Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-02-26
But He VIII Have to Fight the Two
Miles Intervening,
HEAVY LOSS AT M0LTEN0.
British Beaten Back-Great Anxiety
at Capetown Many Boer Prls.
oners-Detroirs Pro.Boers.
fEarly Dispatched

London, Feb. 26-The Times pub
fishes the following dispatch from
Colenso. dated Saturday:
1.-THE British are now within two
miles Of being in touch with Lady
smith. but the ground still to be COW
cred is the hardest part and very severe
lighting must be expected"
A dispatch from Colenso. Natal,
dated Saturday. says: THE Beers,
who had been reinforced, made a stand
on Thursday at Groebler's Kloof, and
on range Of hills running east. They
had been forced from all their positions
on the right. Gen. Lyttleton's division
on Thursday advanced under cover Of
the kopjes. The Beers fired a creusot
and Long Tom. The British ar
tlllery was well sheltered In action at
daybreak and until late In the after
noon, when heavy rifle hre on both
sides developed.
THE British infantry had advanced
a mile and a half and a continuous
fire was kept up until after dark. The
Beers stuck to their position. The
British artillery fire was irregular, A
few saivos We're sent toward the
thickly wooded spots and rayines from
which the Boer fire was heaviest. The
Beers sent shells into the headquarters
baggage, close 10 the hospital, but no
material damage was done. Gen.
Wynne was slightly wounded.
BoER POSITION is WEAK.
"The Boer positions are not consd-
cred strong. with the exception OF
Groebler's Kloof The hills eastward
are mot so high and cannot be in
trenched SO well as the mountains
which the British have taken.
THE Somersets were the first across
the pontoons on Wednesday. They were
subjected to heavy fire for five hours
in an isolated position. II was the first
time they had been under fire, and they
behaved excellently.
Early on Friday severe rifle fire
was resumed on the right and front.
from the positions held over night. by
both sides. The British naval guns,
howitzers, mountain and field batteries
shelled the Boer trenches necessarily.
The Beers replied with two heavy guns,
some OF their shells bursting over the
hospital. As result the British
wounded were removed.
During the afternoon the fifth bril-
gade. the Inniskillens and Dubllns
leading, began TO advance up the hills.
In spite Of the constant Smelling the
Beers stood up In their trenches aim
ing deliberately down the hills. The
infantry advance was further covered
by parties on the right and left firing
volleys. II was slow, the British TAX
ing advantage OF every bit OF natural
cover. The Beers on the crests Of the
hills, as well as from the trenches part
OF the way down, poured lead along
the advancing line. ~ dark the Brit
ish infantry had reached within a few
hundred yards Of the first line Of Boer
trenches.
Everything goes TO show that Gen.
Buffers advance Is most stubbornly
contested, and most cautiously carried
out. II Is hoped that he will soon be
In a position where Gen. White will be
able to assist him materially"
BRITISH LOSE HEAVILY.
Advices from Sterkstroem, Sunday,
says: "A reconnaissance yesterday in
force under Gen. Gatacre, with eight
guns. found the Beers occupying a
ridge three miles byond Molteno. In the
Stormberg direction.
"Montmorency's scouts charged the
Beers, who crept round the scouts
flank, pouring in a deadly fire. The
scouts were finally compelled to retire,
having lost heavily Fourteen are
missing. Captain Montmorency was
Killed.
THE reconnaissance was valuable,
and would have been most satisfactory
had II not been for the unfortunate
disaster to the scouts Their loss YVES
four killed and many wounded and
missing"
Capt. Montmorency was a noted man
in the British army and o wearer Of
the Victoria cross. He was the son OF
MAJ. Gen Viscount Frankfort and be-
lOnged 10 the twenty-thlrd lancers.
He gained the Victoria cross al ON
durham where he served under Gen.
Kitchener. Lieut.. Crenfell had been
killed and the British earnestly de-
sired to recover the body. At great
personal risk Capt Aontmorsncy