The San Francisco call. [volume], February 19, 1900, Image 1

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posal he asked 25,000 francs in , return for
the Information. It Is also alleged that
the letter was seized on the strength, of
Information given through Dr. Leyds,
whereupon M. Phillpp absconded. The
Nationalist journals insinuate that he re
ceived timely warning- from the French
Government and was thus enabled to es
cape to England.
Dr. Leyds, however, denies the part at
tributed to him in the affair, and the
British Embassy has Issued a formal re
pudiation of any relations direct or Indi
rect with Phillpp. ¦-:..'
According to the Journel dcs Debats,
Philipp has gone to the United States,
where he formerly lived,' and where, it la
said, he became a bankrupt as the result
of his unfortunate management of his
business as a picture dealer.
The method by which he was trapped
recalls the Dreyfus affair. He received a
letter Inviting him to meet a veiled lady,
as In the notorious case of Lieutenant
Colonel da Paty de Clam, at a well known
cafe. Here, according to this story, he
Indiscreetly revealed his designs to the
veiled, lady, who immediately informed
the departmental commission, which
promptly proceeded to Investigate. Be
fore action could be taken, however, the
bird had flown.
•
KINDNESS OF BOERS TO
WOUNDED AUSTRALIANS
ARUNDEL, Saturday. Feb. 17 (received
by dispatch - rider) .—^Captain Longhu rst of
the British medical corps spent a night at
Hobklrk's farm attending the wounded
Australians. He says that the enemy
were: remarkably^ kind to the wounded,
providing them with mattresses and civ-
Ing them all the eggs they had. The
Boer commander and Captain Longhurst
found that they had mutual friends in
London, and were soon on the best . of
terms. The Boers and the British wound
ed fraternized. Noticing that the bando
liers of the enemy were filled with soft
nosed bullets, one of our men said: "You
ought not to. bring, such/ things to fire at
us." The Boer replied: "We must use
whatever we, can get."
This particular Boer contingent: had
come from . the northern district of the
Transvaal, where the Boers are used to
hunting big game along the Limpopo. The
men had . obtained their, ammunition for
that purpose. ;One Briton, whose thigh
had. been shattered, replied to this ex
planation: "Well,, I wish you had been
kind enough to shoot me, lower down.". ,
After the retirement of the British
forces the • Boers ¦ held • a prayer-meeting
and thanked heaven for their success.
They separated ; into small parties and
moved to their various outposts, chanting
hymns as they went.
Captain Longhurst says that he - was
much Impressed 'by their considerate
treatment of the ' British ; wounded.
LADYSMITH GARRISON
IN EXCELLENT SPIRITS
LADYSMITH, \ Saturday, Feb. 17 (by
heliograph via Wenan).— The Boers have
been very active here during the last few
days and are '-. evidently ..' making . a move
I somewhere.: - The -garrison, greatly, de
i lighted to learn of the relief of, Kimberley,
Is in excellent spirits and -fit for. anything.
LADYSMITH. Thursday, Feb. 15 (by
: heliograph and native runner via Chi eve-
ley). — Dr. Jameson has the fever. The
heat Is tremendous, but the morale of the
camp Is excellent.
. Major Doveton's wife, who was given a
safe conduct through the Boer lines, has
arrived here to nurse her husband, • only
to learn that he died on Wednesday, Feb
ruary. 14.*
MACRUM ADHERES
TO HIS CHARGES
PITTSBURG. Pa.. Feb. 18.-Charles E.
Macrum, former Consul at Pretoria^
South Africa, left for Washington to
night. w ßefore leaving he said:
"I do not withdraw a word of my
charges against the British oflldals and
stand ready to testify to them and fur
nish evidence of their truthfulness."
The ex-Consul says he is not going to
Washington on any special mission, but
wants to be on the ground to give his tes
timony should it be needed.
Powder in Salt Sacks.
LONDON. Feb. IS.— A dispatch from the
Swaziland border, dated Friday, Febru-
ary 16, says:
The Boer agent at Bremersdorp, Swazi
land, has been .maintaining regular com
munication with Delagoa Bay via Swazi
land.
Two coolie carriers have been bearing
sacks supposed : to contain salt through
TongaJand. On 1 examination it was found
the sacks contained gunpowder. .
Supplies for the British.
NEW ORLEANS, Feb. 18.— The steamer
Montezuma with 1 1500 mules and a large
cargo of feedstuffs for the British army
operating in South Africa cleared to-day
for Cape. Town-
HEAVY FIGHTING
AHEAD OF THE
BRITISH FORCES
For the F'rst Time Since the
War Began the S tuation
Favors Them.
