The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-03-20

n ONDON, March 1O,-Lord Methu-
en-, Lieutenant General or the
e< British Army, favorite OF the
king and idol of his men, is in
the hands of the Beers, the prisoner OF
General Delarey. The capture was
made after a battle in which the Beers
routed the entire force OF Methuen, 1908
men, captured four guns and inflicted
heavy losses upon the British in killed
and wounded. Meanwhile there is no
news from General Grenfell. whose
force of 1900 men was to be joined by
Methuen, and there are fears that the
victorious Beers have duplicated their
first success.
London received the news OF the bat
tie, which was fought at daylight on
March 7th, this afternoon, and the city
was crushed by the report, coming as
it did after the assurances of the gov
ernment that the war was practically
over. carrying with 1t the list of the
dead and the statement that many
scores were missing. The story is mea-
ger, being contained in two official dis
patches, and as the correspondents
have not yet been permitted to send out
any accounts of the disaster, the worst
is feared. 1t was another of the mobile
movements of the enemy, swooping
down upon a moving army without
there being even semblance OF alarm,
and crumbling up the rear guard,
stampeding the mules and oxen, and
capturing everything. That the enemy
was not anxious to hold prisoners is
shown by the fact that Maj. Paris in
command of the horse, was set free.
ha c+n ic told n the fnlInVyinU dis
patches:
KITCHENER'S TELEGRAMS.
PRETORIA. Saturday, March 81
greatly regret to have to send you bad
news of Methuen. He was moving with
500 mounted men, under Major Paris,
and 800 infantry, four guns and a POM
pom from Wynberg to Lichtenberg and
was to meet Grenfell with 1900 mounted
men at Rovierainsfontein today. Yes
terlay morning early he was attacked
by Delarey's force, between Two-Bosch
and Palmieteknill The Beers charged
on three sides. Five hundred and fifty
men have come in at Maribogs and
Kraaipan. They were pursued by the
Beers four miles from the scene OF the
action. They report that Methuen and
Paris. with the guns, baggage, etc,
were captured by the Beers. Metnuen.
when last seen, was a prisoner. / have
no details of the casualties and sug-
gest delaying publication until 1 can
send definite news. / think this sudden
revival of activity on the part OF De-
larey is to draw off the troops pressing
De Wet.
PRETORIA, Sunday, March 9-Paris
has come in at Kraaipan with the re-
mainder of the men. He reports that
the column was moving in two parties.
One, with the OK wagons. left Two
Bosch at a. m. The other, with the
mule wagons, started an hour later.
Just before dawn the Beers attacked.
Before re-enforcements could reach
them the rear guard broke. Meantime
large number OF Beers galloped up
on both TANKS These, at first, were
checked by the flank parties. but the
panic and stampede of the mules had
begun and all the mule wagons, with a
terrible mixture of mounted men, rush
ed past the OK wagons. All efforts to
check them We're unavailing. Major
Paris collected forty men and occupied
a position a mile in front of the OK
wagons, which were then halted After
a gallant but useless oefense the en-
emy rushed into the OK wagons and
Methuen was wounded in the thigh.
Paris, being surrounded, surrendered at
10 a. m. Methuen is still in the Boer
camp.
Lord Methuen was wounded in the
thigh and captured. Three British Of
fcers and tfirty-eight men were kill
ed. Five officers and seventy-two men
were wounded. One officer and 200 men
are ing-presumably captured. The
Beers also captured four guns and all
the baggage. Among the officers killed
arc Lieutenants G. r. Venning and t.
p w Nesham Of the Royal Artillery,
who fell while feeding their guns Ma
for Paris, surrounded on all sides, sur
rendered. but was later released
Lord iKtchener's dispatches announc-
ing the disaster to Methuen's forces
were read in both the House Of Lords
ard the House of Commons today by
Lord Roberts, the commandments,