-Thc War once has ro-
eevei this despatch from Gen. Butler:
"Our losses in tho battle on Dec. 10 were:
Officer. and men killed. 80: wounded. eo7:
missing. 34S.
The foregoing includes Z officers killed.
II wounded. Ii prisoners and 3 missing.
"Col. Brooke r. dangerously. Col. Long
severely and Col. Hunt slightly wounded.
Major Charley died Of his wounds"
Capt Roberts. son Of Gen. Lord +. Roberts.
was severely wounded In the Tugrla River
Fight while leading some men In an attempt to
rescue the guns Prof MacCormac. President
Of the ROYAL College Of Surgeons. extracted
tho bullet but Capt. Roberts Is in a pre-
carious condition
The War Once has Issued list OF the casu-
alties In the Black Watch ROYAL Highlanders)
Regiment In the battle ot Mager.fontein.
There were IL killed and 1913 wounded and III
are missing.
LONDON. Dec. 18-Amii the COON and grief
which overwhelm Fng'ani to-day. the con-
hdere, in the fual trumuh Of the British
arms throughout South Africa remains I'M
shaken. The determination to win regardless
oithe cost Ia. however. coupled with another
grim resolve. namely. To fix and enforce the
responsibility fer the disasters which have
brought the darkest days Greet Britain has
known within the memory Of living man. This
purpose Is not directed 80 much against the
inc1mpetency Of the commanders In the field.
which all agree Is painfully obvious. but
against some OF the officials who plunged the
country into war which II was not prepared
TO meet
Il must be admitted that there ia some eS-
cusc Tor one feature ~ the oficlal ignorance
which events have disclosed. but only one. Tho
british authoriti's both az home and In Cape
Colony. confess that they were surprised at
being Obliged to ilGht both the South African
Republics instead Of one. and also at the
strength OF the Beer armament There is no
excuse for ignorance oh either OF these points.
The one feature whereof they may fairly plead
partially excusabe surprise is the size OF the
rebellion In Cape Colony itself. This has now
reached appalling PROPORTIONS. No cable in
formation concerning 1t Is allowed to reach
london, but there Is abundant Intelligence In
the many mail aiyices received. showing that
Cap, Dutch Afrikanders in thousands have
been Joining the Boer standards In the past
few weeks.
Dispatches indicating tho number OF Beers
engaged In the battles OF the current week
make it clear that the Boer forces are many
thousands greater than their own resources
explain. This week OF British disaster will
almost certainly spread the rebellion 20 a large
part Of Cape Colony. and then Gen. Methuen.
Gen Gaiacre aud Gen. French will be menaced
almost as seriously In the rear as In front.
This Ia tho most serious feature OF the stua-
ton and the one which most alarms this dis
tressed country. I eabled last Saturday that
this would be the critical week OF the cam
paign. II has been. but not with the result
expected. The campaign has practically
an al in fha lat.n a..
British arms An entirely new campaign
on a new basis must now be under
taken. All mili'ary men now recognize this
although the public does not. Not a single
British column ia now In condition 70 act often.
Ei'ey except at desperate risks The new sit-
uatoE 81 virtual c VII war above described has
changed everything. Gen. Methuen. hrot OF
all. cannot remain where he is He must ad-
vance 10 Kimberley or retreat TO the Orange
River Undoubtedly the latter move would be
the most prudent THE SUS's Pretoria corre-
sp0nieut telcgraphs that the Beers themselves
expect him 10 retreat II he should succeed in
reach NJ Kimberley 1t would almost be playing
the Eoer game for he carries only few days
provisions aud his communications with the
Orange River would, unquestionabiy. be cut.
lncpient civil war alrea iy exists behind
him AMI the Beers In rapidly increasing num-
Ders are assembling near the Orange River.
which l. his supply base. Gen. French's force
Is not large and the enemy now has all the
prestige o; success all along the line There
are already rumors that Gen. Gatacre is
menaced in the rear and his communication
with East London endangered. Gen. Butler In
The meantime cannot safely mo . until his
lost guns are replaced and the whole British
army in South Africa is woefully weak in artil-
lery and also in cavalry. Moreover. the indi-
cations now are that he will be unable to re-
Heve ladysmith until he is strongly reinforced
10 al arms
do not desire 10 exaggcrate the grave
perls which menace tho British cause In South
Africa hut the above enumeration. which is
well within the truth. should. in all events.
dictate policy Of prudence The best military
opinion in the freseDt situation counsels an
Immediate Junction OF the forces OF Gen.
Methuen and Gen. French at the Orange
Hlv"r and tho prompt reinforcement OF Gen
"atacre with the troops now approaching
cape Town. Then all three columns should
marx time until strong reenforcements can
reach them.
move which all military men advise and one
Whch Is obviously tho best from all but the
political point OF view Is the i'm late seizure
81 Dela2pa Bay and the invasion OF the Trans-
wal through Portuguese territory The For
"lGt onlce still hesitates TO make such move.
@''""is u VIII De even less inclined TO do so
now IN view OF the weeks terrible hum iiation
81 british prestige. as the move would furnish
,n' necessary excuse. II any power il waiting
'or sn"h excuse. for demanding voice in the
quarrel II. however, the Continental situation
sa' secure as Lord Salisbury declared month
Hgo' then It would seem thut tho emergency
aunt" luStihes an action which would greatly
simplify the military problem.
me nr't necessity Is the prompt despatch OF
moe infantry, artillery and cavalry. England
Quay has spoken in no uncertain voice on
ms point There il universal demand.
"hich I'll" Government would be COMPELLED
promptly 10 obey, even II its own judgment did
no counsel such thing. that great add
uoLhl force be fastened to South Africa al
me fastest spcri and regardless OF expense.
inc War O'flco announcements cuInci-
"'h' with the news OF yesterdays dis
"S''r' that an additional division will
v" sent Is secuted us absurlly inadequate.
M'eai Britain must now fight not only two
po'r republics, but a hall-rebellious Colony.
lo,HhI hastily summoned Cabinet meeting