Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1900-01-25
RIVER CROSSED.
Buffers Troops Ford the Tugela
and Surprise Beers.
The silence In Regard TO the War i'm
south Africa IL Broken by News
ola British Advance thatwas
Highly Beers
Said TO be DespOndeut.

| RenSburg, Cape Colony, Jan. H.
| Twenty-one Beers were killed and
about 80 wounded in a fight near here
| OH Monday.
The Beers determined to make an
attempt to seize the heights. They
advanced cautiously, directing their
fire at a small wall held by the York
shires. When the Beers rushed the
wall, the Yorkshires fixed bayonets
and charged. just at that moment a
small party of New Zealanders came
up and the combined force leaped over
the wall and charged straight for the
enemy, who fed, followed by a with
ering fire at close range.
A dispatch to the Daily Mail from
| Pietermaritzburg, dated Tuesday,
says: There was very heavy firing
to the north yesterday. / believe the
Beers are contesting Gen. Buller's pas
sage of the TugeIa. Howitzers were
evidently busy. as the firing is de-
scribed as the heaviest yet heard in
| Natal
London, Jan. 1s.-The Times pub
fishes the following dispatch from
| Spearman's Farm, dated January II:
The force marched westward on
January 10. Lord Dundonald, by
dashing movement, occupied the hills
above Petgieter's Drift, Is miles west
of Colenso, taking the Beers com
| pletely by surprise. The same even
| ing the infantry followed. Gen. Lytle-
tons brigade crossed the river yester-
day and to-day shGlled the Boer
trenches beyond with howitzers. Gen.
Warren's force is now crossing Trich-
ardte Drift. five miles above. He is
| not opposed, although the Beers are
holding a position five miles from the
river
The other morning papers are out
with extra editions confirming the
dispatch from Spearman's Farm to
the Times. The Daily Telegraph's
correspondent says:
Il am permitted to wire from
| Spearman' Farm that Gen. Lytleton
ferried and forded Potgieter's Drift
and seized with little opposition line
of low ridges a mile from there. Dur
ing the night howitzer battery was
carried across. To-day, from Mount
Alice. near Swartzkop, naval guns and
howitzers effectively shelled the Boer
position, which is strong.
Gen. Warren also crossed the Tu-
gela, six miles farther to the west, near
| Wagon Drift, with all arms, in the
face of a heavy fire from Boer cannon
and rifles. He has effected a most
satisfactory lodgment two miles fur
ther on toward Sproenkop.'
| This news completely disposeS of
the statement that Sir Charles War
rcn's force went in the direction of
Weenen. and tends greatly to restore
confidence in Gen. Buffers tactics.
The supposition that he had divided
his forces into three columns had Civ
en- cause for anxiety. 1t is now seen
that such a view was erroneous, as
Gen. Buffers forces are concentrated.
In Cape Colony Gen. Methuen has
| made Il demonstration in force. she'll
| ing the Buer works. Gen. Gatacre IS
| slIirmishng around MOlteno. and Gen.
| French has been throwing few shells
! at the Beers at Rensberg. Col. Plum
mer is moving to the relief of Mafe-
| king from Bechuanaland. He is now
| in command of less than 1000 men.
| Mafeking is in a bad way. The siege
is being pressed with determination
and the katlirs are deserving because
of pinched rations and the necessity
of eating horse meat.
The Standards account of the as
sault upon Ladysmith shows that the
| garrison was surprised and that sew
eral times the situation was critical.
Out of a detachment of 80 Gordon
| Hi0hlanders who surrendered, every
| man was wounded, saws the CORES
pondent Curiously enough. this is
the first mention of the capture of
Highlandcrs. The Boer renulse at
.advsmith was the heaviest counter
| stroke uf the war.
The government is relaxing its ef-
forts to send out reinforcements. 1t
| is undecided as TO wnen the eighth
'ivsion will be shipped.
The war office declines the offer of
third battalion of Northamptonshire
| militia. saying tha: no more militia
will be sent abroad. 1t seems prob
able that only 5000 instead of 10000
yeomanry will be modified.
The correspondent of the Times at
Lorenzo Marquee says:
AN old British resident in the Boer
republic, who has ust been expelled.
informs me that 10 per cent. of the
Free State commandos are British or
British born, who have been compell-
cd to 90 to the front. The Beers are
SO disappointed and disheartened that
he predicts that a single big reverse
would be followed by a wholesale dis
persal of the Free Staters, who are
disgusted with the Transvaalers.
They have no money and no food
stutfs, except unground wheat and
mealies. In consequence of defective
transportation the lnen at the front
often go for days without food. Rife
ammunition is running short, and
what was condemned by Gen. Joubert
at the beginning of the war as dan
rernlls is now being used.
"A corresnondent of the Standard
and Diggers News says that the Beers
in Natal are quarrelsome, overwearT
Of waiting and of the hardships Of
camp life and that they criticize their
generals" "
Not Crippled by the Strike.
Pittsburg. Jan. IA conservative
nf the coal in tlp harhOT