Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1900-01-04
THE BOER WAR.
Sickness Appears Among The Horses
of Both Armies-RuIIer Destroys a
BrIdge-SeveraI SkirmIshcs Are Re-

issuing lists of further deaths and
wounds, as well as accounts of sick
ness. The most serious report of the
last class is that horse sickness has
broken out in both British and Boer
camps in Natal.
Four hundred British cavalry horses,
it is said, have already been shot,
owing to the occurrence of glanderS.
The disease is likely to spread with
much greater rapidity among the Brit
ish horses than among the hardy Boer
ponies and this may mean a considera-
bic prolongation of the campaign.
A dispatch from Chieveley, dated De-
cember 10, says: 1.-THE British naval
guns have destroyed the Colenso foot
bridge, thus preventing the Beers
holding any position south of Tugela
river. The enemy are taking up fresh
positions on the eastern side, nearer
the British camp. The British posi-
tion at Freere is being strengthened.
The Tugela river is rising and there is
prospect of Il heavy rain. two
hour bonn bardment of Ladysmith has
been heard from here. According to
reliable native reports the Beers had
200 killed in the fight at Colenso."
London. Dec. 2T.-Dispatches from
South Africa are still greatly delayed,
but they are arriving more freely,
which shows that the censorship has
| been relaxed.
The Cape Town correspondent of the
News, telegraphing December 20, says:
''Gen. Methuen intends to remain at
Modder river about three weeks longer.
"a
are 5000 European officers and men
skilled in modern military tactics, par
ticularly artillery, now in Pretoria as
| a reserve"
| A dispatch to the News from Lady
smith, dated December 25, by hello
graph, says: another sortie last
night. Gen. Hunter, with 500 men, de-
stroyed one siX-inch gun, one howitzer
and one Maxim. One Briton killed.
| The Boer gunners fled"
London, Dec. 2S.--Winston ChurchilPs
new arrival at Chieveley camp is per-
haps responsible for some over-coloring
Of the gravity of the situation, but all
to-days news conveys the impression
that Butler may be intending another
attack upon the Boer position. Ger
tainly the Beers are not inactive. At
both Modder river and Tugela they
are said to be strengthening their
forces and extending defense works,
which in both cases are seemingly
| almost impregnable. AS showing the
difficulty of obtaining accurate infor-
nation a correspondent of the News
Mt Capetown, under date of December
| 21. announces that "Gen. Butler is
coming to Capetown to meet Gen.
Warren and then both will go to Mod
der river"
The Beers continue fortifying the
hills Gen. White, however, hello
graphs that all was well in Ladysmith
on December 26. Competent military
critics in London regard the campaign
as at complete deadlock for the pres
ent, owing to the dispersal of the Brit
ish forces and the lack of adequate
transport. They believe it will be
many weeks before Gen. Roberts is
able to reorganize and make an effec
tive movement.
Ladysmith had a busy morning
Monday shelling the Boer position on
Umbulwana mountain. The bursting
shells were plainly visible at Chievely.
Our scouts having reported Beers in
force on this side of the Tugela river
three regiments of regulars, supported
by artillery and all the available
mounted volunteers, under the COM
mand of Lord Dundonald, advanced
The Beers retired across the river
The British captured 500 cattle.
London, Dec. 29.-During a lull in
the military operations in South Africa
the papers are filled with letters and
articles criticiZing the government and
the campaign and suggesting RENE
dies, improvements, alterations in the
plans and the like.
The Transvaal government, accord
ing to information supplied by Boer
sympathizers, threatens to ''reduce the
rations of British prisoners if England
stops the entry of food into Delagoa
bay.
The British government now evinces
a marked change from it's attitude in
the early stages of the war and shows
disposition to accept assistance from
any quarter. The yeomanry committee
has issued a statement to the effect
that the government considers the
formation and dispatch of yeomanry
as one of the most pressing needs of
the situation and has intimated that
it is now prepared tc accept from 5000
to 1000 yeomanry, instead of the 5000
originally asked for. 1t is expected
that the first contingent of 1,0o0 will
sail about the middle of January
Chieveley Camp, Natal, Dec. ga
heavy Boer gun on Bulwhana hill fired
steadily on Ladysmith all Wednesday
morning. Ladysmith did not respond.
The enemy having been again de-
tected attempting to improve its
trenches facing Gen. Butler, the
British heavy guns opened upon them
and the Beers scampered back into the
hills.
The British patrol sighted the enemy
in force on the extreme left. Nine
Beers were killed in sllirmish that