The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-12-21
FATE OF BRITISH GUNS.
Speculation as TO What Has Become
of Those Lost a. Tugela River.

London. Dec 20.-It still seems
doubtful whether the guns that General
Butler abandoned at Colenso are in the
possession of the Beers. According 10
a dispatch to the Associated Press from
Durham sent off on the evening OF the
battle, and which has just peen re-
ceiyed here the guns remained where
they were left by the British troops,
and were covered by the heavy guns OF
General Hildyard's brigade, occupying
an cntrenched position.
The dispatch adds that the Beers
have thus far not attempted TO cross
the river and capture the guns, while
advices to the Associated Press from
Pretoria under the same date say that
an official Boer dispatch reports that
two guns. thirteen wagons and a guam
fity of ammunition were captured, be-
: sides POS prisoners.
Further accounts Of the Tugela river
battle emphasize the ignorance OF the
British intelligence department in re
gard 10 the disposition of the Boer
forces The British were not aware
that the Beers were entrenched along
a series of low-lying hills Immediately
northxard of Colenso bridge until a
staggering fire compelled them to re-
treat when the attack seemed about to
succeed. The Beers We're also in graf
er number than anticipated.
1t becomes clearer, also, that the
British guns were lost in attempting
TO get within effective range of the
Boer artillery, showing that the later
outranged the British ordnance, which,
in spite of numerical superiority, was
wholly inadequate to reply to the long
range Boer guns.
The British war office comes in fol
scathing denunciations from the Times
today for not providing effective artil-
1ery. It is pointed out in this connec-
tion that the longer ranged naval guns
participating in the same attack es-
capped.
The war office reported that General
French reconnoitered northward OF
Arundel Monday, Dec. IS. After she'll
ing Jasfontein farm, three miles east
ward of the Boer position, the New
Zealanders advanced and occupied the
farm The Boer guns then opened ano
the Beers advanced to the attack IN
til ordered 10 retire.
The last news from Mafeking dated
the eth has just been received. 1t says
& desultory bombardment was contin-
ued and that the sharpshooters were
engaged in a smart duel mornings and
evenings. The dispatch also describes
q novel method of sending a. message
adopted by some Boer, Dec. 4. A five
FOUNDER shell fired into the town thai
day did not explode. 1t was opened
lows:
Dear Powell Colonel Baden-PowellI
Excuse iron messenger. No means
OF other communication. Please tel
Mrs. -, mother and family all well
Don't drink all the whisky. Leave some
for US when we get in. The sender:
signature was torn off.
Revised lists of British casualties al
the battle of Colenso show that IS,
non-commissioned officers and mer
were killed.
At q meeting OF the corporation to-
day the lord mayor, a. ]. Newton, an
nounced that s25,000 sterling had beer
subscribed by the large Sity firms
which are contributing the money t
Gefray the necessary expenses of 6
force Of 1000 volunteers among the city
corps The lord mayor also said thai
General Lord Wolseley, the command
er-in-chief. had accepted the offer OF
the services of these volunteers.