Evening star., 1901-09-23
ANOTHER BRITISH REVERSE
LOvATTS SCOUTS LOSE HEAVILY IN
DEFENDING CROSSING.
Col. Murray and His Adjutant Killed
Dutch In Cape Colony
i'm Revolt.


following dispatch from Lord Kitchener,
dated Pretoria, September %:
Kritzinger, while endeavoring to force
a passage of the Orange river near Her
schel at 1 O'Clock Friday morning, re-
scouts. He failed to cross the river, but
the scouts lost heavily Lieutenant Col
onel the Hon. Andrew Murray, and Cap
tain Murray, his adjutant, were killed.
Deeply regret the loss of Colonel Murray,
who throughout the war had led Lovatt's
scouts with great gallantry.
Under cover of darkness the Beers man.
aged to carry off a gun. They were
promptly followed up and the gun was
recovered In smart engagement in which
kritzinger lost two killed and twenty
taken prisoners"
Lord Kitchener also reports that the
British captured by the Beers in the am
bush near Scheeper's Mex, September IL,
nave been released, and that the British
casualties In the recent Vlakfontein en-
gagement when the Beers captured a COM
pany or mounted infantry and two guns,
were one officer and five men killed. twen-
tyothree men wounded and six officers and
lU3 men taken prisoners. He announces
that these prisoners have since been re-
leased.
He further reports the capture Of two
commandos-one consisting Of fifty-five
taken, together with their entire trans
port, west of Adenburg, and the other
consisting of ffty-four men, including p.
). Botha, who were taken, with forty-eight
wagons and their belongings, forty-five
miles southeast of Carolina.
Lord kitchener's latest dispatches, al
though they contain good news as we'll as
bad, have done little to reassure the public
concerning the state Of affairs The loss
OF Lieut.. Col. Murray a brother of Lord
Mansfield. is keenly felt. There is little
doubt that further details will show it was
q serious affair.
Lord Kitchener announces that the Buff
falo river Is flooded and that there is no
change in the situation in Natal. The lat
ter fact shows that Gen. Lyttleton has not
yet succeeded in interfering with the move
ments of Commandant Gen. Botha. p. j.
Botha, whose capture Lord Kitchener re-
ports, is brother Of the Boer commander.
According to the latest advices from
Cape Colony the situation there is very
serious, owing to the sympathy and aid
which the Dutch are giving the Boer COM
mandoes. The British find it difficult to
obtain news OF Boer movements Gen.
French's task is described as the hardest
allotted him during the whole course of
the war.
At Pretoria the strength of the Beers In
the field Is now estimated at 11,OOO If
these figures be correct the Beers must
be constantly getting recruits. Their sup
ply of arms and ammunition seems to be
inexhaustible.
In Boer circles in Holland it is asserted
that everything is preparing for a Dutch
rising in both Cape Colony and Natal.
A most alarming letter from Cape Town
is published by the Daily Express. The
writer says:
"The Beers are overrunning Cape Col
ony. They are on both coast lines and
within forty miles Of Cape Town. Even
the intelligence department does not know
how many colonial rebels have taken up
arms in the last fortnight.
Cane Town
ordered to hand in the magazine rifles and
ammunition, ostensibly because these are
wanted at the front. Martini Henrys have
been served out instead
In conclusion the writer declares that
the Dutch element in the colony Is in
revolt, and it is useless to disguise the
fact"
In London the speech of President Lou
bet, when proposing the health Of the czar
and czarina at the luncheon which followed
the review at Bethany Saturday, Is in no
way regarded as an indication of any in
tention on the part Of the Russian emperor
in Paris reflection seems to have convinced
many papers that there was very little in
the words Of M. Loubet, and that beyond
confirmation of the Franco-Russian al
lance, little has been achieved by the visit
of the Russian sovereigns.
M. de Blowitz, the Paris correspondent Of
the Times, says today (Monday):
1.-The conversations of the French and
Russian rulers and their ministers last
week pertained almost exclusively to the
near and far east, the strained fela tionS
between Turkey and France, and the ne
cessity for removing the jealousies of the
powers which enabled Turkey to elude her
engagements.
Armenian affairs were also discussed,
Russia declaring that it was impossible to
tolerate fresh explosion, and that the
Armenians must either accept Russian pro-
lection or continue the miserable existence
they are now leading.
Far eastern questions were exhaustively
thrashed out, Russia promising to assist
French enterprises. But am almost in
position to affirm that there has been at
most but a rapid allusion to other interest
ing points now exercising the public mind"