Special Cable to The Call and New York Her
ald. Copyrighted. 1900. by the New York
Herald Company.
LONDON. Feb. 19.— With General Buller
about to attempt, if he has not already
begun, for the fourth time to advance on
Ladvsmith and General Kelly-Kenny pur
suing the Boer forces toward Bloemfon
tein. there is likely to be a week of heavy
fighting.
While there is no confirmation at hand,
persistent reports Indicate that Buller in
tends this time to move by way of Co
lenso. On Wednesday he began his pre
parations by seizing Huzzar Hill, but the
censor has again become active, and no
dispatches of a later date have been
received.
Ladysmith reports that the Boers are
moving from the neighborhood of Colenso
and that the investing force Is di
minished.
Lord Roberts' strategy up to the pres
ent has been remarkably successful. At
present the situation seems to be that
General Methuen is at Magersfontein.
General Tucker at Jacobsdal and Generals
Kitchener and Kelly-Kenny, aided by the
Highland Brigade, holding the Boer army
on Its flight toward Emmaus and Patrus
berg. General French has come south
ward to Join In this movement.
There are still many obscure points in
this military operation. It is not known
whether the Boers from Spytfontein
has gone, what kind of • a force French
found north of Kimberley before he turned
to Join Kelly-Kenny, nor whether Cronje.
with his force, has been arrested in his
retreat on Bloemfontein or has retired
northeastward. The Boer commander
was undoubtedly aware several days be
fore Roberts' move of the meaning of the
mobilization below Modder. and.it is be
lieved that one of his chief occupations
was to remove the heavy guns which had
been mounted around Kimberley and
Magersfontein, holding Jacobsdal with a
few men and keeping a sparse body to
line the Magersfontein trenches. Ho
probably sent . off the Creusots and Long
Toms to the north. .
The difficulties of transportation, which
have gone, what kind of a force French
against British mobility, appear to a
larffo extent to have been overcome by
JACOBSDAL, Orange Free State, Friday, Feb. 16.— Lord
Roberts' combinations for the movements of the corps
dovetailed with precision, although obstacles that had riot
been foreseen had to be overcome. The execution of his
design began at 3a. m. on Sunday. General French rode
Into Kimberley on Thursday afternoon, just when he was due,
according to the field marshal's timetable, having in four and
a half days marched ninety miles with artillery and fought
two small engagements. • -
The relief of Kimberley was accomplished with the loss of
only fifty men. Twenty thousand infantry made a splendid
march under a sub-tropical sun and through a dust storm to
hold the positions which General French took.
Lord Kitchener was with General Tucker's division. In
consequence of his transport arrangement- the four divisions
moving over the sandy veldt are fed and watered. It is hardly
possible to appreciate adequately the mathematical precision
with which every part of the transport department has
worked, marching through the day, toiling almost sleeplessly
through the night, victualing the army and evolving every
hour results from seeming, chaos. Everybody did what was
expected of him cheerfully, though enduring frightful fatigues.
Few slept more than three hours. The battalions hour after
hour tolled through the heavy sand uncomplainingly, and
when now and then a man fell out of the ranks exhausted he
would rejoin his company later -after he had rested. .Some
fifty or sixty were overcome by the heat and had to be sent to
the rear In the r backward defile of empty wagons. -; ¦*«.;¦'
The rapidity of Lord Roberts' movement away from his
base has solved one e»f- the problems, perhaps the chief prob
lem of the war. He and Lord Kitchener have created a mobile
force, able to move In exterior lines and to outflank the Boers,
themselves so wonderfully mobile.
The position of the Boer army at Spytfonteln being un
tenable, General Cronje ordered a retreat. At the moment
this dispatch Is written It Is uncertain whether his whole force
or only a portion has gone toward Bloemfontein. It Is possible
that a part Is going north of Kimberley. It is supposed that a
29-ton gun Is still In the neighborhood of Kimberley. The
road from Jacobsdal to Modder Station is now open.
the genius of Kitchener.
As to the reports of Boers from Coles«
berg capturing a British convoy of 200
wagons, the Daily Mall's correspondent
says that the Boers were held at bay
until reinforcements arrived.
For the first time since Ladysmith was
invested the situation Is regarded In Lon
don as distinctly favorable to the British.
