The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-01-02
cerned, the situation is virtually un-

defense. Gen. Buffers scouts have dis
covered a, Boer camp established in the
vicinity of Springfield, southwest of
Colenso, by a Free State commando. A
similar movement has been made at
Modder river.
ANOTHER BRITISH VICTORY.
London, Jan 2-The war office has
received the following from Cape Town
under today's date:
Colonel Pitcher reports through the
officer commanding at the Orange river:
81 have completely defeated a hostile
command at the Sunnyside laager this
day, January l, taking the lager and
forty prisoners besides the killed and
Yates killed and Lieutenant Adie
wounded Am encamped at Dover
farm. twenty miles northwest of Bel
mont and ten miles from Sunnyside.
A large force of Beers, it is reported,
has formed a new laager about fifteen
miles down the stream at kameelhoek.
Heliograph reports from Ladysmith
show. that all was well on December 81.
The bomhardment was being continued,
but its intensity had relaxed An Off
cial dispatch from Ladysmith confirms
the report, cabled yesterday, that sew
eral of the DevonShire regiment were
severely wounded by the explosion of a
Boer she'll in the mess tent.
A new armored train has reached
General Butler from Durham.
A Cape Town dispatch says that an
exchange of prisoners is under consider
alton.
The entire Seventh division will have
sailed from England by January IL.
Lord Wolseley, replying to a CORE
spondent who had asked for information
regarding the British artillery, wrote:
Our field artillery is at least as good
as any field artillery in Europe"
A British firm, according to the Daily
News, after keen competition with sew
eral American firms, has secured the
government contract for the new seven
span bridge over the Tugela river at
Colenso The firm is working night and
day to complete the order.
1t is said that John Churchill, young
brother of Winston Churchill, Wilt ac-
company the Duke of Marlborough to
the seat of war.
The Lisbon correspondent of the
1T is currently reported that the
speech of King Carlos in the Cortes to-
morrow CTuesday) will refer at some
length to the situation in South Africa,
but it is doubtful whether anything will
be said more friendly to England than
to the Transvaal.
1.-THE public is with the Beers and the
papers generally fear British designs
upon Delagoa Bay. The Portuguese
government asserts that it has done
everything to preserve neutrality"
HOW FRENCH DID IT.
London, Jan. 2.-The success of Gen.
French's column is at length confirmed
officially, the war Office this afternoon
issuing from Cape Town, Monday, jan
uary l as follows: French reports at
2 D. m. today from Coleskop, by hello
graph as follows:
Leaving at Rensburg, holding the en-
emy in front, half of the first Suffolks
and section of the Royal Horse artil-
lery. I started thence at in the after
noon, December 81, taking with me five
squadrons of cavalry, half of the second
Berks and so mounted infantry, infantry
carried in wagons a. Ss7 en- guns halt
ed for four hours a. Maidor's farm and
at $3.50 this morning occupied the Kopje
overlooking and westward Of Coles
burg. The enemy's OutpOsts were taken
completely by surprise. At daylight we
shelled the lager and enfiladed the
right of the eneIny's position. The ar
tillery fire in reply was from a 15-
pounder, using Royal Laboratory pow
der and other guns. We silenced the
guns of the enemy's right flank, demon
strating with cavalry and guns to the
north of Colesburg, towards the juno
ton, where a strong laager of the enc
my was holding a hill, and a position
southeast of Colesburg as far as the
junction Our position cuts the line of
retreat via the road and bridge. Some
thousands of Beers with two guns are
reported to be retiring towards Norvals-
pont.
All Remington's scouts proceeded
toward Achterland yesterday morning.
Slight casualties. about three killed and
few wounded.
Details later.
Brief independent messages from
Rensburg filed the evening of January
1, supplement Gen. French'S dispatch
but slightly. According to them the
British were still shelling the Boer po-
sitlon at 5 o'clock Monday evening and
expected to enter Colesburg today.
The British losses were one man kill
ed and seven wounded. No officers were
killed or wounded.
The Beers are supposed to have suf-
fered heavily from the accuracy of the
British artillery fire Gen. French's
statement that the Beers were using a
15-pOunder and WoOlWich ammunition,
evidently refers to one of the ground
guns captured at Stormburg. The Brit
ish strength in the engagement with
Gen. French was estimated at from s.,
900 to 1000 men.
PROUD OF FRENCH.
New York, Dec. "A dispatch to the
Tribune from London, says:
In advance of the arrival of Lord
Roberts and the concentration of the
sixth and seventh divisions for a march
upon Spring gfientein, the most import
ant strategic point in the Orange re-
public, General F'rench's occupation of
Colesborg is a distinct gain for the
British cause. Even if it was brought
about cheaply and without a pitched
battle, it is also of the highest value as
an object lesson Of what British gen.
erals can do when they go about it in
the right way, and with a mobile force
adapted for operating against mounted
infantry
General Gatacre attempted to surprise
the enemy at Stormberg Dy a night
march, but was entrapped in ambus-
cade because he did not have a mobile
force capable of good scouting. General
French attempted this same tactics
with a mounted force, and succeeded in
entrapping his willy enemy, who had fall
len back from one intrenchment posi-
ton only to be surprised at daybreak
on the second line. Since the week of
disaster, military croakers have been
calling loudly for some heaven-born
general who would point the way to
Bloemfontein and Pretoria. General
French's success in ut-nanoeuvering
the enemy is proof that supernatural
powers are not required for this cam
paign, but mobile forces led by generals
who know how TO direct them with
wary skill.
l.