Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-12-31

Fighting in CoIvilIe's Rear-A
Nasty All Around.
LONDON, December 31.-While Lord
Kitchener sends bad news for England
on the closing day of the year, the
press continues to take a surprisingly
hopeful view of a grave situation and
of revelations of an enormously wide
field of Boer activity.
Gen. DeWet is still at large, Kim
berley is isolated. The Beers are in
force enough to have captured a
strong position at Helvetia, in the Ly-
denburg district, while judging from
Lord Kitchener's very recent advices
no progress is being made against the
Boer invaders in Cape Colony.
According to further kilograms re-
ceived yesterday, Zeerust is practically
b~esieged, but has provisions sufficient
for five months. The garrison at OF
toshoop has been withdrawn to Lich-
tenburg.
A dispatch from Carnarvon dated
yesterday, reports that the Beers, who
have been threatening that point, were
driven off and are being pursued.
ct is evident" says a belated mes
sage from Krugersdorp, dated Deem
Der 23d, that the Boer commissariat
in the direction Of the Magaliesburg is
we'll supplied and that until the coun-
try between here and the Magaliesburg
is properly cleared of Beers they will
continue to concentrate there, the
ground being particularly adapted to
their methods of warfare"
The Beers admit that in their fight
with Gen. Clements at Nooitgedacht
they lost 100 men.
ut is understood that Lord Kitch-
n e cannot ask the colonies officially
to send troops" says a Durbin dis
pitch dated December 10Th, but he
desires it to be known in Australia
and Canada that Australians and Ca
nadians arriving in Natal will be elig-
ible for immediate enlistment in an
irregular corps which is proceeding to
johannesburg for five months SER
vice"
To emphasize Lord Kitchener's cov-
ert admission that no progress is be-
ing made against the invasion of Cape
Colony, a correspondent at Burghers-
dorp, wiring Saturday, reports as fol-
lows:
Two fresh commanders are entering
the colony. One has already crossed
near Knaapdaar, and the arrival of an
other is ~momentarily expected in the
Steynsburg district. The Beers are
said to have two or three horses each,
though in bad condition. They nave no
guns DR. transport, but are well sup
piled with Lee-Metford rifles and am
munition. Captured Beers say that the
intention of these commanders is to
roam about and wait until Gen, De-
Wet appears upon the scene.'
All dispatches arriving in London
agree that the Cape Dutch show no in
clination to rise, but, on the contrary,
appear to be tired Of the war and de-
sirous of peace. Many refuse TO sup
ply the Beers with food and are will
ing to give information to the British
regarding Boer movements.
Details of the Greylingstad affair
show that, while Colyille's column was
pursuing the Beers a second force of
four hundred of the enemy was seen
moving toward the camp where the
British transport was inspanned. The
small British force made a plucky
stand until reinforcements arrived
with artillery and after a severe fight
the Beers were defeated. The British
losses altogether were nine killed and
sixty-three injured and missing. The
Beers are said to have thirty-one kill
ed.
Lord Kitchener wiring from Pretor-
ia Saturday, December 20. says:
There is not much change In the
situation in Cape Colony. The east
ern force Of the enemy appears to have