In the west the British right wing la act
ing on the defensive south of Orange
River, holding Its own. while the British
left wing, beyond the Orange, has raised
the siege of Kimberley, compelling tea
retreat of the Boer right, and undertaken
Its pursuit. The primary objective of
Roberts Is still to cripple that force as the
best preparation for his principal task.
His movement eastward Into Orange
Free State will also have for its object
to disturb the Boer army in Natal by
causing the Free State troops to wish to
defend their own country. So longr as
Cronje could hold his own against the
British and while the Boer Invasion of
Cape Colony was making progress, there
was no urgent reason for uneasiness In
the head laager before Ladysmith, but
with an army which Cronje cannot resist
pushing through the Free State the Boer
commander must foresee a time when. If
he remains in Natal, he will be between
the armies of Roberts and Buller.
That Is the situation which, while the
two British armies are several marches
apart, may enable the Boers to throw
the bulk of their force against one of
their opponents, while acting on the de
fensive with a smaller body against the
other. But every day's march brings the
British forces nearer together and in
creases the prospect of danger to the
Boer army.
There is a message from Ladysmith re
porting that the Boers have some move
ment in preparation, and they may b*
sending oft a contingent to reinforce
Cronje or to make a new assault on the
town. Buller'a demonstration at Hussar
Hill and his possible advance may have
the effect of preventing either move,
While the mobilization of the reserve
squadron by the Admiralty Is meeting:
with unqualified approval. It has also
served to direct attention to the fact that
the British navy is not so strong actually
as on paper. The fact that the Admiralty
has ordered such vessels as the Nelson,
the Hercules and the Sultan to coal, that
they may be ready for commissioning. Is
a striking Illustration of this. Thes«
battle-ships are out of date. They are all
armed with obsolete muzzle-loaders and
the Nelson Is so slow and cumbersome
that her name has long been a byword
In every wardroom afloat. Pitted against
modern ships, they would only prove
death traps for the men in them.
It la significant that the departure of
the channel fleet to Gibraltar has been
delayed until the reserve fleet U ready.
Lord Roberts Well-Laid Plans for the Relief of
the Besieged Town Executed Without
GENERAL CRONJE
HAS ESCAPED
HIS PURSUERS
May Lose Some of His Bag
gage, bu: His Army Is
Safe From Capture.
LONDON. Feb. 19.— 1t is now amply con
firmed that General Cronje escaped. Every
<setall received, however, proves how ad
mirably Lord Roberts' plans were con
ceived and were succeeding. But for the
unexpected delay at Dekiels Drift, which
was almost impassable for wagons, the
•whole Boer force would have been sur
rounded. The delay of one day there gave
them their chance for a hasty retreat. All
the other movements of Lord Roberts
were executed exactly as to time. Appar
ently General Cronje is retreating with
the main army, and even if he escapes al
together he probably will lose all his bar
rage.
There is still something doubtful about
the capture of the British convoy. Ac
cording to a Daily Mail correspondent
with the convoy, which consisted of 200
wagons, each loaded with 6000 pounds of
rations and of forage and each drawn by
sixteen oxen, it was quite unexpectedly
attacked by a. commando supposed to
come from Colefberg. The escort, consist-
Ing of eighty of the Gordon Highlanders,
forty men of the army service corps ard
& few of Kitchener's Horse, maintained a
defense until the arrival of reinforce
ments, sustaining insignificant casualties.
The Standard's correspondent at JacoL*.
dal. telegraphing Thursday, February 15,
cays:
"An attack was made yesterday upon
the rear guard of our main body by a
force of 1400 Boers, who were hurried up
from Colesberg. They succeeded In cap
turing some of our wagons, but Lord
Roberts did not delay his march to retake
these. There were few casualties on our
elde. The last of our supply columns «r
rived from Honey Nest Kloof to-day, hav
ing met with no opposition on the way."
The Dally News publishes the following
dispatch, dated Sunday morning, Febru
ary IS. from Modder River:
"Our sudden appearance seems to have
astounded the enemy and thrown them
Into a panic. All their positions were hur
riedly evacuated and the big guns at Ma.
gprsfonteln and Kimberley were left be
hind.
"General Cronje moved his transport,
consisting of many hundreds of wigons.
along a tank of kopjes north of the Mod
der. toward Koffyfontein. It got past our
mounted infantry, but owing to weariness
bad to ptop. Thereupon our artillery
opened upon it. The main body of the
Boer forces kept up a running: fight the
whole day, mainly trying to escape.
