The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-02-02

ali Gay yesterday was resumed this
morning. The Beers sent $50 shells
into all parts of Kimberley. There were
several casualties, including a woman
and child. The favOrite target appears
to have been the hospital. a shrapnel
shell exploded close to a hearse which
was proceeding TO the cemetery. and
a shell burst in the cemstery during
the funeral
BRITISH REFUSED NEAR COLES
BERG.
Pretoria. January pa dispatch
from CoIesberg, Cape Colony. says
Commandment De Larey reports that
a large body of British on
Thursday. January 18th, and he at
tackled them, causing the British to re-
tire after suffering severe loss. The
BOer casualties were two men slightly
wounded.
General GrObler reports heavy fight
ing since daybreak, the British in
great force e~ndeavOring to surround
the BOer positions.
General SchOeman has the assist
ance of General Grobler General
SchOeman returned this evening and
reports that the British were repulsed
and that the Beers maintained their
DbolllbIlS- j he bOcE loss was Jour men
slightly and n man severely wound
ed. Tine British loss is not known. but
must be severe. The other Boer forces
are reported quiet.
BRITISH VERSION OF THE BAT
TIE.
RenesbUrg, Cape Colony, Friday.
January 26.-GeneraI French %reconnoi-
tered yesterday beyond Bustard's mex
with a force of hussars, Inniskillings,
four guns of the Royal artillery,
mounted infantry. the Yorkshire. the
Wiltshire and a portion of the Essex
regiments.
Turning TO the northwest. he APP
preached the BOer position at Reitfon-
tein, nine miles beyond C~Olesberg on
the wagon bridge road, which the en-
envy have been f%Ortifying with a view
of falling back when they e~vacuate
CClesberg.
Cautiously approaching, General
French shelled the enemy, who replied
with artillery and infantry fire. The
British. who were well protected. suf-
fered very little. An officer and nine
men We're wounded. one of the latter
of whom has since died. and three men
are missing.
As the Beers were found in great
force, confirming the reported rein
fOrcement and in a strong position,
General French discontinued the at
tack ana returned 10 camp.
LOurenzO Marques, Monday, January
Especial dispatches from Pretoria,
dated Thursday, January 25th, pOr
that a collision occurred at Crocodile
pool between BOer ~OutpOStS and the
British who were in overwhelming
force. The burghers at first retired,
but on being reinforced, drove the
British from their position. The Beers
= I'D two wounded.
BOER SHELL FACTORY DESTROY
ED.
London. January 3O.-A special dis
UpatCh from Durham says a refugee
who has arrived there from
johannesburg reports the destruction
of the Boer shell factory at that place
on January Goth. The loss it is added,
is ~irreparable.
DANGER TO BULLER'S LINE OF
COMMUNICATION.
New York. January 20.-A london
Dispatch to The evening World today
says: Buffers danger is now forcing
itself on the military experts. The COM
mittee OF national defense has already
taken it up and is gravely consider
ing it. Lord Roberts himself has COM
municated his anxiety, it is said. He
has. it is reported. cabled the commit
tee that unless Butler and his forces
arrive safely from their present posi-
IlOIs - TIE SOuln Vi NilS LttltS uScId
river, they will be in imminent danger
of having their communication cut.
Lord Roberts has pointed out that Bull
Ter has with him an immense transport
train, carrying his ammunition and
supplies This interferes with the
mobility of his army.
Buffers main force is now about
twenty-one miles from it's base at
FFere and Chivelrey. It is between the
Big Tugela river over which it has re-
treated, and the Little Tugela river,
over which it has to retreat in order
to begin the march to its base. That
part of 1T comprising Lyttleton's bril-
gade may still be On the north side Of
the Tugela at Potgieter's drift, though
it is generally believed that it. too, has
retreated over the liver.
1t wiil take days for Buffers army to
get back to its base. Meantime the
Beers are in force at Colenso, only a
few miles away from that base. Last
Tuesday they crossed the river there
and made a reconnaissance of the Brit
iSh CJmp, evidently with a view of as
c~ertaining the strength of the force
which Butler left behind TO guard his
base of communications. The party
that crossed came in contact with Bull
Ier'S rear guard and killed several Of
the British. That reconnaissance indi-
Gated a purpose on the part of the
Beers 10 cut Buffers communications
off. they hurl an Overwhelming
force over the Tugela and crush the
British ait Chievelrey they would have
Butler in a trap.
CONCENTRATING FOR ADVANCE
ON BLOEMFONTEIN.
London, January 30.-A dispatch to-
day confirms the report that General
Kelly-Kenny, commanding the Sixth
division. has occupied ThebuS, about
midway between General French at
Renesburg and General Gatacre at
Sterkstroom. From this 1T is deducted
that a juncture of the three forces is
being made preparatory 10 the begin
ming of the plan of advance on Bloem-
fOntein.
LYTTLETON STILL NORTH OF
TUGELA.
The Associated Press learns that
General L~ytt1eton's brigade is still IN
it's original position lat Potgeiter
drift, showing that part of General
Buffers forces are still north of the