The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1899-12-16
LORD METHUEN'S POSITION.
Beers All Round the British Gsnersra
Force That il Moving towards
Kimberley.

Force That Ia Moving owards
Kimberley.
London, Dec. 9.-Forestier-Walkef
has SEN the following dispatch, dated
at nine o'clock last (Friday) evening,
to the war Office, from Cape Town:
Communication Reopened.
Photographic and railway COMMUNE
cation to Modder River has been re-
opened.
Fight With Prinx Loos' Force.
"a battery of field artillery and
a battalion of infantry were dis
patched from Modder River against
Commandant Prinz Loos' force of 1000
Beers, with one gun, who had des-
troyed the railway. Our losses were
Il wounded.
Belmont has been strengthened by
infantry and two guns, and a cavalry
regiment and troops from Naauwpoort
occupied Arundel Thursday.
The Enemy's Force Near Catacre.
The enemy's forces near Gen. Cat
acre were reported as follows: At
Dordrecht, 500; marching from James
town to Dordrecht, zoo, with six guns;
at Stormberg, 1900; at Waterfall a
large force, strength unknown; at
Moltono, about 400.
Lord Methuen reports casualties, De-
cember 6, on patrol duty, as follows:
Missing, Lieut.. Tristram and four men
of the Twelfth lancers; wounded, four
men,"
Information from Berlin.
Some interesting light is thrown on
the position of affairs along the west
ern frontier by a dispatch issued by q
Roer agency last evening in Berlin.
The dispatch says:
"Commandant Prinz Loos' force is
near Jacobsdal, between Modder river
and Riet river. Gen. Cronje is still
Oh the north bank of Modder river, his
rear being protected by fortified posi-
tons at S%pytfontein. The hills between
Modder river and Spytfontein aud
those between Jacobsdal and Riet
river are occupied by Beers. Com
mandant Delarey's force is stationed
between Gras Pan and Honey Nest
kloof."
Methuen Outnumbered.
If this Berlin dispatch be correct
and it is especially significant wheu
judged in connection with Gen. Fores-
tier-Walker's advices to the war office
there must be some $4,000 Beers
around Lord Methuen, VINO is believed
I o have 1000 men. Kimberly, how
ever, possessing an armored train, al
materially assist Methuen by harrass.
ing the Beers from the rear.
The MOdder River Battle.
According to a special dispatch from
Lourenco Marques, the Modder River
battle is described by a Boer CORE
spondent with Gen. Cronje as lone of
enced." The correspondent goes on to
say:
Under Fire All Day.
Zen. Cronie's wing sustained al
NEST solely the fearful attack of the
British right throughout the day. The
Transvaalers tenaciously held their
positions until seven in the evening,
when the Free State burghers were
forced to retire by the heavy British
shell fire. Gen. Cronje then retired I'M
der cover of darkness, after facing
the concentrated fire of all the Brit
ism batteries
Herculean Of the British.
The Beers freely acknowledge the
herculean assaults of the British and
thede ath-dispensing fire of the at
tacking infantry, but they held their
position for 10 hours against the flow
er of the British army, replying sole
~ with their Mausers, ana maintain
ing al uninterrupted rifle fire. The
Beer artillery was silenced early in the
battle through the overwhelming num-
Der of the British artillery.
The Dang.r Accentuated.