Waterbury Democrat., 1900-12-31
BOERS SCORE AGAIN.
British Driven From Helvetia
 With Heavy Loss.
CAPE COLONY INVASION UNCHECKED.
England Hears Bad News the Century's Closing Day-Tvvo Fresh Commanders Reported Ready
 to Join De Wet.

to Join De Wet.
 LONDON, Dec 31.-The war office has received the following dispatch from Lord Kitchener, dated Pretoria, Dec. 30:
 General Lyttleton reports that our post at Helvetia was captured yester- day morning by the Boers. About 50 were killed and wounded and POO taken prisoners.
 "Colonel Kitchener reports that he is following with a small force in the track of the enemy, Helvetia being reoccupied by Reeves, who has been re-enforced from Belfast.
 "Helvetia was a very strong position on the Machadodorp Lydanburg railway and was held by detachment of the Liverpool regiment. Am asking for fur ther information
 Lord Kitchener, wiring from Pretoria Saturday, Dec. 29, says:
 Ihere Is not much change in the Situ- ation in Cape Colony. The eastern force of the enemy appears to have broken up into small parties at Utrecht and to be moving about rapidly in the same dis trict, evidently waiting for support from the north.
 ''J,he last report states that the west ern force is moving to Carnarvon. De Lisle and Thorneycroft are in close pur- suit.
 "French has occupied Ventersdorp. Clements reports that he is opposed on the road to Rustenburg. The eastern line was blown up near Pan, and train was held up this morning on the Stander- ton line near Naal station. ''Whites column has arrived at Sene- kal. Knox's column and Boye's brigade are holding De Wet from breaking south"
 While Lord Kitchener sends bad news for England on the closing day of the year the press continues to take a sur prisingly hopeful view of a grave situa- tion and of revelations of an enormously wide field of Boer activity. General Dc Wet is still at large. Kimberley is iso- lated. The Boers are in force enough to have captured a strong position at Hel- vetia, in the Lydenburg district, while, judging from Lord Kitchener's very re cent advices, no progress is being made against the Boer invaders in Cape Col ony.
 According to further telegrams receiv- ed yesterday, Zeerust is practically be- sicged, but has provisions sufficient for five months. The garrison at Ottoshoop has been withdrawn to Lichtenburg.
 A dispatch from Carnarvon, dated yes terday, reports that the Boers who have been threatening that point were driven off and are being pursued. The Boers admit that in their fight with General Clements at Nooitgedacht they lost 13O men.
 Ut is understood that Lord Kitchener cannot ask the colonies officially to send troops" says a Durban dispatch dated Dec 29, but he desires it to be known in Australia and Canada that Austra- Hans and Canadians arriving in Natal will be eligible for immediate enlistment in an irregular corps which is proceeding to Johannesburg for five months serv- | ice"
 To emphasize Lord Kitchener's covert admission that no progress is being made against the invasion of Cape Colony a correspondent at Burghersdorp, wiring Saturday, reports as follows:
 Two fresh commandos are entering the colony. One has already crossed near Knaapdaar, and the arrival of an other is momentarily expected in the l Steynsburg district. The Boers are said to have two or three horses each, though in bad condition. They have no guns or transport, but are well supplied with Lee -Metford rifles and ammunition. Cap tured Boers say that the intention of | these commandos is to roam about and | wait until General De Wet appears upon | the scene" Details of the Greylingstad affair show that while Colvile's column was pursu- ing the Boers a second force of 400 of | the enemy was seen moving toward the | camp where the British transport was | inspanned. The small British force made | a plucky stand until re-enforcements ar | rived with artillery, and after serere | fighting the Boers were defeated The British losses altogether were 5 killed and 63 wounded and missing, The Boers are said to have had 31 killed