Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1902-03-10
TO-DAY'S TELEGRAPHIC NEWS
defeat of the British.

London, March 10.-Grett Britain
has suffered terrible reverse IN South
Africa. General Methuen, one OF
Eoglsnd's famous soldiers, and force
OF eleven hundred men unfer bis COM
mand met defes t Of the hands OF the
Boer General DeIarey. Methuen him.
self was wounded and taken prisoner
and four guns were captured from the
British. The news Of the defeat was
announced 10 the House Of Commons
today by Secretary for War Broderick.
1t was ope OF the most sensational
stat sments ever made to parliament.
Secretary Broderick read disps tch
from General Kitchener announcing
the reverse. 1t began by saying:
II greatly regret to send you bad
news about Methuen. With 900
mounted men under Major Paris. and
300 infantry, four guns and one pom
pou, he had started from Wynburg to
Lichtenburg. He was to nett Gren-
field with 1000 mounted tfoops,-- but on
Friday morning early he was attacked
by Dslsrey between Twebesch and
Palmetknill.
"The Beers charged on three sides.
Five hundred and fifty mounted troops
have come 10 at Marioogo. They were
pursued four miles. They report thai
Methuen, Paris, tue guns, and baggage
were captured. Methueu, when last
seen, was prisoner. have no further
details. Suggest you delay publication
until definite news"
General Kitchener, In second dis
patch sent Sunday reports paris,
with the remainder OF men, arrived at
Krasipan. He reports that the column
was moving In two columns, those with
the OK wagons moving an hour ahead
OF those with the mules. The Beers at
tackled after dawn. The mules stamped
ed and all the mules and wagons With
terrible mixture of mounted men,
rushed past the OK wagons. Efforts to
check them were unavailing."
"Paris collected 400 men but aft sr a
gallant but useless defense the enemy
rushed them. Methuen was wounded
10 the thigh and Paris, being sur
rounded, surrendered at 10 O'Clock 10
the morning. Three officers and
thirty-eight men were killed, and FIVE
officers and 70 men wounded. Two
hundred men are missing"
| Alter reading the bad news Secretary
Broderick. added a word OF apology
for the defestsd British General. "Me.
thuen," he said, "hss been conducting
operations for Two years in difficult
country. His failure to relieve Kim.
berly did not reflect to his dlscredlt."
1t Ia an open secret that eoclal in1u-
euce has kept Methuen in Africa, while
Butler and Cat Iore have been diJgraced
for smaller blunders.
10 the House OF Lords, Lord Raglan,
under Secretary for War, dramatically
read the kilograms, with the details Of
the disaster TO British arms.
Earl Roberts, commandments OF
the army, and who had many important
successors whilo in com mand In South
Africa, made q speech 10 eulogizlne
Methuen's success throughout the
war"
The sceue OF the battle between
Methuen aud Delsrey is 10 the south
western part OF the Trsnsyaal, 10 the
vicinity of Msfekiog. General Lord
Paul Methuen has long been credited
with being one OF the best ticticians in
the Brit SD army. Commandsnt De-
srey next to De Wet is one OF the best
of Boer fighters. He is against sur
render to the last. His operations
have extended over a wide field and
have been uniformly daring and i'm
portsnt. Dslarey issued a proClama.
lion last fall, following close on the
heels Of one Issued by Lord Kitchener
10 which the latter called on all Beers
to surrender by September 10.
Delsrey's proclamation was brief II
called on the Beers to disregard Kitch-
ener's thres Il and fight ID the end.