"Each time their advance guard sought
to move off our mounted infantry gal
loped around and checked them. We
never attempted to stop their main move
ment, contenting ourselves with trying to
check them.
"Their position at Koffyfontein is said
to be very strong. They entertain a
ONLY FIFTY BRITISH FELL IN
THE MARCH TO KIMBERLEY
wholesome dread of 10,000 cavalry, moving
more quickly than they do themselves.
We hope to be in Bloemfontein shortly."
The Daily Mall has another dispatch
from the Modder River military camp,
dated Sunday morning, which says:
"At dawn on Friday the Boers were
observed moving wagons along the kopjes
toward Koffyfohteln. Our mounted in
fantry was sent out from Klip Drift, but
was driven back, and the enemy's wagons
passed. General Knox's Twelfth Brigade,
however, quickly attacked the enemy's
main body, and severe fighting went on
all day over a line which was very ex
tended. The enemy, making a desperate
attempt, finally escaped, owing to the ser
pentine bend of the river. The mounted
Infantry Buffered from the trying flank
movement. Our force has now been re
inforced."
The correspondent of the Times at Mod
der River, wiring yesterday, says:
"General Cronje's army of 10,000 men,
with 1000 wagons, is in full retreat toward
Bloemfontein, hotly pursued by General
Kelly-Kenny. It will probably be a rear
guard fight all the way to Bloemfontein.
Our cavalry has already returned from
Kimberley to Join In the pursuit."
A dispatch to the Times from Naauw
poort, describing the retirement from
Arundel, draws attention to the devotion
of twenty men of the Victoria Mounted
Rifles, who were caught in a trap and
died to a man, fighting to the last.
ROBERTS' PROCLAMATION
TO THE FREE STATERS
CAPE TOWN, Feb. 18.— Lord Roberts
has issued a proclamation to the burghers
of the Orange Free State saying that he
feels it his duty to make known to all the
burghers the cause of the coming of the
British as well as to do all in his power
to terminate the devastation caused by
the war, and that he Issues the proclama
tion In order that if the burghers should
continue fighting they may not do so ig
norantly, but with a full knowledge of
their responsibility before God for th*
lives lost in the campaign. The procla
mation goes on to say:
The British Government believes that the
wanton and unjustifiable Invasion of British
territory was not committed with the general
approval of the people of the Free State, with
whom the British Government has lived In
complete amity for so many years. It be
lieves the responsibility rests wholly with the
Government of the Free State, acting not In
the Interests or the country, but under mis
chievous Influences from without.
Great Britain, therefore, wishes the people
of the Free State to understand that It bears
them no HI will and that, 80 far as is compati
ble with the successful conduct of (he war
and the re-eatabllshment of peace. It Is
anxious to preserve them from the evils brought
upon them by the wrongful action of their
Government. .
FRENCH' SPY EXPOSED
THROUGH DR. LEYDS
PARIS, Feb. 18.— The sensational news
papers of Paris publish a story with re
gard to a sub-chief of one of the bureaus
of the Ministry, of Marine named Phillpp,
who is said to have been discovered in an
offer to furnish Great Britain Information
relating to the freighting of vessels for
the Transvaal In French ports. • It is al
leged that in the letter containing bis pro-
RIMINGTON'S SCOUTS WATCHING THE BOER MOVEMENTS.
(FROM "BLACK AND WHITE.")
"Rlmington's Tigers," so called from the broad band of leopard 'skin worn around their hats, were a picked body
of colonial horsemen serving with Lord- Methuen's column. They were raised by Major M. F. Rimington, Sixth Inniskil
lins, from among the residents of the country, and their fine work in the earlier part, of the campaign earned for them the
title of the "Eyes and Ears of the Army." Later, however, their' good-fellowship with the people of the locality in which ;
they operated, many of whom were of Boer blood and sympathies, coupled with the; fact of. a .continual leakage, as to his
own movements through to the enemy, raised strong suspicion as to their fidelity, and caused General Methuen some three
weeks ago to order their disbandment. ¦ ' - ' ,
British Capture More
Than One Hundred
Wagons Laden With
Boer Supplies.
Federals Make a Stand at Each
Kopje to Cover the Movement
of Their Convoy in the Re
treat From Kimberley.
JACOBS DAL. February 17.— General Kelly-Kenny is still
pursuing the Boers. He has now captured more than 100
wagons laden with supplies. The Highland Brigade re
inforced him after a forced march. General French has left
Kimberley to join in the pursuit of the Boer army. The guards
have occupied the Boer position at Magerslontein.
