The Worthington advance., 1900-12-21
is As cRUSHIN BLOW.



shocked over the ominous report sent
TO the war Office BY Lord Kitchener. It
contains news Of one OF the most crush
ing disasters to. British sarms.s since the
beginning Of the campaign. Coming
10 II does on the anniversary of the Bat.
tie Of Colenso there~are not a few who
express the fear that the hand of, Prov
idence will be against the English in this
conflict. The 9incohe rent and hystericaI
dispatches of Lord Kitchener create
Ethe fear that the situation is much more
farming than the official reports in
Ter. His statement that four companies
ct Northumberland fusileers are miss
ing islgenerally believed to mean that
they have been captured by the Beers.
London, Dec. 17.-Lord Kitchener's
message tosthe waraohRceT is as fol
lows: , VI VIII. u .Sss s*5
Pretoria, Dec. H.-Clements brought in
Theecasualties were. regret to say, heavy:
s-klled, i've officers, and nine Of other
ranks: missing. IS officers and SIS of other
ranks: These latter were four companies
Of the Northumberla land fusileers, who were:
stationed on the hill, and some yeomanry
and other details sent up to support them.
Names and nature of wounds are being
telesraphed from Cape Town. .,.s5 y
"Broadwood's brigade took no part in the
engagement.y The Beers suffered severely.
Knox drove De Wet north to the Thaban-
chu-1 -1aadybrand line, which was held by our
troops, De Vets force, about 5000 strong,
made several attempts to get through DUR
| ing the day, assisted by q, force of Beers
operating from the north. These attacks
were driven back, though some Of the Beers
from the south were able to get through
the line"
Wiring later, December IA, Lord
.K!litchener.sreports that while passing
the lines in neighborhood of Thaban-
chu De Vets force lost considerably.
The South African light horse and
Thorneycroft's mounted infantry cap
tured a 15-pounder, taken at De Vets
dorp, "a pompon, several wagons with
ammunition, 20 prisoners and some
horses and mules. A portion of the
enemy has not been able to pass
north. s.-,.. 49,.
Under date of December 13 Lord
Kitchener reports to the war office from
Pretoria as follows:
elements has come to see me. He says
lands held out on the hill as long as their
ammunition lasted. =. The Boer force at.
tacking the hill was 1000 strong, while an
other force of 1000 attacked. Clements
camp. BY $40 a.. m. the hill was carried
Reenforcements of one company of the
ents retirement was carried out with regu-
larlty, but, as many native drivers bolted.
considerable amount Of transportation
was lost. All their ammunition not taken
away was destroyed. He reports that all
behaved we'll.
supports Oliphant's Mex, which has been
reinforced. flag of truce, which has come
INTO Commando Mex, from the Beers, says
Joubert's son was killed, and further re-
ports their losses as heavy"
Gen. Kitchener's supplementary dis
patch referring to the disaster at. the
Magaliesberg confirms Fridays most
pessimistic fears and demonstrates
that the catastrophe is among the
worst OF the war. The matter was
brought up in the house of commons
Saturday, but the secretary for war,
Mr.. William St. John Brodrick, had no
information to add, except that the
wounded numbered six officers and 45
men.
The London military experts declare
with one voice that the extraordinary
activity of the Beers just now is occa-
stoned by a desire to make strong
showing in the field in, order to assist
President Kruger in his European ne
gotiations. On the other hand, how
ever, there is a growing conviction
that many more soldiers will be needed
in South Africa before the war can be
brought to close. That money and
men will be expended until Great Brit
ain has accomplished her purpose goes
without saying, but it is daily more ap-
parent how utterly weary the nation
is of the inglorious struggle. 4,
Lord Kitchener, it is. feared, will find
that ;21O, 900 men are not enoughto cope
with the difficulties besetting him. He
is said to have peremptorily demanded
that the imperial government dispatch
Immediately every available mounted
man.
London, Dec. 1.-THE following dis
patch has been received by the war
Office from Lord Kitchener:
"Pretoria. Dec. 16.-Five officers and 31e
men, Magaliesberg prisoners, have been re-
leased. ..
'"The Beers surrounded and captured 12o
of Brabant's horse in a defile in the Zastron
district.
"Col. Bomfield. moving on Vryheid, de-
feated the Beers with heavy loss driving
them from scheepers Mex and capturing
q quantity Of arms. The Scheepers Mex
movement occurred December 49,
"The Beers who attacked Vryheid, De-
| Nov atH<~n N~rA S.lYY
fore they retired. The fighting lasted all
day, the enemy drawing off at 7:3o p. m.
The British loss was six killed, 10 wound
ed: and 80 missing! Our casualties include
two officers, who died of their wounds"
Wirin g from 4 Pretoria yesterday
(Sunday), Lord Kitchener, after an
nouncing that the released .Magalies-