The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-12-31
BEATEN BY BOERS
British Compelled to Surrender
Post at Helvetia.
Sustain Loss of so Killed and
Wounded 200 Missing.
KIMBERLEY ISOLATED.
Large Parties Roaming at VIII
Over Cape Colony.
Prepared to Concentrate When
DeWet Says the Word.

London, Dec s1.-The war Office has
received the following dispatch from
Pretoria, Dec. 80, 7:5O a. m.-General
Lyttleton reports that our post at Hell
vetia was captured yesterday morning
by the Beers. About fifty were killed
and wounded and 200 taken prisoners.
Colonel Kitchener reports that he is
following with a small force in the track
of the enemy, Helvetia being reoccupied
by Reeves, who has been reinforced
from Belfast.
"Helvetia was a very strong position
ON the Machadodorp-L Lydenberg railway
and was held by a detachment of the
Liverpool regiment. Am asking for fur
ther information.
Commenting upon the Helyetia dis
aster, the Daily Mail calls upon the gov
ernment to send out at least so, 600 ad-
ditiona1 mounted men.
While Lord Kitchener sends bad news
for England on the closing day of the
year, the press continues to take a sur
prIsingly hopeful view of a grave situa-
ton and of revelatio of an enormously
wide field of Boer activity. General De
Wet Is still at large. Kimberley is iSO-
lated. The Beers are in force enough
to have captured a strong position at
Helvetia, in the Lydenberg district,
while, judging from Lord Kitchener's
very recent advices, no progress is being
made against the Boer invaders in Cape
Colony
According to further kilograms re-
besieged, but has provisions sufficient
for five months. The garrison at Ottos-
hoop has been withdrawn to Lichten-
berg.
A dispatch from Carnavon, dated yes
terday, reports that the Beers who have
been threatening that point were driven
Oft and are being pursued
1T is evident" says a belated mes
sage from KrugersdOrp, dated Decem-
Der %, that the Boer commissariat in
the direction of the Magaliesburg is well
?
tween here and the Magaliesburg is
properly cleared of Beers they will con
tinue to concentrate there, the ground
being particularly adapted to their
methods of warfare"
The Beers admit that in their fight
with General Clements at Nooitgedacht
they lost 100 men.
1T is understood that Lord Kitchener
can not ask the colonies officially to. send
troops" says a Durham dispatch. dated
December 29. but he desires it to be
known in Australia and Canada that
Australians and Canadians arriving in
Natal viii be eligible for immediate en-
listment IN the irregular corps which is
proceeding to johannesburg for five
months service"
To emphasize Lord Kitchener's covert
admission that no progress is being
made. against the invasion of Cape
Colony, a correspondent at Burghers-
dorp. wiring Saturday, reports as fol-
lows:
Two fresh commanders are entering
near Knaapdaar. and the arrival of an
other is mOmentarily expected in the
Steynsberg district. The Beers are said
to have no guns or transport, but are
we'll supplied with Lee -Metford rifles
and ammunition. Captured Beers say
that the intention of these commanders
is to roam about and wait until General
De Wet appears upon the scene
All dispatches arriving in London
agree that the Cape Dutch show no in
clination to rise. but on the contrary
appear to be tired of the war and de-
sirOus of peace. Many refuse to suppy
the Beers with food and are willing
to give information to the British re-
garding Boer movements.
Details of the Grevlingstad affair
show that while Colville's column was
pursuing the Beers, a second force of
400 of the enemy was seen moving
toward the camp. where the British
transport was inspanned-
The small British force made a. plucl1y
stand until reinforcements arrived with
artillery, and after a severe fight the
Beers were defeated. The British losses
altogether were nine killed and sixty
three wounded and missing. The Beers
are said to have 81 killed.
Lord Kitchener. wiring from Pretoria, |
Saturday. December %, says:
There is not much change in the situ-
alton in Cape Colony. The eastern
force of the enemy appears to have
broken up in small parties at Utrecht
and to be moving about rapidly in the
same uiSlflCts GN1ue0liy waiting IOT sup
port from the north
'''The last report states that the west
ern force is moving to Carnarvon. De
Lisle and Thornycroft are in close pur-
suit.
French has occupied ventorsdorp
Clements reports that he is opposed on
the road to Rustenburg. The eastern
line was blown up near Pan, and a.
train was held up this morning on the
Standerton line near Vaal station.
Whites column has arrived at Sen
ekal. Knox's column and Boye's bri-
gade are holding De Wet from breaking
south"
IT WAS A SURPRISE
London. Dec. 31.-Genera1 Kitchener |
telegraphing from Pretoria, Sunday,
December 30. says:
''The post at Helvetia was surprised
at 2:30 a. m. the enemy first rushing a
Al gun. At dawn the officer command
ing the post at SWartzkopjes sent out
patrol and shelled the enemy out of
Helvetia making them abandon the gun
temporarily. The Beers however. !
formed our prisoners around the gun
and got away eventually. No ammu-
milton belonging to the gun was cap
tured. The casualties were four officers
wounded. eleven men killed and twenty
two wounded. A column was sent out
from Machadodorp, but owing to bad
roads it failed to arrive in time"