The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-01-05
UNDER HEAVY
SHELL FIRE.
British Burn the Trucks of
Their Wrecked Train.
Boer Force at Rensberg is Par
italy Surrounded.
COMING NEXT WEEK.
Big Battle at Tugela River
Again Postponed.
BOer Entertainments Extend a
Distance of 40 Miles.
COMING NEXT WEEK.

New York, Jan. 5-A Herald dispatch
from Rensberg. Cape Coloney, says:
The British set fire last night to the
trucks of the wrecked train and their
contents and they are still blazing. The
New South Wales Lancers performed
the duty under a heavy shell and rifle
fire to which we replied. This continued
until midday the Beers trying to loot
the burning trucks but being compelled
by our shell fire to retire.
Shrapnel burst right among them
several times and must have done con-
siderable damage many rider1ess horses
rushing about the veldt Some of the
enemy took shelter in the station house,
but were shelled out. The SURVIVORS
galloped away. The Beers were seen
to gallop a gun through one of the
passes. AS they did so our artillery open
ed fire on them. The gun has not yet
been heard to fire, and we, presume its
escort was shot.
We have the enemy partially sur
rounded. His lines of Communication
are cut off and the roads and bridges
are held This accounts for the strenu-
Gus efforts which the enemy made to
loot the wrecked food trucks.
The Berkshires have been reinforced
by the Suffolls ard hold the central
position in which quarter deSultory
firing is still proceeding. The second
cavalry brigade, consisting of r bat
terry of the Royal horse artillery under
Major Burton, the Inniskillings and the
Tenth HuSSarS, command the extreme
left, the whole being under Col. Fisher.
First caVeIry brigade consisting of .
battery Of the Royal horse artillery
under Sir John Jarvis. the New Zealan-
ders mounted infantry and carbineers
the whole being under Col. Horter form
the extreme right.
Major General Brabason is in COM
mand of the whole Of this force. What
We much want is more guns of a larger
caHbre. If we had them, we could do
much damage The peculiar division of
cavalry infantry and guns will be no
ticed.
MILES OF ENTERTAINMENTS.
London, Jan 5-This mornings news
throws no further light upon the war
situation The exact position at Mo
lento and Cyphergat is not yet clear,
but in any case these little engage
ments are of small Importance beyond
proving that the British forces are be-
ginning to attain a greater degree Of
mobility.
It is fully expected that next week
VIII see heavy battle on the Tugela
river, which is now the real pivot of
the campaign. The Beers appear to be
working necessarily with shovel and
pick.
Lord 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 analytics affirm that the
Beers trenches confronting General
Butler stretch away some II miles and
that work upon them is pushed unre-
mittingly.
While the advance is delayed. flank
movements are rendered most difficult,
because the long marches are not done
with celebrity and it is hard to time an
attack with certainty.
The extent of the Dutch rising may
now be measured by taking a line from
Prieska, on the west, to Terschel or
Barkly on the east. Along the whole of
this line, except at points actually oc-
cupied by the British, the population
seems for the most part hostile
New redoubts are being built at Kim
berley and seventeen miles OF works
now encompass the town
The admiralty programme embraces
the stationing of small squadrons at
Durham. SimOns Bay, Port Elizabeth,
LOurenzO Marques, St. Vincent in the
Cape Verde Islands and Cape Town,
and sending an additional ship or two
to Alden.
It is announced that Great Britain
agents and detectives are secretly
watching all italian ports.
1t now appears that it is John
Churchill, second son of Lady Randolph
Churchill and not Winston Spencer
Churchill. who has been given command
of a squadron of the South African light
horse.
Lord Rosslyn has thrown up his en-
gagement at the Court theater in or
der to join the yeOmanry. The offer of
Lord Iveagh to provide at his own ex-
pense a completely equipped hospital
for use in South Africa, has been ac-
cepted-
,The war office has invited Sir William
Thompson to accept the post of chief
surgeon to the forces in South Africa,
instead of consulting surgeon.
ALL BURGHERS TO. HIM
Cape Town, Jan. 5.-Intelligence has
been received from the Free State to
the effect that President Steyn has is
sued a proclamation. declaring that ev-
cry white man, irrespective of nation
ality, is to be considered a burgher and
is liable to be compelled to fight for
the defense of the country.
THOSE QUEERLY ACTING BOERS.
London. Jan. 5.-The silence which
has descended on Gen. Buffers huge
force at the Tugela river is believed to
be the prelude of another attempt to
reach Ladysnith. In the meanwhile
are displaying around Colesburg where
they even assume the offensive. tends
to detract from the success General
French is supposed to have achieved.
The latest news of Col. Pitchers raid
shows that some of the first accounts
considerably exaggerated its effects on
the Beers and their Sympath1ZerS. While
it is true he successfully drove a couple
of hundred rebels from Sunnyside kill
ing or WOunding 80 and capturing 43.
Col Pitchers immediate evacuation Of
Douglas seems to prove that he had in :
formation that there was a sufficient
number of Beers in the neighborhood
oIra HI q -