Further details of the Boer retreat show that the enemy
has been fighting a good rear guard action and occupying
successive kopjes in order to allow the moving of the convoy,
which, however, has been going at a very slow pace, the ani
mals apparently being dead beat. The latest reports show that
the Boers in the neighborhood of Klip Kraals drift are un-
General French's magnificent march is still the subject of
admiration, especially in view of the duststorms and thunder
storms that all experienced.
The work of shelling the Boers proceeds vigorously.
Owing to the style of the action, the Boers are bound to show
in the open whenever they are obliged to leave the kopjes.
BIRDS RIVER. Saturday, Feb. 17. — The position near
Dordrecht now is that the Boers occupy a strong hill north of
the town, and that the British under Gatacre hold a commanding
post to the south. Both are maintaining a brisk exchange of
shells over Dordrecht.
General Brabant's horse, 2000 strong, commenced the
march from Penhook on Thursday morning over a trackless
veldt and through a mountainous and difficult country. Early
on Friday they were fired upon, and the firing continued all day
and weli into the night, the British clearing the Boers out of
successive positions under a terrific rifle fire lasting eight hours.
Toward midnight on Friday the British forced the Boers
at the point of the bayonet out of their last position, an impor
tant one overlooking Dordrecht. The artillery duel was con-
The British casualties were eight killed, including Captain
Crallan and Lieutenant Chandler, and eight wounded. The
British captured some prisoners and a quantity of forage and
provisions.
KELLY-KENNY'S FORCE PURSUES THE ARMY OF CRONJE
WHILE BULLER ENGAGES THE BOERS ON TUGELA RIVER
Burghers Stubbornly
Contest the Advance
of Imperial Troops
Toward Ladysmith.
Buller Occupies Hussar Hill
.VVith Slight Loss After an
Artillery Duel Lasting From
Wednesday Until Friday.
CHIEVELEY, Feb. 18.— General Buller's casualties
during the last three days' operations have been
about 80. The British forces have now partly as
cended Monte Christo Hill.
NEW YORK, Feb. 18.— The Sun has the following
from Loursnzo Marquez : Commandant Lucas Meyer
wires to-day from Colenso that very heavy fighting is
going on in the Blaavv Krantz Valley. The British arc
in overwhelming numbers, but all the Federal posi*
tions were maintained when the dispatch was sent.
S~\ HIEVELEY, Sunday, Feb. 18. — General Buller has es
l# tablished his headquarters on Hussar Hill. Heavy artil
lery firing was maintained at intervals by both sides from
Wednesday until Friday. The British slowly pushed the ad
vance, and their infantry occupied new intrenched positions in
front of Hussar Hill, with slight loss. It is believed the lyddite
worked havoc in the Boer trenches.
The Boers are supposed to have moved their big guns back
over the Tugela on Friday afternoon. The rifle fire has been
heavy at times. The whole country is thickly wooded.
The British operations are directed to the capture of Hlang
wane Hill, where the Boers are strongly fortified, and from which
they are shelling the British with great accuracy.
The British infantry is now deployed along a line extending
for seven miles to the small kopjes at the foot of Monte Cristo
Hill. From 6 o'clock Friday morning the British incessantly
shelled Monte Cristo, with the nek separating it from Blaauw
Krantz Hill, on the right. The British infantry is making slow
progress up the nek in the endeavor to occupy Monte Cristo,
which will enable it to enfilade the Boers on Hlangwane.
CHIEV£LEY, Wednesday, Feb. 14 (delayed by censor).
— The movement northeastward began this (Wednesday) morn
ing. Lord Dundonald, with cavalry, infantry and artillery, oc
cupied Hussar Hill, five miles north of Chieveley. The infantry
intrenched the hill. General Lyttelton worked around to the
right and Sir Charles Warren in the front and to the left.
The Boers were heavily intrenched on Hlangwane and
Monte Cristo hills. A steady, independent fire, with occasional
volleys, was maintained for hours, and the enemys' trenches were
vigorously shelled. The Boers had one gun in action during the
early part of the day, but when we began shelling they moved
it across the river. They used one Nordenfeldt in the afternoon.
Our casualties were few.
FRERE CAMP, Feb. 16.— The Boers have abandoned
several laagers. General Buller renewed the bombardment of
the Boer position without eliciting a response. Another forward
movement is regarded as imminent.
PRICE FIVE CENTS.
VOLUME LXXXVII— NO. 81.
SAN FRANCISCO, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1900.
The San Francisco Call