The Grit-advocate., 1902-03-14
BOERS GET METHUEN
BRITISH GENERAL HEAVILY De.
FEATED AND CAPTURED.
DeIarey lrt'icts Ore Of the k.ost &c
we're Blows cf the War.

| London. March lot WAS an
| nounccd to-day that General Lord
Methuen and four guns had been cap
turcd by ihe Beers commanded by Gen
cral Delaroy.
General Mcthuen was wounded il
the thigh. Three British officers and
thirty-cight mrn We're killed. Fivc
British officers and seventy-two mrl
We're wounded. one British office
and 20O men are missing.
The fight occurred before dawI
March 7th. between Winburg and Lich
tenbure. Orange River colony. TIN
British force numbered 1.20O men The
Beers captured all the British baggage
General Mctlluen is retained as a prs
oner.
The killed include Lieulenants c. L
Nenuing and I. r. w. Nesham of tn,
Royal artillery. who Were both killed
while serving their guns with cast
shot
The news came like a thunderbolt tc
London. The extra editions of tn,
evening papers giving an account OF
the disaster were eagerly bought mp
Their readers hurried through th,
streets with anxious faces, and bittel
remarks We're passed on the subjec
of the governments declaration tha
the war in South Africa was over. TIE
news came too late to affect business
on the Stock Exchange. but excite,
curb dealings quickly followed th'
| closing, in which South African:
slunpcd heavily.
| The news caused great excitement il
| the mine market. Throckmorton stree
was thronged with South African opcr
| ators. eagerly inquiring for details o
the British defeat and watching the eff
feet of the announcement. Share:
We're offered freely at first. but by
O'Clock the excitement had abated anC
the curb tone hardened.
The news was received in the House 0
Commons amid great excitement. Th
reading of Lord Kitcheners Telegram
| by the war secretary. Mr.. Brodrick
was listened to in deep silence. whicl
was broken by loud Irish cheers. In
stanly there We're cries of "Shamc
shame" from the government benches
Then the Irish members seemed t
| think better of their outbreak and sud
denly subsided. The subsequent refer
enccs to General Mcthuen We're re
| ceived with cheers.
AS Lord Kitchener announced tina
Major Paris had surrendered and ais,
| telegraphed that he had reached Kraai
| pan with the remainder of the men, i
may be inferred that the Beers subse
| quently released the major and hi
companions.
| Lord Roberts. who announced th
| British disaster in the House of Lords
said that General Mctluen for ncarl,
two years had carried on his work will
zeal, intelligence and great persever
ance. adding that the general was be
loved of his men and no work was to-
| dangerous nor difficult for them o
| General Methuen.
General Methucn commanded the col
nmn sent to relieve Kimberley in til
/ latter part of 1899 and while on tina
service fought the Boers at Belmont
Graspan. the Modder river and Ma
gerSfcntcin. At the battle of Graspa,
the Beers We're under the command o
General Delarey, who is Genera
Methucn's captor row.
After General Mttluen's defeat Il
Magersfontein it was reported that Ii
had shown signs of breaking down a
most Immediately he took comman
of his division. His handling of tn
troops. aroused the most violent crit
cism, which was only stilled by the II
lief of Kimberley. when the Questio
of his health and ability seemed to b
dropped. Since that time Gener;
Methuen has rendered efficient servic
and several notable successes over tn
Beers stand to his credit.
Delarcy, who has proved himself til
most able of the Boer generals, ha
within q fortnight gninnl Il second d.