The Oskaloosa herald., 1901-01-03
STRIKE HARD.
They Capture the British Post at
Helvetia.

London, Dec. 31.-The war office has
received the following dispatch from
Lord Kitchener:
Pretoria, Dec. Seen. Lyttlston re-
ports that our post at Helyetia was cap
tured yesterday morning by the Beers,
About 80 were killed and wounded and 200
taken prisoners.
"Col. Kitchener reports tina he is fol-
lowing with a small force in the track Of
the enemy, Helvetia being reoccupied by
Reeves, who has been reinforced from Bel
fast.
'HelvstiA was a very strong position on
the neutrality-suspicious. railway and
was held by a detachment of the Liverpool
regiment. Am asking for further informa-
ton"
A Grave Situation.
While Lord Kitchener sends bad
news for England on the closing day
Of the year, the press continues to
take a surprisingly hopeful view Of a
grave situation and of revelations of
an enormously wide field Of Boer ac-
tiVity. Gen. De Wet is still at large.
Kimberley IL isolated. The Beers are
in force enough to have captured a
strong position at Helvetia, in the
Lydenburg district, while judging
from Lord Kitchener's very recent ad-
vices no progress is being made
against the Boer invaders in Cape Col
ony. According to further kilograms
Zeerust Is practically besieged, but
has provisions sufficient for five
months. The garrison at Ottoshoop
has been withdrawn to Lichtenburg.
A dispatch from Carnarvon, dated Sat-
urday, reports that the Beers who
have been threatening that point were
driven of and are being pursued.
Beers Well Supplied.
at is evident" says a belated mes
sage from Krugersdorp, dated Deem
Der %, that the Boer commissariat
in the direction of the Magaliesburg,
is well supplied, and that until the
country between, here and Maglies-
burg is properly cleared Of Beers, they
will continue to concentrate there,
the ground being particularly adapted
to their methods of warfare.
1.-THE Beers admit that in their fight
with Gen. Clements at N~ooitgedaeht
they lost 100 men,"
at IS understood that Lord Kitch-
ener cannot ask the colonies officially
to send troops" says q Durham dis
patch, dated December 20, but he de-
sires it to be known in Australasia and
Canada that Australians and Canadi-
ans arriving in Natal will be eligible
for immediate enlistment in an irreg-
ular corps, which is proceeding to
johannesburg for five months serv-
ice"
All dispatches arriving in London
agree that the Cape Dutch show no
inclination to rise, but, on the con-
trary, appear to be tired Of the war
and DESTROYS of peace. Many refuse
to supply the Beers with food, and
are willing to give information to the
British regarding Boer movements.
Had a PIucky stand.
Details Of the Greylingstad affair
show that, while Colville's column was
pursuing the Beers, q second force of
400 of the enemy was seer moving to-
ward the camp where the British
transport was inspanned. The small
ASANN "oNC - PAuShy HLuh0 uh-
til reenforcements arrived with ar
tillery, and, after a severe fight, the
Beers were defeated. The British
losses altogether were nine killed and
wounded and missing. The Beers
are said to have 81 killed.
Situation I'm Cape Colony.
Lord Kitchener, wiring from Pre-
toria Saturday, December 20. says:
There Is not much change in the situa-
ton in Cape Colony. The eastern force Of
the enemy appears to have broken up In
small parties at Utrecht and to be moving
about rapidly In the same district, evidently
waiting for support from the north. The
last report states that the western force is
to C~arnarvon. De Lisle and Thor
neycroft are In close pursuit. French has
occupied Ventorsdorp. Clements reports
that he f. opposed on the road to Rusten- |
burg. The Eastern line was blown up near
Pan, and a train was held up his morn
ing on the Standerton line, near Vaal sta |
ton. Whites column has arrived at Sene-
kal. Knox's column and Boye's brigade
are holding De Wet from breaking south"