Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1900-12-20
TRAlSvAAL WAR ITEMS.

The release OF prisoners and other
incidents eported by Gen. Kitchener
fail to reasure the public in England.
The last plase Of the campaign is re-
markable for the miscalculations on
the British side, and excites many out
bursts of cndor. The staying power
Of the Bers has been underesti-
mated, ane their preparations for con-
tinuing hottie operations in the ex-
tremity of lheir fortunes by means of
buried stors of ammunition have not
been talxeI into account There has
been futile discussion for months on
the requirements Of police work and
fox hunting and suddenly Nicholson
Mex has ben reproduced within 40
miles of Pretoria, with an isolated
command surrounded and forced to
surrender sfter its ammunition had
been exhausted, and with the main
body retiring without making an eff
fective effort to retrieve the disaster.
The following dispatch from Lord
Kitchener, dated Dec. Is, has been re-
ceived: Five officers and 3l6 men,
MagaliesbeT prisoners, have been re-
leased. The Beers surrounded and
captured 100 of Brabant's Horse in a
defile in the Zastron district. Col.
Bloomfield, moving on Vryheid, de-
feated the Beers with heavy loss, driv-
ing them from Scheeper's mex and cap
turing quantity of arms The
Scheeper's mex movement occurred
December 10, The Beers who attacked
Vryheld December 10 lost 100 killed
and wounded before they retired. The
fighting lasted all day. The British
loss was killed, 10 wounded and 80
missing. Our casualties include two
officers who died from their wounds.
In the London house of commons on
the 18th Sir Robert 7. Reid, Q. c.,
liberal, painted gloomy picture of the
conditions in South Africa. He said
that after IA months of war, costing
$3.50, 900, 900, anarchy was prevalent
and famine threatened, together with
a colonial rising An attempt to place
the colonies under military rule, he
said, would imperil the very existence
of the empire. All ideas of uncon.
ditional surrender should be discarded.
According to the Lokal Anzeiger so
Cape Colony Beers, now in Amsterdam
with their families, have been granted
permission to settle in German South
west Africa, the German government
having just assented to the purchase
of lands by them in Damaraland and
Great Namaquin Land. The Beers
will leave Amsterdam jar. s.
A dispatch from Lord Kitchener
dated the 18th reports that after severe
fighting which took place at Nooitge-
dacht, Gen. Clements forces were
compelled to retire by Commandment
Delarey, with force of $500 men.
Four British officers we're killed. The
other casualties were not reported.
The following was received from
Lord Kitchener, dated Pretoria, Dec.
~: Gen. Knox reports from Heivetia
that he is engaged in running fight
with Gen. De Wet and that the enemy
is moving toward Rediersburg, where
there is column ready to cooperate
with them.
Barberton on the 18th, killing three
British soldiers, wounded five and cap
tured 10. The prisoners have since
been released.
The Dutch government of Holland
on the 18th finally and definitly refused
to take the initiative in behalf of
arbitration beween the Transvaal and
Britain.
Up to date there has been Is, 625 cases
of typhoid fever among the British
troops in South Africa, of which mum
Der 3,642 proved fatal.
Field Marshal Lord Roberts, with his
wife and daughters, sailed for England
from Cape Town on the Canada
on the 18th.
Sir Alfred Miner has been gazetted
administrator of the Orange River
colony and the Transvaal
1t is reported that President Steyn
will soon ro IN Eurona In saal. Of aid