Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-12-07
FROM THE FRONT
The Beers Are Still Full of Fight
and Getting Ready for An
other Battle.
KIMBERLY MAY BE TAKEN
The Siege of Ladysmith Has Not Yet Been
Raised and Kimberly Is Still Sur
rounded By the Transvaal and
Free Staters.


has received the following message
from General Forestier Walker, the
British commander at Cape Town:
Cape Town, December 6.-Genera
Methuen wires to-day that he resumed
command, and is nightly in communica-
troops is excellent"
Pretoria, December 7.-Official dis
patches received from the different Boel
forces say all is quiet except at Kimber-
ly, where an armored train made sor-
tie this morning. The Orange Free
State has proclaimed the annexation OF
Dordrecht, about fifty miles north OF
Queenstown, Cape Colony.
Tugela bridge, it is announced, is 50
completely ruined that it will be a work
of great magnitude for either belliger-
emit to restore it. The British fired on
some scouts south Of Tugela this morn
ing There We're no casualties. A news
paper correspondent named Lynch, who
entered the Boer lines at Ladysmith
Monday with the alleged purpose Of eX-
changing newspapers, has been made a
prisoner, and will be brought to Pre-
toria
London, December IA story was
current at Durham Tuesday that the
Beers made their final effort to capture
Ladysmith December 4, were defeated
and retreated. AS the story was brought
by runners, it should be received with a
reservation.
Dispatches from Frere camp partial
ly confirm the retirement Of the Free
State burghers from the vicinity of
Ladysmith, but do not indicate that the
retreat was the result of defeat on the
previous day, while the same dispatch
says the Boer guns are still active. 1t is
also pointed out that all suggestions Of
weakening refer to the Free Staters.
Apparently the Transvaal Beers are
still full of fight, though it is reiterated
they are short of supplies.
Perhaps the explanation of the retire
ment of the burghers from Natal can be
found in a dispatch from the Modder
river December 3, saying a strong Boer
force, estimated at 5000, is re-enforcing
General Cronje from Natal. The same
dispatch says everything indicates that
Il great engagement will be fought at
Spytfontein. The Beers are massing on
the hills there, vigorously building
stone defenses and digging rifle pits in
every direction. The Beers redoubts
on the Lazeretto ridge, west of Kimber-
ly, are also being extended and
strengthened, showing that the rumors
OF the intentions Of the Beers to aban-
don the attempt to stem General Me
thuen's advance are unfounded. The
British shifted their camp few hun
dred yards away from the battle field,
and are settling down for work. There
are cases of fever among the troops,
Much depends on General Gatacre's ad-
vance. There is undoubtedly a large
concentration of Beers ahead of General
Methuen. Practically the whole of their
Mafeking forces have joined the Kim
berly besiegers.
An official account Of the sortie at
Kimberly, November %, when the Brit
ish casualties as cabled yesterday oc-
cured, says: "The British demonstrate
ed toward the Wimbledon rifle range
The enemy's guns were positioned from
the ridge at Spitzkop to the Wimbledon
siding. Major Scott Turner, with
mounted troops, attacked the enemys s
right flank, capturing the laager and
redoubt made stubborn resistance
when Major Scott Turner was killed
The British captured many shells and
destroyed other stores.
The same dispatch gives reports from
Colonel Kekewich, showing that the
Beers are increasing in numbers around
Kimberly. The Boer advance in the
northwestern part Of Cape Colony Is be-
coming remarkable Local farmers are
focking to the Boer laagers. The an
nexation of British territory proceeds
daily.
The war office has been notified that
the British had Ave killed and twenty.
five wounded in sortie from Kimberly
November 25 including three colonia
officers
A special dispatch from Lorenzo
Marques says President Kruger is pre-
vented going to the front by the objec
tions Of members of the executive coun
cll Mrs. Kruger Is i'll.
London, Dec. "A rumor on the stool
exchange here today that Ladysmitl
had been relieved caused lively bidding
for South African securities.