The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-12-04
SLIGHT SATISFACTION

South Africa-Farmers Talk q
Triumphant March on Cape Town.
Buffers Proclamation Tramplsd
Upon.
LONDON, Dec. 4.-l:sO a. m!-The
week opens without word of news such
as the British public Is anxlously await
Ing. With larger army IN the field
than the country ever before mobllISed.
It can only be said that the loss Of $500
men, entailed before the enemy's bor-
ders have been crossed, is a serious mRt-
ter, and while there is no feeling Of
dependency as to the eventual result
Of the war. II 10 regretfully admitted on
all sides that the strength OF the Boer
resistance has been woefully UNDER
rated.
1t is now seen that the attempt to hold
useless position at MRfeking was q
serious tactical mistake. as was also the
endeaVor 10 keep the large civil popul4-
tIon In Kimberley.
Perhaps the brightest spot for English
readers to-day Is the announcement that
President Mckinley has designated the
son Of Secretary Hay to succeed Mr.
Macrum at Pretoria. The Daily Tele-
graph says:
"Thls appointment is graceful con-
cession on the part Of the United States
government to the British nag. Our
cOuntry's interests Will be safe In the
hands OF the new consul"
South African news Is now elk days
In arrears. The censorship does not yet
permit details of the Modder river bat-
tie to be transmitted. Some vague
statements have been published in the
Cape Town papers, and, according
TO these, the Beers numbered eight thou-
sand men and were entrenched on both
banks OF the stream, although mostly
on the northern bank. The British, Rc-
cording to those accounts, drove the enc
emy acres the river, compelling them 70
retreat, and established themselves on
both banks. These details, however,
are too meagre to enable an accurate
idea OF the engagement to be formed.
A dispatch has reached London an
nouncIng that Lord Methuen isRgRin In
the field, and It Is also said that Count
Gieichen, who was wounded in the
fighting at Modder river, was struck IN
the nick by a bullet Serious news come8
from the northern sections Of Cape Coll
Ony. The whole border district between
Colesburg and Burghersdorp has de.
elared for the Beers. In VeuteFSteRd
alone moro than 1000 have Joined the
rebellion. The farmers have formed a
Communicating committee, and talk con.
fidently of triumphant march on Cape
Town. General Buffers proclamation
has been torn down and trampled upon,
and the Loyallsts are bidden to hurry
10 Cape Town to prepare coffee for the
rebels.
THE oflclal list shows that a modlf-
cation has been made In the command
OF the Sixth division. Instead Of Lieut.
General Sir Charles Mansfield Clarke.
the commantler will be Major General
Thomas Kelley -Kenney, inspector gem
erRl Of auxiliary forces, and recruiting,
with Major General Knox and Major
General Clements as brigade eomman.
ders. General Kelley-Kenney has had
no South African experience.
With regard to Natal, It 10 gtill doubt.
full whether the bridge over the TRgela
at COlenSO has been destroyed. There
Is a report that the British drove the
Beers of while attempting to destroy II,
but the probability Is that he struours
was mined and fired afterward.
According to a dispatch from Putter's
Kraal, dated Tuesday, November 2S, the
BoerB were then attempting turning
movements from Steynsburg and the
district north OF StoFkstorm, in cooper.
alton with rebels by way OF Maraigburg
and Tarkastad, against General GGta-
cre's column,
The wreck of the troopshlp Tsmore
may result In the loss OF $50 horses.
LONDON, Dec. 1.-THE war oftiee
publishes the following dispatch from
Cape Town, dated yesterday:
"The transport Ismore is ashore on
the rocks in st. Helena Bay. The troops
u0f fa1yF In nHRH htHf fhA
horses are stIll on board. H. NJ s.
Doris and NIobe, with the transport
Columbian, have gone to her assist
nnCe.
colonel Kolkowich reports, under
date OF Thursday, November 80. that
the Bechuana police captured the
Boer iaager west OF Kimberley Tues
day, November 2s.
Communication by searchlight with
Kimberley has been established from
Modder river"