The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-02-12

LONDON, Feb. Am interesting state
ment OF the war situation from the BoeI
point Of view has just been received from
Government official in Pretoria. The
document, which is about 10000 words in
length, bears the following endorsement:
have read the above and certify that the same
is in substance correct. L. W. KEW,
state Secretary : 4. II.
Much of the document is repetition of
well-known facts, but a brief review OF
the boer version of the principal battle Of
the war, the Boer outlook regarding the
future OF the struggle, the apprehension
that England may accomplish by famine
what she could not with the sword-these
and other features make the following ex-
tracts from this semi-official statement Of
remarkable interest:
Pretoria, Dec. 10.-The battle of Glen
coe was fought on October 20, and
lasted about twelve hours-from a. m. &c
4 p. m. According TO English dispatches
the Beers mustered 5000 men. / hare the
very best. authority for stating that the
total number OF General Meyers com
mando was 1900 men, nearly half of whom
were not in action. Instead of 1000 Beers
being on the Talana Hill, there were only
300, who, on account of heavy log en-
veloping the hill, could not take part in
the fight: besides these there were q few
troops spread out on the flats, VINO also
did not take part in the action The ac-
tual number engaged was about 1,250.
The four Naxims with the commando
could not be employed. IL was cabled to
England that seventeen guns had been
captured, whereas not single one hau
been touched by the enemy; on the con-
trary the Beers took one of the enemy's
Maxims. From all accounts the enemy
must have had close upon 5000 men at
Dundee and twenty-four guns, beside q
large number of Maxims. The casualties
on our side numbered thirtythree; ninety
others were wounded. Besides 240 officers
and men taken prisoners, the British had
such a severe loss in dead and wounded
that the whole force stampeded out of
Dundee, leaving the Beers to bury their
dead, including their gallant General
Symons. and TO attend to their dying and
wounded soldiers left behind. The Beers
were left in a position of strategical i'm
portance and masters OF the only paying
coal fields in Natal.
Fighting Against Odds.
1.-The battle of Elandsiaagte is one Of
those incidents which is bound TO happen,
/. e., small body of men, acting indie
pendently of the main army and beyond
the fighting line, engaged far superior
force There is no doubt that General
Kock, with his smcll force of $50 men,
showed an utter contempt for the enemy
when they engaged sccae 5000 troops so
close to the Ladysmith garrison. We suf-
fered a great loss. esides forty killed,
our locc n uounded and uriSnOprg WAS
close on 300.
But there was no surrender; there was
no dismay. II was a grand days work, as
later results have proved, and what at
first sight appeared TO be bad reverse
was converted into practical victory,
i. e., though the Boer positions were not
held, the damage inflicted on the opposing
forces lar exceeded the Boer casualties, |
and in that respect the balance of the |
days events goes to the Boer account.
The moral effect of the plucky stand |
CT these few brave men was fully proved |
a few days later when. in the close vicin
ity Of Elendslaagte. nearly the whole gar
rison Of Ladysmith, fully equipped with
artillery, turned out to engage handful
,f Free State farmers q ,000) with one
small gum. The attack, although pro-
racted, was feeble and half-hearted. The
directed rife fire of the Beers, their small
cannon being disabled at the very start.
THE British had eventually TO retire on |
with an ambulance, which had |
10 return ove.. and over again TO convey |
heir dead and wounded.
THE battle of Modderspruit, fought on |
October 81, was again cabled to England
rs one of the series of brilliant Victories
The results of this battle are stupendous.
Many of the enemy--the figures run into
met the soldiers death,
many hundreds more have been made
prisoners of war. and the whole position
" the British has been permanently and
weakened. The days opera
ions established record for the Federal
lrms and the victory has been won with
minimum loss to the Boer Army, which
S neither affected in numbers nor in
lighting form. General Joubert's words
re therefore testimony:
Joubcrt Praises the Beers.
Never before he says in his despatch.
has the Boer seen such fighting, never be-
ore has he marched out against a foe
o formidable
1.-The cause OF right against might wins
md with that force recent events bear witt
less, until humanity itself, TO quote his
honor, the President. but begin to be
staggered. So far the plan of campaign
N the enemy's camp has been one of re-
hrement, evacuation, and retreat. First
,f ali Charleston was abandoned and then
Dundee Newcastle and right along the
eastern border the field has been left open
10 the Federal forces: determined opposi-
ion being offered at only two places
The telling nature of the Boer fire has
aiken the enemy by surprise, and II is nov
very clear that not an inch OF ground. not
position has been voluntarily abandoned.
We have only to recall the facts of the
Dundee camp TO discover evidence OF this /
md see that il was intended to be a sta
tionary camp ard base Of operations, AM |
hat there was no thought of abandon 1
nent, the very manner In which IL was
provided pointed to permanence, while the
manner of the flight indicated panic and |
inder rouf.
Tho battles of Belmont and Modder |
.:ver the cable reports TO hand. are on a
var with the brilliant victories OF Glen
oe and Modderspruit. There, as on former
occasions, the Federal forces inflicted
severe losses on the enemy, and although
attacked by overpowering masses. hey |.
rave good account of themselves.
Our brothers in the colony. who are
,ound 10 US by ties OF blood and friend
mp, Ntit pouhu SoOhef Ut iaAeT 70 ssseFt |
themselves. ane at present we have the
abstraction TO know that thousands are
dining our standard"
Embargo on Foodstuffs.
But there are many battles still 10
,e fought. and there are many difficulties
md drawbacks to be surmounted that
eriously initiate against a successful issue
II the war. Fol the last two months IN
has been laid by Great Britain
N all foodstuffs imported into the State
We are not a ood-producing country.
md, TO great extent depend upon cur