The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-12-04
THE WAR IN NATAL.
The Beers Get a Backset From Gen
eral Methuen's Forces.

The Beers Get Backset From Gen
eral Methuen's Forces.
CAPE TOWN, Nov. 23.-It is report
ed that General Methuen met the Beers
today at Fincham's farm, near Lady
smith and defeated them.
CAPE TOWN. Nov. 24.-From the
few details which have reached here
of General Methuen's fight with the
Beers yesterday it appears that Beers
from Fincham's farm shelled an ad-
vance body of the British Wednesday,
November 22d and the British artil-
lery was pushed forward and shelled a
hill, which the British subsequently oc-
cupied, capturing two guns. The Boer
casualties were thirty men killed and
wounded. The Boer main column left
Fincham's farm during the afternoon
and camped five miles ahead. At day
break Thursday the Beers fired from
the hills 1000 yards distant, on the
British advance force. Other troops
were then pushed up and the engage
ment became general. The British ar
tillery made excellent practice and ST.
fenced the Boer guns. Then two bat
talons of the Grenadier Guards and
Northumberland Regiment stormed
| the heights at the point of the bayonet.
Crossing the fire zone amid a storm
of lead the guards and Northumber-
| lands pushed up the incline and
reached the summit, doing great exc
cution with their bayonets and captur-
| ing the laager, with guns, equipment,
prisoners, cattle and sheep. The cav
airy, consisting of the Ninth Lancers
and mounted infantry, pursued the
Beers. The Beers, it is estimated.
| numbered $500 men. Their loss is
unknown.
| CHURCHILL INTERVIEWED.
| PRETORIA. Nov. 24.-Through the
courtesy of the Transvaal authorities,
| the correspondent of the Associated
I ress here, in the company of p. G..
Robler, Under Secretary for Foreign
affairs, and Mr.. de Souso, Secretary of
the War Department, was enabled to
visit Winston Churchill today at the
| model school. where he is confined
with the captured officers. Beyond a
| slight bullet wound in the right hand,
| he seemed well and looked hearty, al
| though naturally chafing under en-
| forced idlenesS. In the course of the
interview Mr.. Churchill said:
"The Beers have treated us with
much kindness. This was the case
| from the outset. They praised our de-
| fense of the armored train and express
ed surprise that the locomotive was
saved from becoming hopeless wreck,
as they expected. under their artillery
fire. We were then marched Through
a pouring rain to Colenso, proceeding
| the next morning to the Boer camp
near Ladysmith and then going by rail
| to Moddersprui,, finally arriving here
| on November Is. On the journey great
numbers of burgherS crowded to see
| us, but there was only one who made
insulting remarks, the others courte-
ously offering us cigarettes or showing
such marks of attention" Mr.. Church
ill said the confinement in the model
school was close and severe, but under
all the conditions he had no grounds
for complaint. When asked regarding
his general Impressions, he said he had
had many discussions, with the Beers
as to the rights of the war and had
been much impressed by the number
who could speak English. He had
found that most of them regretted the
conflict, asserting that DIT had arisen as
the result of misrepresentation. So
far as he could learn, however, the
spirit of the burghers in the field, de-
| spite their privations, was most de-
! tertnined, and there was no chance of
an early peace.
Il fear,' said Mr. Churchill, that
the struggle will be bloody and pro-
| tracted."
SITUATION AT LADYSMITH.
| DURHAM, Natal, Nov. 24.-An Off
cial message from General White at
Ladysmith dated November %, says:
Situation unchanged. Troops well
and cheerful"
| The Natal Advertiser confirms the
report of fighting near Willow Grange.
1t says: Five thousand British left
Estcourt Wednesday afternoon for a
reconnaissance They surprised the
Beers at o'clock Thursday morning
and occupied the Boer position, bayo-
netting eighty of the enemy.
At daybreak the Beers opened with
quick fires. The British artillery was
unable TO reach the Beers and the Brit
| ish position, therefore, became unten-
able and was evacuated. Subsequent
| ly the artillery was brought into action
and the ers fell back. Their object
| having been attained the British re-
turned to EstcOurt.
LONDON. Nov ga dispatch to
| the Times from Mooi river gives the
British casualties in the Willow
Grange affair as three killed and forty
four wounded. This is the first news
of such a heavy loss, and, if correct.
suggests a repetition of General
Whites unfortunate action Of October
80.
The Pietermaritzburg correspondent
OF the Daily Mail describing the same
sorlie, says: The British surprised
the Beers. carried their position, cap
tured all their equipment, and return
ed to Estcourt in safety. General Hid
yard was very we'll satisfied with their
work"
ADMIRAL DEWEY ANGRY.