The Washington weekly post., 1899-12-12

London. Dec. IA dispatch from Pre-
.o... un.ch .s accepted here as being re-
...a. states that J72 British prisoners
g..r. r.s.u 30 The battle Of Stormberg on
Sunday
r.. Beers. 8, S. also stated. captured
ares British guns during the flight CT
Gs. Garsrr.s force.
H.rou. The arav. meaGer details from
I.- sources. uo grther news has been
received TO remove the mystery over
r.rrtr- Cen u.tacre's retreat from
-taruH.-e Frs BIAS not yet forwarded the
promise. .ra...ra. message; and the cen
-ar..r has prevented the correspondents
from explaining the matter.
While 30 appears TO be generally ad-
.nr.. that Gen. Gatacre IS inclined 10
e...uorS Dis mon, Lord Durham's re-
mark. arc considered as in rather bad
.-.r JaU Gen. Gatacre has given his
,sr.ar. lion il is felt that considerable al
r.9ar.. must be made for the extreme
E.F.Utg or getting intelligence in a coun-
rrg whose inhabitants are in strong sym
psthy with the enemy.
Beer Positions ImpregnnbIe.
St0rmbarg is described as "A stronger po-
siriaa than Iaiug's Neck. The ony road
winds through lofty hills and Ranking is
impossible COlesberg is also said 10 be an
almost mng.gnable position. and as no
troops are ayailable TO re-enforce the col
amr~ a.t.rr in those directions, 1t be-
cones evident that Gen. GataCre's misfor-
tua- ar error viii delay the invasion of
Oh. fI,o state, perhaps, some weeks.
DO ls 'Ncoedingly probable that he will
be compelled 10 retire on Queenstown and
10 wait FOR rc-enforcements, which can
hardly reach him until Sir Charles Wat
rru's division arrives at the Cape. The
FIRST ietachments will sail Saturday next.
Even if Gen. French is not compelled to
retreat. he Will be Obliged to pause IN his
advance.
The war office was besieged to-day with
anxious relatives, and the successive edi-
tons of the newspapers ere eagerly scan
red. Men and women were equally per-
-i~teut In pleading for information, but
the authorities either do not possess any
ur are not prepared TO publish IL at pres
ent.
Bad Effect on stocks.
The affair has caused the most depress-
Ing influence everywhere, not excepting
The Stock Exchange, where cDnsOls were
al the lowest price in many years, and
South African securities slumped, not so
much on account OF the military reverse,
which is retrievable, but owing TO the
profound apprehension as To its political
effect No great surprise would now be
felt If Gen. GataCre's reverse resulted in
Cape Colony becoming afiame from end
90 end.
It is announced from Cape Town that
The Beers have succeeded in repairing the
Leeuwfontein bridge, between Stormberg
and Rurghersdorp, which the British de-
sJroyed on retiring.
Commaudant Swanepol, who commands
the Boer forces at Stormberg, has been
replaced by a Scotchman named Robert
S0r
It now seems certain that the seventh
division. which is being modified at Al
der-hoL Will also be sent 20 South Africa
British Losses To Date.
II is Just two months since the Trans
vaal utimatum was delivered. Nine en-
gas-mruts have been fought and he
British have lest 566 killed. 2027 wounded,
and 1871 missing or prisoners.
The war Office has issued n notice that
after January ! a deduction will be made
from the pay of soldiers serving in South
Atrca-in the case of priVates 4 pence
per day. for wives, and penny for each
child, iu the case of sergeants pence Cor
wives and . pence for each child. These
sums have thus far been paid by the gov
orGmeu; The order Indicates belief
thai the campaign viii be a long one.