The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-01-12
IN SOUTH AFRICA AS SUMMED UP BY
THE LONDON STANDARD.
NOT ENCOURAGING TO BRITISH
After Three Months ofNyar, With I2O,-
600 Soldiers Further from the Hostile
Territory Than Mt the Beginning.
Severe Criticism OF the War Office.
No News from Ladysnnith Beyond
Statement as to Beer rCzsuaItiss-Gen-

LONDON, January 1.-THE following
dispatch. dated Frere camp, January
10th, noon, has been received by the
war office from General Butler:
"A Trapsvaal telegram gives the en-
emy's loss at Ladysmith on Saturday
as four killed and fifteen wounded, and'
this after. it is admitted, they had en-
dured a wi1hering fire from six mask
ed batteries and been defeated at all
points. Natives here assert that the
Boer loss in one commando alone was
$50 killed and wagon-loads of wounded
The heaviest loss is said to have been
among the Free Staters, who were
forced by the Transvaalers into the
most dangerous places
This cusious dispatch is all that the
war office has issued tonight. 1t makes
not the slightest mention of the posi-
5ion or doings of the British forces. 1t
may be interpreted ITO mean that Lady
smith is safe but it is more likely in
tended 10 prepare the British public
fOr a terrible list of casualties.
FIRING ON LADYSMITF
London, January 10.-A dispatch to
January Sth, at noon, from Frere
camp, says: Firing from the Boer po-
sitiOns around Ladysmith began early
today. 1t still continues, but the can
nOnading is light and irregular. =.
London, January 1.-THE Daily Mail
has the following dispatch dated jan
uary Sth from Frere camp: with the
eXcept.4n of the usual shelling of the
Boer positions by the naval "guns, the
British forces remain inactive. Eight
Boer camps were seem today by a
patrol along the Tugela in a westerly
direction. All were quiet. Natives say
that when the British Eeconnoitered
near COlenso on Saturday the Beers
hurried from Springfield, This sup
ports rtAe belief that Colenso was
weakened TO attack Ladysmith.'
THE FREESTATERS RUT TO THE
FRONT.
The Standard has received the fol-
lowing DATED January Sth from it's spe-
cial correspondent at Frere camp: Il
hear, on good authority, that President
Kruger sent word to the Boer head
quarters asking why Ladysmith had
not been ATTACKED, and that the reply
was: We should lose too many men,
His answer to this excuse was the
suggestion that the Free Staters might
be put in the forefront. The hint was
taken and the attack delivered.
President Krugers advice was so
far good that the Free Staters behaved
better than the TranSvaalerS have
done. At all events, they managed to
seize n hill. Later in the day the
Transvaalers retired before General
Whites counter attack. amid the jeers
Of the Free Staters, who actually
stuck to their position until after they
were bayoneted in the ditch. After this
affair 1t is almost certain that the allies
will quarrel
"A heavy gun mounted on Umbul-
wanna hill has been firing since day
break. Evidently the siege of Lady
smith is still maintained.
LORD ROBERTS ARRIVES
London. January 11.-4 a. m.-Dur-
ing the interlude of apparent military
Roberts and Lord Kitchener have ar
rived at seat of war. 1t is assumed
here their clearer vision, supported by
53, 900 fresh men who are due to arrive
in South Africa within thirty days, will
alter the situation and that the fourth
month of the campaign will witness
the beginning of victories for the Brit
ish arms. Their presence will restore
the shaken confidence OF the men at
the front in their generals.
Lord Roberts finds 100000 men on
the defensive or watching for an open
ing. Lord Methuen's health, according
to The Daily MAJ las broken down."
and the field mt -sl may believe him.
Possibly some others will be relieved
Of important commands. In addition to
the field marshal there are in South
Africa two full generals four lieuten
ant generals and twelve or fourteen
major generals.
There is a suspicion that when the
Ladysmith casualties are announced
9 l. =.
partially destroy the patriotic glow
produced by General Whites "vistory."
The list of victims Of disease issued
by the war office gives twenty-five
deaths from enitric fever and dySentery
in Ladysmidh in four days, relieving
the fact that the beseige are existing
amid bad sanitary conditions.
THE GENERAL SITUATION.
The Standard summarizes the gener-
al situation thus: well, the campaign
has lasted three months. We have
something like 100000 troops in South
Africa With this huge army distribu-
ted over the country we are still pow
erless to relieve three garrisons from
investment We have still to see large
portions of both colonies in the hands
Of the enemy
1--WE have driven tihe invaders back
at no single point We are actually
1urIner from sne noSlift IToHlIeis tudn
We were on the day that the ultimatum
was delivered. The work which min
listers believed could be effectually
performed with %, 900 men, has not
been done, has not even been begun,
by four or five times that number.
Can any one fail to admit that this is
evidence of a grave miscalculation OF
forces and facts?''
The war office has authorized a Spe-
cial yeOmaIry CORDS Every trooper
Joining will pay for his own kit. and
mount, for transport and for all other
expenses until his arrival in South
Africa, and will then give his ser
vices to his country and pay for the
Yrivileee into the fund for widows and