The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1901-01-02
In SOUTH AFRICA.

LONDON, Dec. 27.-The meagerness
of the dispatches from South Africa
give rise to renewed anxiety. Appar-
emily the disturbed area Of Cape Col
| ony extends further south than it did
does not appear to have had much sue
cess as yet in driving back the invad-
ers.
A Burghersdorp despatch has mys-
terious reference to Tan unfortunate
mistaking Of the enemy for Brabant's
Horse" which resulted in the sound
ing of "cease fire" and enabled the
Beers to occupy all the commanding
positions, the British retiring from a
difficult predicament.
Gen. Clements success against the
Beers in the Magliesburg region is also
doubtful, the last despatch reporting
that it was considered advisable not to
force the Beers from their position"
The British press con inues in the
main hopeful, but the condition of af-
fairs bring home the enormous difficult
ties that will face Lord Kitchener in
patroling and policing such immense
tracts of country even when the Beers
shall be finally subdued.
The Daily Mail, which makes a
strong appeal 10 the government to
''face the facts and send Lord Kitch-
ener more troope," says: "There is a
re6l IRISH in being lulled to sleep by
carefully censored messages"
Lord Kitchener, according to des-
patch from Johannesburg, has issued a
proclamation dated Pretoria, Dece M
Der 20, announcing that burghers who
voluntarily surrender will be allowed
to live with their families in the gov
eminent laagers until such time as
guerilla warfare has sufficiently abated
to ADMIT ST their returning in safety to
their homes. The proclamation also
promises that all property and stock
brought in at the time Of surrender
will be respected and paid for if requi-
sitioned by the military authorities.
LONDON, Dec. 26.-Latest dispatches
from South Africa show that Lord
Kitchener has succeeded in holding the
invading Beers in check. But he has
not yet been successful in eXpelling
them from Cape Colony, while small
commanders continue to display aston
ishing daring and activity over an i'm
mensely wide field. 1t is questionable
whether his proclamation will lave
much effect until Gen. DeWet has been
captured. The Beers are likely to re-
gard it as a sign of weakness and to
have a wholesome dread of De Vets
vengeance if they surrender.
The proclamation is approved by the
party at home that favors conciliatory
terms to the Beers as step in the right
direction. Queen Victoria, it is said,
has approved the proposal to institute
new order of knighthood TO reward
officers who have served in South
Africa. The order will probably be
called the Star of Africa.
London, Dec. 26. The war office
has begun its promised reform of the
army in a sensational manner. 1t de-
manded the resignation of Major Gen
Sir Henry Colville, commanding an it,
fantry brigade at Gibraltar, recently
commanding the ninth division of the
South African field force. Gen. Col.
vile refuses to resign and is now on
his way to England. The news is all
the more startling as the question OF
Gen. Colville's responsibility for the
lue JtOnhEry ulSdSItr dI Lluuley las
May was fully investigated by the au-
thorities when Gen. Colville returned
from South Africa last summer. After
the inquiry Colville was reinstated in
! command at Gibraltar.
NEWCASTLE, Natal, Dec. 28.-The
Beers celebrated Christmas in the dis
trict between Standerton and Ingogo
| by more or less determined attack upon
every British garrison along the lines
of communication. These, however,
were in all cases successfully repused.
At Utretcht the Boer commandment sent
in demand for whiskey, cigars and
Christmas Injuries, failing which he
threatened to attack the town. His
demand was ignored and the Beers at
tackled Utretcht in strong force Christ
mas morning. They were repulsed
with loss, the British casualties being
but slight.