The record-union., 1899-11-22

LONDON, Nov. -, a. m.-The an
nouncement from Durham that conf
munication with Estcourt is interrupted
seems to confirm the belief that Boer
commando has established itself at
Willow Grange, or near the MOOT River
and has cut the telegraph wires. New
ertheless, whatever definite news the
British commanders may have obtained
from the scouts of the disposition ofsthe
Boer commands in Natal and the con-
dition of the beleaguered garrisons par
ticularly, nothing has been allowed to
develop for the public information
1t is certain that, owing to the heavy
work of debarkation and entraining al
Durham, the preparations for the ao-
vance of the relief force are in nowlse
as advanced as has been supposed This
may also be due to the necessity OF
pushing stores and provisions to the
front in needful quantities before the
troops are sent. On the other hand,
the celebrity with which troops are be-
ing pushed forward from Cape Town
equally tends to show that all sucn
preparations regarding forage and pro
visions were already we'll advanced be =
fore the troops arrived at Cape Town
General Methuen's baggage has ar
rived at De Aar addressed to Lord
Methuen, Pretoria, via Cape Town
The reoccupation of Nauwpoort is
good news for the British. 1t is not
known here from what point the troops
came, but it is presumed they were
from De Aar, in which event it will not
be long before Stormburg also is reoc-
cupied. Nauwpoort commands the gap
in the Kikvorshburg, the last strong
fighting position south of the Orange
River. and was admirably suited for
Boer tactics.
Colonel Roystones dispatch from
Ladysmith finally disposes of all reports
of another great British victory there
last week.
The Duke of Portland has contributed
f10.oO0 for Red Cross Society work in
South Africa
The Times announces that it is
authorized to deny the statement re-
Gently made by French paper that
Prince Louis Napoleon who is Col
onel in the Russian army, desired to
ioin the Beers, and asked Emperor
Nicholas for permission AS a matter
of fact. he never had any such idea.
made public two dispatches from Gen
eral Butler at Cape Town. The hrst
had been received from General Clery,
dated Monday, November 10th, and an
nounced that three privates were
wounded the previous day at Mooi XIV
er. The second was from Colonel
Baden Powell, dated at Mafeking, No
vember 9th, saying:
'All we'll here. We have had few
successful sorties. Our loss is two
officers and seventeen men killed and
four officers and twentynine wound
. ed The enemy's loss is heavy. His
numbers are decreasing but his guns
remain and shell us, keeping out of
the range of our small guns. Have
had no news from the outside since Oc-
tober Goth"
Callers at the United States Embassy
to-day were informed that the United
States was no longer able to forward
messages or send information regard
ing the British prisoners, President
Kruger having refused the request to
allow Consul Macrum to transmit a
list of British prisoners. Though Mr.
Macrum apparently still remains the
nominal agent of Great Britain, he il
still practically deprived of all powers
pertaining to the position
1t is understood that President Kru-
ger objected to Mr.. Macrum on the
ground that the United States claims tc
neutrality were prejudiced by her evil
dent friendship for Great Britain. Al
claims to the British prisoners now &C
through the ordinary military channels
which renders their ultimate delivery
doubtful and certainly slow.
The British Government SO far has
taken no steps to ameliorate the pres
ent condition Of the prisoners. A Gov.