The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1900-01-01

N Cape Colony 0susingths British
- Much ANXIETY.
HoxEeuARDs rosuPpREss rHBx

Colonists BEING Organised, Drilled,
Armed ana Ready TO Act-The Beers
Fortifysns TAeir .PositioAs, Deter
mined to Make . Bold stand. .. ~,
London, Jan. 1.-Dispatches from
Cape Town, dated Dec. 20. say the
colonial authorities are using fevery
precaution to prevent an insurrection
on the part of the disloyal Dutch In
Cape Colony and to suppress rising
II one should occur. Everywhere the
British colonists are being organized
into home guards, drilled, armed and
ready to act in their respective local.
ties, should armed Dutch .col0nials
gather. The theory is that the British
home staying colonials should be fully
prepared to cope with the Dutch cole
malls without the aid Of regulars.
The alertness Of Ee British makes
united action on thNpart Of the pro-
Boer residents difficult. Unable to act
openly, they slip away singly, or In
small groups, to join the enemy's
forces. The authorities have been in
formed of many centers Of agitation,
which 1t Is considered undesirable to
particularize, but there Is nothing like
concerted action apparent over wide
districts. -u
The case of Mr.. Michan, solicitor to
the De Beers company, who is accused
Of treason, acquires increased import
ance, as he has been transferred from
the custody of the civil authorities
here to the military authorities at De
Aar. His high position causes the
Dutch to watch his case keenly.
Parties Of Beers have been operat-
ing some 10 miles south of Lord
Methuen's position. Beers appeared
on Christmas day near the railway,
about 20 miles south of DeAar. A
force of the Duke of Edinburgh's own
volunteers prepared to engage them,
but the enemy retired.
Another party fired into British
patrol camp during the night of We'd
nesday, Dec. u. This was near Vic
toria road. An attempt was made not
far from that point to damage the
railway. One man was caught in the
act and shot. A similar attempt was
made between Multiersolei and Klap-
nuts, but the would-be wreckers es-
capped Like attempts are reported
from several other points.
The following heliograph message
has been received by way Of Weenen
from Ladysmith, dated Dec. q: THE
Beers are actively bombarding the
town. One shell struck the Devonshire
mess tent, killing Captain Dalzel and
wounding seven lieutenants, Dent,
Twiss, Tringham, Caffyn, Byrne, Scale
and Kane"
A later dispatch from Ladysmith by
way of Weenan, dated Dec. 49, says:
All we'll. The Beers have been firing
plugged shells containing plum pud-
ding and the compliments of the sea-
son. They are still fortifying their po-
sitions and are evidently determined
to make firm stand"
A correspondent at Sterkestroom,
telegraphing Dec. 81. says: Captain
Montmorency, of the Twenty-tirst Lam
GERS, with patrol of 100, was recon-
noitering eight miles north of Dord-
recht. He met the Beers at Labus-
chagnes Mex. They opened fire, and
the British replied. The fighting con-
tinued for six hours, when the Beers
received strong achievements. in
Guiding artillery. Captain Montmor-
ency retired and took defensive po-
sition at Dordrecht. The Beers did
not pursue him. 1t is believed that
they retired on their main body.