The Bemidji pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Beltrami County, Minn.) 1896-1917, 1900-07-12

n Force OF volunteers Will be Nm-
pIoycd.
London, Dec. 10. Shortly before
midnight the following notice was
posted at the war office:
AS the campaign in Natal, in the
opinion Of her majesty's government,
is likely to require the presence and
undivided attention of Gen. Sir. Red
vers Butler, it has been decided to
send Baron Roberts Of Kandahar and
Waterford as commander-in-l lief in
South Africa. with Lord K.,.- ,ner as
chief Of staff"
Tie war office has also issued the
following announcement:
:'Acting upon the advice Of the mill
tary authorities her majesty's govern.
ment has approved the following
measures: sAll tile remaining portions
Of the army reserve, including Section
d, are called out The Seventh di-
vision which is being mobilized, will
proceed to South Africa without delay.
The COMMUNICATIVE chief in South At
RIGA has been authorized to continue
to raise, at his discretion, local troops,
mounted. Nine battalions Of militia i'll
addition to two battalions which have
already volunteered for service at
Malta and one for service in the Chan
mel islands, will be allowed to volun-
teer for service outside the United
Kingdom; and an equivalent number
Of militia hattalions will be embodied
for service at home. A strong force of
volunteers, selected from the Yeoman-
ry regiments, will he formed for SER
vice in South Africa. Arrangements
are being made and will shortly be an
nouEced for the employment in South
Africa OF a strong contingent of care
fully selected volunteers. The patri-
otic offers which are being received
from the colonies will, so far as pos
sible, be accepted, preference being
given to offers of mounted contin-
gents
..BlncIS Week" Wakes Them Up.
London, Dec. 1S.-Not for years be-
fore has the queen decided to spend
Christmas away from Osborne. Her
decision to remain at Windsor in
touch with the cabinet is measure Of
the gravity Of the crisis and of the.
anxiety her majesty feels for the well
fare Of the country. She is neverthe-.
less in fair health.
The queens graceful act in present.
ing a flag to the American hospital
ship Maine is highly appreciated by
her own people .aSs3 we'll as BY the Amer.
leans in London, and the morning pa
pers express the hope that the incident
means something more than a pretty
ceremony.
sBlacl1 week." as last week is now
universally called, has evidently
aroused the government and the war
office to full sense of their RESPONSE
blity and of the magnitude Of the
task before them. The papers unani
mousIy applaud this awakening,
despite the fact that they recognize
that the heroic measures now decided
upon SAVIOR rather Of weakness than of
strength. Rumor has it that the ques
ton Of expense has really been at the
bottom of the half-hearted measures
hitherto adopted, and it is not unlike
ly that Sir Michael Hicks Beach. chan
cellor CT the exchequer and other
members of the cabinet will resign.
1t was high time that something very
energetic was done The British losses
in killed, wounded. prisoners and
missing throughout the campaign now
reach the enormous total of 1880.
The tragic circumstances Of the ap-
pointmcnt of Lord Roberts almost ST.
simultaneously with the announcement
of the death of his promising son ex-
cites deepest public sympathy.
Gen. Warren Arrives Mt Cape Town.
:. London, Dec. 10. - Lieut. Gen. Sir
Charles Warren. commanding the
Fifth division Of the First army corps,
has arrived at Cape Town. 1t is UNI
derstood that he will proceed to Port
& Elizabeth. No further news has been
received regarding the battle at the
Tugela river. The latest accounts re-
garding the battle at Magersfontein
shcW that the retirement Of the Brit
ish troops was executed with the
greatest GOODNESS and order under u
heavy Boer artillery fire on Tuesday.
Mafeking was safe on Dec 16 and Col.
Baden Powell, the British commander
there, is still actively pushing out his
deferscs. The other beleaguered gar
riscns and positions are still holding
out + t.'. NJ ..
Result of British Reverses.
Storlstrom Dec 19-As a result Of
the British reverses the whole country
northward is in rebellion. The natives
there, as well as those in Basutoland,
are said to be much disturbed and
losing heart respecting the strength Of
the British.
Buffers Losses. 49,.
London, Dec. 19-Gen. Butler reports
to the war office that his losses in the
recent engagement were: Killed. 80:
twourded, 667; missing, 34S; total,
1907.
A PHILADELPHIA REQUEST.