The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-03-11
A SHOCK TO ENGLAND
GEN. METHUEN CAPTURED AND HIS
FORCE ROUTED.
a THUNDERBoLT TO LONDON
IRISH CHEERED THE NEWS IN
PARLIAMENT.

Cen kitchener Sends Full Account
Af4er Having Held Back the News.
Cen. DeIarey Attacked Methuen's
Column of 1000 Men in the Open
md Drove Them in Complete
Route-The British Loss i'm Killed,
Wounded and Missing over 300.
poer- Stampeded British Mules
and Had Things Their own Way.
london. March lot was announced
.o-dav that Gen. Lord Methuen and
fopr guns had been captured by the
Beers commanded by Gen. Delarey.
The news came like a thunderbolt to
london. The extra editions of the
evening papers giving an account of
the disaster were eagerly bought up,
and their readers hurried through the
streets with anxious faces, and bitter
remarks were passed on the subject of
the governments declaration that the
war in South Africa was over. The
news came too late to affect business
on the stock exchange, but excited
curb dealings quickly followed the clos
ing, in which South Africans slumped
heavily.
The news caused excitement in the
mine market. Throgmorton street was
thronged with South African operators,
eagerly inquiring for details of the
British defeat, and watching the eff
feet of the announcement. Shares were
offered freely at first; but by o'clock
the excitement had abated and the
curb tone hardened.
The news was received in the
House of Commons amid great ex-
element. The reading of Lord
Kitchener's telegram by Mr.. Brod-
rick, the war secretary, was listened
to in deep silence, which was broken
by loud Irish cheers. Instantly there
were cries of Shame! Shame! from
the government benches. Then the
Irish members seemed to think better
of their outbreak, and suddenly sub
sided The subsequent eulogistic ref
erences to Gen. Methuen were re
ceived with cheers.
In brief Lord Kitchener announced
that when Gen. Methuen was cap
tured, wounded, with four guns, three
British officers and thirty-eight men
were killed and five officers and seven
ty-tWo men wounded. In addition
enc officer and 200 men were reported
missing.
The text of Lord Kitcheners dis
patch announcing the capture of Gen.
Methuen is as follows:
Kftchener's Bad News.
Pretoria, Saturday, March 8. II
greatly regret to have to send you
bad news of Methuen. He was NOV
ing with 900 mounted men, under Maj.
Paris and 300 infantry, four guns
and a pompom from Wynndburg to
Lichtenburg, and was to meet Gren-
fell with 1900 mounted men at Row.
rainesfontein to-day. Yesterday
morning early he was attacked by
Delarey's force between Tive Bosch
and Pagmieteknill. 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 cap
tured by the Beers. Methuen, when
last seen, was a prisoner. 1 have no
details of the casualties, and suggest
delaying publication until L can send
dennite news. l think this sudden re-
VlVaI of activity on the part of Della
rey IS to draw off the troops pressing
DeWet"
Beers stampeded British.
In a second dispatch, dated Sunday,
March 8, Lord Kitchener says:
Paris has come in at Kraaipan, with
the remainder of the men. He reports
mat the column was moving in two
parties. One, with the OK wagons, left
IWe-Bosch at 3 a. m. The other, with
Inc mule wagons, started an hour later.
Just before dawn the Beers attacked.
Before reinforcements could reach
lhem, the rear guard broke. In the
meantime large number of Beers gal
loped up on both TANKS. These at
Hfst We're checked by the flank parties,
out the panic and stampede of the
mules had begun, and all the mule
wagons, with a terrible mixture of
mounted men rushed past the OK wag-
ohs. All efforts to check them were I'M
awaiting. Maj, Paris collected forty
men and occupied a position a mile in
'front.' of the OK wagons, which were
1nen halted. After a gallant, but use
less defense, the enemy rushed into the
TX wagons and Methuen was wounded
IN the thigh. Paris, being surrounded,
surrendered at 10 a. m. Methuen is
sun in the Boer camp
linen follows the numbers of the
casualties, as already cabled. The
Killed include Lieuts. G. r. Venning
ana L. P. w. Nesham of the Royal
artillery, who were both killed while