Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-13
BRITISH HARD HIT
Gen. Methuen Reports
Heavy Losses
FIGHT At MODDER RIVER
Gen. Wauchope Among the
British Killed.
FIGHT OCCURRED ON MONDAY
English General Forced to En-
trench His Position.
FIGHT OCCURRED ON MONDAY
A L a NJ IN NDON

LONDON December 1s.-The war office
has received the following dispatch from
Gen. Methuen, dated Tuesday, December
12s
"Our artillery shelled very strong posi-
ton held by the enemy in long, high
kopje from until dusk Sunday. 1t rained
hard last night. The Highland Brigade at
tackled at daybreak on Monday the south
end of the kopje. The attack was properly
timed. but failed. The guards were ordered
TO protect the Highlands right and rear.
The cavalry and mounted infantry with d
howitzer artillery battery. attacked the
enemy on the left and the guards on the
right. supported by field artillery and how
itzer artillery.
They saelIed the position from daybreak
and at 1:15 1 sent the Gordons to support
the Highland brigade The troops held
their own in front Of the enemy's intrench-
ments until dusk the position extending
including the kopje. for distance of six
miles toward the Modder river. Today 1
am holding my position and intrenching
myself, I had to face at least 12,OOO men.
Our loss was great
Gen. Wauciope Killed.
The war office has received the following
dispatch from General Forestier-W aIker:
CAPE TOWN. Tuesday, December 12-
Methuen wires that General Wauchope was
killed In action yesterday"
The war office today received the follow
ing message from General Forester
Walker:
CAPE TOWN. Tuesday. December 12-
No further details from Methuen."
From Orange river it is reported that go
wounded, including 81 officers, have arrived
there from the Modder river.
Alarm Over Methuen's Position.
Alarm is beginning to be expressed in
many quarters as TO the situation of Gen.
Methuen As the Westminster Gazette
says:
IF England ever needed victory it is
now, and it is TO Butler. the soldier, strong,
cool-headed and reticent that the country
looks for this victory"
The other papers are abusing the govern
ment for It's "complacent optimism and in
ability TO grasp the strength of the opposi-
ton it has to overcome in South Africa.
Considerable significance attaches to Gen.
Methuen's statement that he IS intrenching
himself. indicating fear that the Beers may
follow up their advantage. adopt the often
sive and attack him. Indeed, the gravity
OF the situation from the British point of
view hardly be overestimated Gen
Methuen's long lines of communication to
De Aar are most Vulnerable. Should they
be cut Gen. Methuen will find himself in
very tight place. if only from lack of sup
plies
Bad Effect on Stocks
The news Of the British reverse had a
bad effect on the stock exchange where
there was general relapse Kaffirs and
Rand mines dropped 2i2 points and de
Beers dropped q,
Gen Wal-hIp.. of 2 he T2lacl-
is reported killed. commanded the High
land Brigade with Gen. Methuen's column
He served in Ashanti, Egypt, and the Sou
dan He was frequently mentioned In dis
patches. and twice contested Midlothian
once against Mr.. Gladstone. He was a
great favorite in the army
General Methuen, as expected, followed
up his artillery attack with a general as
sault on the Boer positions Monday and
his report shows that the anxiety of the
public regarding the result, occasioned by
the ominOus silence of the war office. was
amply justified. The engagement was evi-
IDENTIFY Of considerable magnitude and the
list Of the killed and wounded will be pro-
portionate without the compensation which
a victory would have brought, If indeed the
affair does not turn out to be more seri-
Gus defeat than General Methuen admits
The Highlanders, it Is believed, must
have stormed the Boer position more than
once, while the fact that the Guards were
ordered to support the Highianders' rear
looks as though the Beers may even have
outhanked their attackers.
Report That Cronje Attacked.
One report says that Gen Cronie attack
ed the British The only compensation the
British have been able to discover in the
disheartening story is in Gen Methuen.s
statement that he maintains his position
close to the Beers, arousing hope that he
will retrieve the situation.
1t is apparent that the bomba rdrnent Sat
urday and Sunday did not shake the Beers.
grip on their position. and it seems certain
that they merely withdrew their guns and
rifernen under cover. while General Methu-
en- INDUCED in the usual artillery preIim-
inarIes Monday, and that when the British
guns were obliged to cease firing, owing to
the danger of hitting the advancing troops,
the Beers speedily reoccupied their trenches
and overwhelmed the Highlanders with a
terrible fire, probably accompanying this by