The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1899-12-18
ROBERTS TO
COMMANDO
The Baron Ordered to Lead British
Troops in South Africa,
KITCHENER HIS CHIEF OF STAFF.
Queen Victoria. For the First Dime
In Many Ncnrs, Has Decided 60
spend the Christmas Holidays
Awny From osborne House.

epfhh INC 'hfiNtnnH hnlinnyA
Awny From osborne House.
London. Dec IS Shortly before
midnight the following notice was
posted at the war office.
AS the campaign in Natal. in the
opinion OF her maJesty's government.
is likely 20 require the presence and
undivided attention OF General Sir
Redvers Butler Il has been decided TO
send Baron Roberts Of Kandahar and
Waterford as commander-iu-ch in
South Africa. with Lord Kitchener as
chief OF staff
The war Office has received the fol-
lowing dispatch. dated Dec. II. from
General Forestier-Walker at Cape
Town.
"Methuen reports that Lieutenant
Chandos Pole-Gell was taken prisoner
last Thursday when going to meet a
dag OF truce He was waving his
handkerchief in response and was un-
armed Gatacre has removed his troops
and stores to Sterkstrom from Putters
kraal. French has established head
quarters at Arundel Vandermerwe,
with a command. is reported moving
south from Jacobsdal"
Lieutenant General Sir Charles War
rem, commanding the Fifth division of
the First army corps, has arrived at
Cape Town. It is understood that he
will proceed 10 Port Elizabeth
No further news has been received
regarding the battle at The Tugela
river. in which the British losses are
placed at l.097 The latest accounts
regarding the battle al Magersfontein
show that the retirement OF the Brit
ish troops was executed with the great
est GOODNESS and order under a heavy
Boer artillery fire on Tuesday.
Mafeking was safe on Dec s. and
Colonel Baden Powell, the British COM
mander there, is still actively pushing
out his defenses. At that time the
Beers had offered to exchange Lady
Sarah Wilson, who was captured while
acting as a correspondent for the Lon
don Daily Mail, for General Ben Viii
ioen. who was captured at Eland-
slaagte, but the offer had been declined.
The other beleaguered garrisons and
positions are still holding out
It is said that II the Victoria Cross
were TO be granted for every act of
conspicuous gallantry on the part of
British troops It would be necessary
to distribute the decoration by hun
dreds.
Queen Victoria has decided to remain
at Windsor Castle for the present. Not
for years before has the queen decided
to spend Christmas away from Os-
borne Her decision to remain at
Windsor, in touch with the cabinet, is
a measure of the gravity of the crisis
and of the anxiety her majesty feels
for the welfare of the country. She
is. nevertheless. in fair health Sat
urday morning she took her usual
drive and Just before dinner that even
ing she received Lord Wolseley. who,
with Major General Sir Henry Peter
Ewart. crown equerry to the queen,
dined at Windsor.
The queens graceful act in present.
ing a flag to the American hospital
ship Maine is highly appreciated by
her own people as we'll as by the
Americans in London, and the morn
ing papers express the hope that the
incident means something more than
a pretty ceremony.
BLACK wee'-." a3 last week is now
universally called, has evidently arous-
ed the government and the war office
to the full sense of their responsibility
aud OF the m0"uitude Of the task be-
fore them. The papers unanimously
applaud this awakening. despite the
fact that they recognize that the heroic
measures now decided upon SAVIOR of
weakness rather than Of strength
Rumor has it that the question OF
expense has really been at the bottom
OF the healf hearted measures hitherto
adopted, and it Is not unlikely that Sir
Michael Hicks Beach. chancellor Of the
| exchequer, and other members Of the
/ cabinet will resign.
Group instantly relieved, DR.. Thomas
! Eclectric OIL. Perfectly safe. Never fails.
/ At any drug store.
The most approprlate holiday gifts at