Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-11
BoER LOSSES AT LADYsMITH.
Widely Varying Estimates-Big Lis
of British Casualties Expected.

Widely Varying Estimates-Big List
of British Casualties Expected.
LONDON, January 1.-THE war office
announces that the list Of British casualties
at Ladysmith last Saturday has not yet
been received.
The following dispatch, dated at Frere
Camp, January 10. noon, has been received
from Gen. Butler:
"A Transvaal telegram gives the enemy s
loss at Ladysmith on Saturday as four
killed and fifteen wounded, and this after,
as is admitted they had endured wither-
ing fire from six masked batteries and been
defeated at all points.
Natives here assert that the Boer loss in
enc commando alone was $50 killed and
wagon loads of wounded. The heaviest loss
is said to have been among the Free Staters,
who were forced by the TranSvaalers into
the most dangerous places.
This curious dispatch is all the war ONCE
has issued tonight. 1t makes not the sllgnt-
est mention of the position or doings OF the
British forces. 1t may be Interpreted to
mean that Ladysmith is safe. but 1t is more
likely intended to prepare the British pub
lie for terrible list of casualties.
The list of victims of disease issued by
the war office gives twenty-five deaths from
enteric fever and dysentery in Ladysmith
in four days, revealing the fact that the
hesieged are existing amid bad sanitary
conditions.
Special Corps of Gentlemen.
The war Office has authorized a special
yeomanry corps. Every trooper joining will
pay for his own kit and mount, for trans
port and for all other expenses until his
arrival in South Africa, and will then give
his services to his country and pay for the
privilege into the fund for widows and Or
phans the amount he would receive as
ia, 81 h X-a
already enrolled.
How Col. Watson Died.
A dispatch from Rensburg, Cape Colony
dated Monday. January 8. says: 1t Is report
ed here officially, with reference to the dis
aster to the LIST Battalion of the Suffolk
Regiment, that Lieut.. Col. Watson marched
the regiment in close column to the top of
the hill al midnight He assembled the Of
fcers and was addressing them, just at
daybreak, when the enemy volleyed at
distance of thirty PAGES. The colonel. his
adjutant and two other officers were killed.
The Suffolks, who had scarcely fired
shot, fed back to the pickets about thou
sand yards away, some one having shouted
Retire" About $50, however. remained,
lost heavily and finally surrendered.
Our operations since have been unim-
portant- Several "Reminiscences have
been made, and these show that the enemy
is jealousy guarding his communications
to the north.
Gen. French reports that Capt. Ricardo
and four troops of the Life Guards are
missing, showing that his accommodating
party met with opposition.
Gen. Gatacre dispatched a strong force
Monday, January 8. to reconnoiter Storm
berg, which the Beers were reported TO
have evacuated. The British found the
burghers strongly intrenched and returned
to SterkStroom.
Sympathy for Beers at Cape Town.
The Cape Town correspondent of the
Daily Mail. telegraphing Monday, says:
The Boer successes have been followed
by tremendous outburst of enthusiasm
and Boer sympathy in the western part of
the colony. Reports from Paarl say the
whole district is made hideous at night by
bands OF young men parading in the viii
lagos and singing the Transvaal Volkslied,
while the children are everywhere prac-
ticing the nat4bnal songs of the republics
The following are specimens of statements
believed by the western Dutch: Butler and
Rhodes are prisoners and Two thousand
Beers secretly sailed and captured Cape
Town -
dispatch from New York yesterday
says: Among the passengers the Amer
lean liner St. Louis We're Mr.. and Mrs
Richard Harding Davis. Mr.. Davis will
proceed with his wife to the scene of war
in South Africa.