New-York tribune., 1900-12-30
THE LINGERING BoER WAR
LITTLE PROGRESS MADE RECENTLY nv
EITHER SIDE.
SIR DAVID BARBoUR's MISSION TO SOUTH
AFRIcA-A CLOUD OVER RAPID
TRANSIT PROBLEMS

toopyrisht' 1900; BY The New-York Tribune
TBT CABLE THE TRIBuNEl
London. Dec. 80. a. m-The Fsoer onerat,ors
disclosed in the latest dispatches indicate a de.
liberste but unsuccessful attempt to break the
British lines Of communication The raid across
the Orange River has been a failure The hands
Of guerillas have been headed off and are re-
tiring. The Dutch sympathizers in Cane Col
ony may be ready to offer political assistance
but they VIII not fight The Beers. having failed
10 shift the scene Of military operations south
ward, are resuming their harassing tactics
along the railways leading from Natal and
through the Orange River Colony. Skirmtshing
is constant, but no advantage is gained Brief
summaries Of these petty fights show that there
is a daily casualty list on the British side and
this is enlarged by mortality from fever end
various diseases. When the lines are kept by
army of over 100000 men, the accounts of
these operations gloomy reading for a nation
weary Of war and anxious for the restora-
ton OF peace. but II is inaccurate 10 represent
the British army as acting on the defensive and
barely holding it's ground. II would be more
correct 10 assert that there is no real progress
either side. Old soldiers who keep watch Of
what is going say that Lord Kitchener is
doing as well as could be expected: that he is
gradually wearing out the Beers: that De Wet
VIII be run down sooner or later, and that the
ammunition give out. They do not expect i'm
portanL results from the establishment Of
Government laagers for the protection of the
burghers and their families who are willing to
surrender. The Dutch women are more bitter
than the burghers themselves, and are unwilling
10 live in laagers under the British flag
Sir David Barbour, who started yesterday for
South Africa a special mission for the in
vestigation of the financial resources Of the
Dutch territories. has been comforting with Mr..
Chamberlain and obtaining his ideas many
questions relating TO mines. railways and other
properties. While his main work as a financial
expert has been done in India, he has studied
the resources Of other parts of the Empire. He
was member of the commission which recently
visited the British West Indies to report on the
economic needs of that group OF colonies. but
rejected Sir Henry Norman's comprehensive
proposals for the revival of the cane sugar in
dustry by means Of duties equal to foreign
bounties. and joined Sir Edward Gray in recon-
mending various peddling devices and petty
doies.
Sir Henry Colvile has gone into the country
from Plymouth TO consult with friends over
Sunday. and VIII not visit the War Office for
several days
Lord William Beresford's death is greatly re-
g5etted by a large circle of friends In social
military and turf circles. in his prime he was
one Of the best horsemen in the hunting field
or the army and won the Victoria Cross through
his skill and daring rider. His career on
the turf, although short, had been highly sue
cessful his winnings having been due in a large
measure TO the employment Of American jockeys.
trainers and horses. His heir is a boy nearly
four years old, With American blood.
The stock market unusually depressed
yesterday, and thirteen defaults were announced
on the Stock Exchange. These financial embar-
rsssments were due in large part to the depres-
sion Of the London and Globe group Of stocks
Large advances made for the construction OF
one Of the underground electric railways have
been one Of the principal causes Of the disturb
snce. The difficulty of raising money for these
transit enterprises is increasing, and the Yerkes
syndicate may easily enlarge its undertakings
by purchasing unfinished lines. The cost Of
financing as well as constructing these deep
level railways has become serious obstacle to
the development Of the transit system, upon
which the comfort and prosperity of Londoners
are dependent. n. z.