The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1900-01-03

CALCUTTA, Dec. 28.-On reply to a
toast at banquet last night the Nj
Fam Hyderabad, the present Moham-
m dan pOteutate of India, said: my
purse, my army and my sword are ever
ready to defend the British Empire"
The Maharajah Of Gwaiar has request.
ed an appointment on Gen. Lord Rob-
ers' staff in south Africa. He has Of
tered to send a transport with native
troops and horses to fight against the
Beers.
LONDON, Dec. 30 1t is now esti-
mated that the war in South Africa
will cost England at least $500 100000;
II ia suggested hat the sinking fund
OF the national debt be suspended for
five or SIX years, in order to detray the
cost of the war,
During the lull in the military opera
tons III South Africa the papers are
filed with letters and articles CRITICS.
ing the government and the campaign
suggesting remedies, improvements,
alterations in the plans and the like.
The Times complains of needless
censorship and cOncealment." II cites
the fact that nothing has yet tranepired
to show how Gen. Gaiacre came TO lose
Go men at Stormberg.
The heat al Ladysmith is intense On
Christmas day it was 104o in the
shade. There were many cases of en-
terc fever in the town at that time but
not enough to cause alarm. On the
other hand, reports from Boer sources
on the continent assert that typhoid
fever is epidemic in Ladysmith. Cape
Town dispatches complain of the in
adj quacy of the hospital arrangements,
The Beers have converted the hills
near Coleuso into fortresses of inn
mense strength. Everywhere they
have splendid trenches. M my of them
bomb proof. Trsmway lines permit
the shifting of guns with astonishing
rapidity. The main pc itions are con
ueced with the outlying position by
underground passages; aud the forl'
proper bristle with machine guns, tina
command the approaches. Probably
mines are laid.
The discipline of the enemy is rap
idly improving. The trenches repre-
q sent or at manual labor. The way il
which they restrained their fire whel
n the British troops were advancing a
!, Coleuso, is another proof of improve,
sodiery.
g 1T is satisfactory" says the Time
IL editorially this morning, "to learn tina
the Washington government is actin
h with regard to the American cargoe
seized in Delagoa Bay as we shout
.. have wished and expected. 1t is
|. ma ter of course that we shall max
y full reparatiOn, if reparalion is prove
y to be due. In the meantime it may
= noted, as the Americans themselve
admit, that the facts are in consider
- able doubt and that some Of them seer
Il to be rather compromising to the vel
D. sells seized. There will be time enoug
T. to talk Of the law and the policy of tn
70 step when the facts have been author
r. talively ascertained
n LONDON, Dec. 30 Winston Church
Is i'll cab es it is learned At Pretoria thf
=; the Beers think the British are abor
o. to sue for peace. Churchill admire
). the qualities of the bur- hers and sey
for the present style OF warfare on
Boer is worth five British regular
Therefore England must win by owe
"a whemiug masses.
i LONDON, Dec 80 "A despatch jul
= received says the Boer commandant
e Wiser captured two British forts
J. Kuruman, northwest OF Kimberly o
# ID cember 81. Kuruman, which is til
3, capital of the Be huanaland protecto
lie ate has been attacked within six week
but the Iowa garrison succeeded in r
l. pulsing the attack.