The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-01-09
B0ER ~F0RTIFICATI0NS
so EXTENDED AS TO MAKE THANKING
ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE.
SEVERAL SMALL ENGAGEMENTS.
The Boer Forces Driven From Two
Positions Their Trenches Shelled.
Ineffective Long-Range Firing-Dr.
Jameson and Cecil Rhodes Brother
Escape From Ladysmith The British
DougIas-Mint at Pretoria
Coming Gold S~overeiens-

Coming Gold Sovereigns.
SterkstrOom. January General
Gatacre today met the invading force
at C~yphergat, near the British advance
camp at Bushmanshoek. The Beers
retired hurriedly shortly after the Brit
ish artillery opened fire. The enemy
occupied Molteno and C~yphergat today,
but the latter place is now reoccupied
by us.
London, January Further details
Of the fighting between General Gatacre
and the Beers at Cyphergat today
shows that 5000 Boers, with artillery,
attacked a British outpost between
Cyphergat and Notice Cs1e-cc Ca
tacre, with mounted troops and field
artillery, moved out in front of Sterk-
sIroom and found the Beers strongly
posted at Coperberg, whence they
were quickly d~islodged, the Beers flee
ing in the direction of Stormberg. The
Beers used the British guns captured
December 10th and shot well, but the
British kept under cover and there
were no casualties on their side.
IN GATACRE'S DISTRICT.
The war office has received a report
from Cape Town dated Wednesday,
january 3rd, reporting the situation
in General Gatacre's district, 1t says:
"Dordrecht is now u by
Montmorency, who occupies Bord's
siding on the Indwe line.
'Molteno is being attacked today by
the enemy, who more or less surround
the police station, but who, according
to reports, are being forced back.
ReinforcementS of infantry
and field artillery have been sent by
General Gatacre. The result is not
known.
"A company of mounted infantry un-
der Anderson has reconnoiuered to
Prieska and exchanged shots with the
rebel forces on the north bank.
mo movement of Generals Methuen
and French is reported"
BOERS VIGOROUSLY SHELLED.
Frere Camp, January A vigor-
Gus Smelling of the Beers trenches Oh
the plain this morning forced the bur-
CHEERS to shift their position after their
horses had Stampeded.
BoeT Camp, Colenso, Tuesday, Janu-
airy 1.-THE British guns at Chievelrey
S1liBp liz III
range fire night and day, in order to
divert Boer attention from movements
of the troops. Federal scouts yeSter-
day penetrated into the British camp.
When returning the British pickets dis
covered them and wounded one Boer.
General Lucas Meyer resume COM
nan of the division here.
General Joubert denies THAT he has
V protested against the use of Lyd-
6ito IIn n VOWS thnt NY TO Hhn Yrracnn
he has not lost a single man by Lyd-
dite.
London, january Am army order
has been issued directing the embodi-
ment of sixteen additional battalions
Of militia.
FRENCH'S CASUALTIES.
Rensburg, January 4.-The casual
ties to General FTench's force up to the
afternoon of January 3rd were five
men killed and twenty-fOur wounded.
Coleskoop is now the principal scene
of the fighting. The destruction of the
wrecked train included %, 900 rations
and a supply of rum.
THE TRANSVAAL MINT.
Pretoria, January 2.-Since starting
the mint here has coined 100000 sover-
eignS. The machinery is now i'm fun
swing.
Vansensberg reports from Derdepoort
that the Kaffir stations have been de-
stroyed and that the inhabitants are
flying.
Chief Lynch with three thousand
Kafirs attacked Beers laagers but
the natives were dispersed.
JAMESON ESCAPES FROM LADY
SMITH.
Hoofd, Lager, Ladysmith, Tuesday,
January Six horSemen made a dash
from Ladysmith a few nights ago and
though pursued, they escaped. 1t is
believed the party included Colonel
Rhodes, brother of Cecil Rhodes, and
DR.. Jameson.
ReinforcementS OF infantry and artil-
lery have been dispatched to General
French from De Aar.
Belmont, Cape Colony, Wednesday,,
January 3.-Colonel Pitcher, it is Off
cially announced, being only on a raid
ing expedition, and for military reasons,
being a to occupy Douglas perma-
nently, has evacuated the town, bring
ing off all of the loyaltiStS He has now
returned safely to close proximity to
Belmont.
EXTENSIVE BOER FORTIFTCA.
TONS.
London, January s., 5 a. m.-This
mornings new throws no further
light upon the war situation
Lond Methuen's cavalry scouting has
developed the fact that the Beers en-
trenchments extend some forty miles,
far overlapping the British positions
and making flank attacks exceedingly
difficult. Military ANALYSTS affirm
that the Boer trenches confronting Cen
eral Butler stretch away some seven
tenn miles, and that work upon them
is pushed unremittingly.
1t 70 appears that it is John
Churchill, second SON of Lady, Ran
dolph Churchill, and not Winston
Spencer Churchill who has been given
command Of a squadron Of the South
African light horse
Republican Position on the Philippine