The Oskaloosa herald., 1902-03-13
ENCLAND'S TROUBLE.
Cabinet Meets to Discuss two
Pressing Difficulties.

1On. hOthuch- iney also discussed
to question of the suppression of the
Irish Land League. All members of
the cabinet agreed that the conditions
OF Ireland are 1T presentiworse than
they have ssen for years.
In dispatch received this after
noon Lord Kitchener reports Gen.
Methuen's wound in the thigh very
dangerous.
BLOW Was Severe
London, March lit was announced
Monday that Gen. Lord Methuen and
four guns had been captured by the
Beers commanded by Gen. Delarey.
The news came like a thunderbolt to
London. The extra editions of the even
ing 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 quicklyfollowed the closing,
in which the South Africans slumped
heavily.
The news caused excitement in the
mine market. Throgmorten street
was thronged with South African OPP
orators eagerly inquiring for details
of the British defeat and watching the
effect of the announcement. Shares
were offered freely at first, but by six
o'clock the excitement had abated and
the curb tone hardened.
Excitement I'm the Commons.
The news was received in the house
OF commons amid great excitement.
The reading of Lord Kitchener's tele-
gram by the war secretary, Mr.. Brod-
rick, 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 out
break and suddenly subsidized. The sub
sequent eulogistic references to Gen.
Methuen were received with cheers.
In brief, Lord Kitchener announced
that when Gen. Methuen was captured.
wounded, with four guns, three Brit
fish officers and So men were killed and
five officers and 70 men were wounded.
In addition, one officer and 200 men
were reported missing.
Kitchener Dispatch.
The text of Lord Kitchener's dis
patch announcing the capture of Gen.
Methuen is as follows:
Pretoria, Saturday. March 81 greatly
regret to have to send you bad news OF
Methuen- He was moving with 800 mount
ed men, under Maj. Paris. and 800 infantry.
four guns and a pompom, from Wynburg
TO Iichtenburg, and was to meet Grenfsll,
with 1900 mounted men at Rovirainesfon-
te,n to-day. Yesterday morning early he
was attacked by De La Rey's force, be-
tween Twe-Bosch and PalmieteknilL The
Beers charged on three sides.
Five hundred and fifty men have come
IN at Mariboga and Kraaipan. They were
pursued by the Beers four miles from the
scene Of action. They report that Meth
uen and Paris, with the guns, baggage.
etc, were ca ptured by the Beers. Msthuen,
when last seen. was prisoner. have no
details of the casualties. and suggest delay
ing publication till i can send definite news.
think this sudden revival of activity on
the part of d. La Rey is to draw OF the
troops pressing De Wet"
A Second Dispatch.
In a second dispatch. dated Sunday,
March 9, Lord Kitchener says:
f, Paris has come in at Kraaipan. with the
remainder Of the men. He reports that the
column was moving in two parties. One.
with the cx-wagons. left Twe-Bosch at
three a. m. The other. with the mule wag-
ons, started an hour later. Just before
dawn the Beers attacked. Before reen-
forcements could reach them the rear
guard broke. In the meantime a 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. ard all the mule
wagons with terrible mixture of mount
ed men. rushed past the ox-wagons. All
efforts TO check them were uravaiiing.
Mai. Paris collected 40 men and occu-
pied a position q mile in front Of the OK
wagons. which were then halted. After
gallant but useless defense the enemy
rushed into the ox-wa CONS ard Methuen
was wounded in the thigh. Paris. being
surrounded. surrendered at ten a, m.
Eethuen Is siiiI in the Boer camp"
Nay send More Troops.
The feeling of depression in the lob
bies of the house Of commons over the
news of the disaster in South Africa
was very marked. The service MEM
beers of the house expressed the opin-
ion that II viii necessitate sending
fresh troops to the front, while the be-
lief was widely expressed that the
Beers viii not fail TO take advantage of
Gen. Methuen's prominence to hold
him as hostage for the safety of Com
mandant Kritzinger and other Boer
leaders now In the hands of the Brit
ish.
DeIarey's Second Victory.
London, March 11.-Delarey who has
proved himself the most able of all the
Boer generals, has, within fortnight,
gained a second decisive victory. His
first victory wac the capture of Van
Donop's convoy, when the British cas-
uaIties in killed, wounded and men
made prisoners totaled 632, and he has
now added to his laurels by the cap
tire. for the first time throughout the
campaign, of prominent British gen.
eraI. and by infiicting what is general
ly admitted to be one of the worst re-
verses the British have suffered
throughout the whole war. 1t is sup
posed that Lord Metbuen was march
ine with the intention Of avenging the
capture of the Won Donop convoy.
british In Confusion.
The newspaper correspondents in
South Africa have not yet been al
lowed to describe the affair. The
only additional details available are
.4.snad IN N further dispatch from