St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1900-12-19
The War In South Africa.


A public farewell was given at Cape
Town Thursday to 1900 Australians
and Canadian troops, who were about
to start for their homes. The mayor
made an address in which he hailed the
colonial troops as h roes of the Empire
Col Richards Of the Canadians said that
the Dominion troops had not been fight
ing solely for South African interests,
but for their own. Gov. Sir Alfred Mil
ner, accompanied by his staff. went to
the docks TO bid the troops farewell. He
thanked the contingents for their ser.
vices, and dwelt upon the fact that their
presence in S Iuth Africa had strength.
ened the bonds Of the Empire.
Disastrous Defeat for the British.
The British forces in South Africa last
week sustained reverses which may be
reckoned as among the most serious OF
the entire war. Lord Kitchener's briei
dispatches of Friday and Saturday tell
the story in a concise way. Fridays dis
pal ches says Clements brought in his
force to Commando Mex unopposed. The
casualties were, | regret to say, heavy:
Killed, five officers and nine OF other
ranks; missing Is officers and 555 of
other ranks These latter were four com
panies OF the Northumberland Fusiliers,
who were stationt on the hill, and some
We )manry and other details sent up to
support them. Names and nature of
wounds are being telegraphed from Cape
Town. Broadwood's brigade took no
part in he engagement. The Beers SUI
Tered severely. Knox drove De Wet north
to the Thaba Nchu-Lady brand line,
which was held by our troops. De Vets
force, about 5000 strong, made several
attempts to get through during the day.
assisted by force OF Beers operating
from the north. These attacks we've
driven back, though some Of the Beers
were able to get through the line. Gen.
Kitchener also reports chat while pass
ing the lines in the neighborhood OF
Thaba Nchu De Vets force lost consider
ably. The South Africa Light Horse
and Thorneycroft' Mounted In antrv
captured 15-pounder, taken at Dewets-
dorp; pompom, several wagons of am
munition, % prisoners and some horses
and mules. part of the enemy has not
been able to pass north. Gen. Kitchener
under date OF December is, reports to
the war Office as follows Clements has
come to see ME. He says the four com.
panies OF the Northumberland held out
on the hill as long as the ammunition
lasted. The Boer force attacking the hill
was 1000 strong, while another force of
1 900 attacked Clements camp. By
$40 the hill was carried. Reinforce
ments of one company Of the Yorkshires
tailed to reach the top. Clements retire.
ment was carried out with regularity;
but as many native drivers bolted con-
siderable amount of transportation was
lost. All the ammunition not taken
away was destroyed. He reports that
all behaved very well. Broadwe has
gone to Ructenburg and supports Oil
phant's Mex, which has been reinforced A
flag OF truce which has Commando Mex
from the Beers says Joubert's son was
killed and reports their losses as heavy.
The N. Y. Tribune's London cores
pondent comments on the affair as fol.
lows
Lord Kitchener has confirmed this
morning the Iears expressed by military
experts las' night The companies of the
N rthum herland Fusiliers and the yeo-
many which were surprised by Delarey
on high ground above Nooitgedacht are
reported missing to the number of 573
officers and men. Their capture by the
Beers is a considerable exploit, which
will prolong host lities, and it is attended
by circumstances implying that the
British camp was off its guard and I'M
expt ctedly attacked, and, moreover, that
Colonel Broadwood's cavalry, on the
northern side OF the mountains, had not
done effective scouting work in prevent
ing the approach of a iormidabl hostile
force. Old soldiers shrugged their shout
ders whtn they read the summary OF
losses, and commented upon the large
proportion of officers in the list of killed
as an indication that the rank and file
had wavered and that it was necessary
for those in command to rally them.
Lord Kitchener's bulletins also contain
closing references to the famous fox
hunt. General De Wet has been followed
by Knox troopers to Thaba Nchu, on
the Lady brand line, and, in spite OF be.
ing hard pressed, constantly harried and
temporarily held up, will probably sue
coed in running the gauntlet and escaping
northward. Part OF his force has gone
through and there is little hope among
military men here that he will be cap
tured without a long and relentless
chase. The failure of this pursuit and
the surprise OF a British camp forty miles
west OF Pretoria are not great reverses
like the defeats of a year ago, but merely
stern reminders that the war has not
ended and that hostlities will continue
as long as the Boer ammunition holds
out. The repeated incursions of Boer
commanders in CT rtain districts convince
some experts that there are secret hiding
places of war material to which they re
turn for fresh supplies of powder and
shot. This course was indicated in a re.
markable pamphlet on the Boer plan of
campaign published year ago, with a
series of other forecasts which have been
fulfilled in detail. These hiding places Of
ammunition will have the effect OF Great.
ing series ofcentres tor Boer operations,
where the British forces will repeatedly
be engaged"