The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-12-20
INVASION OF
CAPE COLONY.
Beers Carry the War Into the
Enemy's Country.
Cross the Orange River at
Various Points.
FOLLOWED CLOSELY.
Lord Kitchener Cables That He
is After Them.
Heavy Cannonading Heard in
Direction of Krugersdorp.

Cape Colony is spreading. 1t is report
ed that the Beers have occupied Coles
burg, south of Phillippolis and near the
Orange River colony frontier. The peo-
pie here are much disturbed. A mixed
force of one thousand men was dis
patched north yesterday evening.
KITCHENER AFTER THEM.
London, Dec 20-The following dis
patch has been received from General
Kitchener, dated Pretoria, Wednesday,
December 10:
"A party of Beers. estimated at from
500 to 800, has crossed the Orange river
at Rhenoster Hook.
"a second band is reported to have
crossed near Sand Drift
'sThey have been followed. have sent
a considerable body of mounted men,
who are getting around them
'HThe Beers from Rhenoster Hoek are
being followed closely from Venter-
stadt, which they left at o'clock yes
terday evening, going in the direction
of Steinburg. The important points on
the railway and the neighborhOod are
well guarded. 1 hope the band wilr soon
be driven north again
A special from Johannesburg, dated
December 19, says that heavy cannon
aiding was heard the morning of that
date north of Krugersdorp.
The British losses at Nooitgedacht,
50 killed and wounded with A missing
and still unaccounted for.
KRUGER MEETING AT AMSTER-
DAM.
Amsterdam, Dec. 20.-Mr. Kruger at
tended a crowded meeting today in the
Nieuwe Kerk. The speakers declared
Great Britain had sold her birthr1ght
for a handful of gold and that the con-
tinentaI powers would forever bear the
brand Of Cain unless they interviewed in
South Africa
Subsequently Mr.. Kruger repaired to
the palace of industry where 5000 school
boys welcomed him with a choral
HORSES INSTEAD OF MEN.
New York, Dec. 2O-A dispatch to the
Tribune from London says:
There are persistent rumorS that Gen.
Kitchener has asked for large reinforce
ments of mounted men, Various figures,
ranging from 10000 to 10000 men, are
named, but the war office is silent, and
the reports are not credited by military
men. No action in the direction OF
strengthening the army in South Africa
is probable until Lord Roberts return.
If reinforcementS are sent it is not te-
ieved that they will exceed ten thousand
men, A picked body of mounted infant
ry already is under orders to sail early
in January, but it will not outrun one
thousand men. The supply of horses is
reported to be scant in South Africa.
Some experts consider that there are
men enough already in the field, and
that the proper course would be to send
horses by thousands and put in the sad
die the infantry now suffering from IN
action and weariness of camp routine.
Attempts on the part of press agencies
to magnify the services of mounted in
fantry under Clements and explain away
the recent reverse are not convincing.
The structures of veteran officers here
upon the management of the British
forces in that engagement are most Sc
we're.
Lord Kitchener maintains silence with
respect to the invasion of Cape Colony,
and there is bound to be considerable
anxiety until the truth is known. 1t is
difficult to believe that the Beers who
crossed the Orange river can be in suiii
cient numbers to frighten the war office
authorities, or to cause General Kftch-
ener much annoyance. One of the COM
mandoes is, however, reported to be n
the neighborhood of A1iwalnorth, which
is about the worst center of disaffection
in the whole colony. The invading Beers
are probably receiving considerable as
Sistance from the local Dutch, and in
case of a. general uprising, the troops a
the disposal of the British authorities
would not be sufficient to cope with the
situation, which private advices depics
as somewhat ominous-
Delarey seems disposed to follow up his
success at Nooitgedacht. Hitherto the
Boer generals have been content to rest
on their oars after a victory, but Delarey.
General Clement, should not have given
the latter time to be Joined by General
losses of the Northumberland F'usiliers at
Nooitgedacht a week ago were much
heavier than official accounts at first re-
ported. Owing to the altered arrange
ments for Lord Roberts return and the
short route in London which the field
marshal will cover in his drive to Buck
ingham palace, it is feared by a good
many people that the crush viii be very
great. The authorities are. however, de-
termined to prevent a repetition of the
scandalous scenes which marked the re-
turn of the city volunteers.
Society gossip now proposes to reward
Lord Roberts with an earldom and R50-
000
St PauIs was well filed at the service
in memory of the soldiers and sailors who
have fallen during the war The lord
mayor and sheriffS attended in state and
there were files of Coldstreams and Blues
with a full military band Lord Wolseley
and Mr.. Brodick represented headquarters
and the war office. The service was i'm
presSive. with funeral marches and dirges
r2c.atI KLncr