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? o uti) ron ras 8UMTSB WATCHMAN. Established April. 1850. "Be Just and Fear not-Let all the Ends thou Aims't at, be thy Country's, thy God's and Truth's." THE TRUE SOUTHRON. Established Jane. 15*6 Consolidated Aug. 2,1881 ^SUMTER. S. C., WEDNESDAY. DECEMBER 6.1899 New Series-VoL XIX. So. 19 $|e ^attira m? Sontijron i Pnblisisi Eirery Wednesday, -Br-' KT. Gr. Osteeiij ? SUMTER, S. C. TEiJMS : . $1.50 per annum-in advance. ADVERTISEMENT: Ono Square first insertion.$1 00 j Every subsequent insertion. 50 I Contracts for three months, or longer wil j be made at reduced rates. AU communications which subserve private int?r?ts will be charged foras ad ver tiemen ts. Obituaries and tributes of respects will* be charged for. * BRITISH SUCCESS HEAVILY BOUGHT.' Naval Brigade and York? shires Bore Brant of Bat? tle. London, Nov. 28 -A dispatch has been received here from Gen Buller, giving a Hst of the casualties among the troops eogaged in wnar. was high erto known here as the battle of Gras Pan., but which is DOW officially desig? nated the battle of Do olio It proves, aa anticipated, that the British success was heavily bought. The losses an? nounced today added to the naval brigade casualties, previously notified, make a grand total of 198 as the cost or Geo. Methuen's second battle. The Yorkshires, apparently, bore with the * naval brigade the bronc of the fighting as lhere were in addition to three .officers, 48 of the rank and file killed, wounded and missing. The feet that the lise contains the casualties of the Ninth Lancers seems to dispose of the fears that the cavalry was surrounded and captured, especially as nooe of the Lancers are reported missing. Geo. Baller's list of the casualties shows among the wounded of the Seo ond Yorkshire Light infantry were Capt C. A. Tates, Lieut H. C. Ferny hough and Lieut. C. H. Ackroyd. The casualties among the non-commis? sioned officers and meo of the various regiments eogaged were : Killed, 10 ; wounded, 71 ; missing, 9 The war office has received the following dispatch from Gen. Baller dated Pietermaritzburg, Natal, Nev. 28th : ''Our last news from Ladysmith, Nov. 24tb, said all well An old message, dated Nov 19 : h. just arrived, begins : 'Joubert has explained firiog on one (Red Cross-) flag previously reported Mave accepted explanation as satisfactory ' ''Lieut. Lethbridge, rifb brigade. ' died of wounds. Ochers wounded geoeraily doing well. Health of troops good. r "Six wounded Dahlie Fusiliers cap tared on armored train south of Colen? so sent here today." A corrected list of the British casual? ties at Gras Pao shows that Flag Capt. Reginald C Prothero; of the Doris and and Lieutenant of martoes, Waiter C Jooes, abo of the Doris, previously reported wounded, were kilied The additional casualties telegraphed by Geo. Baller appear to be (be first intimation of the actions of Gen Methuen's forces, which have not yet been reported A TOUGH PROPOSITION The Associated Press learns that ac?ion of Lord Pauncefote aod other British ambassadors io notifying the powers that a state of war has existed sinci Oct. llth between Great Britain and the Sooth African republics has prompted ?rq-iiries b? tho various Lon don embassies regardiog the nature of the hostilities The Associated Press is cffisialiy informed that the notification has io no wise charged the British views as to the Biers' status Bat, in spite of the ambiguous r?f?ren?as in the queen's speech ard other official documents ac tte commencement of the war regarding "military operation," and other evasive ase of the term "war," it appears that the United Skates has consistently recognized the Boers as forming, practically, an indo pendent S:ate, considering tbs claim o? British suzerainty t^o slight a thread to put them in the light of rebels. It is tacitly admitted by the British cfii cia?s that the usual communications relative ?o a "state cf war'' were not made earlier beaause ic was not tlnugc: that victory would be deferred loo? enough to make such a diplomatic step necessary. The government maintains that ?ivm?? the Boers belligerent rights does nn' constitute an ackoowiedgm< .. ! of theil cia;oj to iridep?ndocn, evidenc? ing as proof of thi." contention tbit both foreign govercrot^rj*-. a'.d the yo? err;ment ot the United S'a''-* treated the Confederates a? belligerents. GRAS PAN FIGH P. Orange River, Monday, Nov "27. Tb?1 British arm-* h;*:"* achieved a brilliant victory Tn;.* enemy, erroogly entrenched, held a raoge of biils com? manding both sides of the railway at Rooi Laagte^, near Gras Pao. The Laocashires, under Lewis, reconnoiter? ed in an armored train on Friday. Tbs Boers shelled the train, killing Lewis and a privare. Gen Methuen then advanced. His column made a detour and bivouacked for the night at Swank's Pan, three miles from the Bier position. At dawn the advance began, the guards forming the reserve The column debouched on the plain east? ward of the Boer kopjes. The Poer guos opened fire. Two batteries of I British artillery, ppftcd on each side, ! sheiled the B:ers, praji.ee being good ! on both sides. The Boers stuck tenaciously to their positions, firing steadily and accurately. The duei, wbioh constantly became botter, lasted three hours. The Boer shelis wounded several men of the oaval brigade Finding u impossible to displace the Boers by artillery. Gen. Methuen resolved up an infantry attack. A brigade of infantry, including the Yorkshires, the Northamptcns, the Northuraberlaods and the Laocashires, with the naval brigade on the right, i gallantly stormed the Boer positions io j the face of a withering fire, and carried I bill after bili, the brigade under Col. j Money capturiog the main position j against a terrific fire and 6ufleriog j severely. Many of the Biers voluntarily sur I rendered The Boers were shelled during the firing retreat, and must have lost heavily, but they succeeded in getting away northward with their six guns. The British were badly io need of more cavalry. The bulk of the fighting was on Free State territory, and the engagement was admirably planned. Thirty Boer wounded aro under treatment here. THE BOERS' TACTICS. Berlin, Nov. 28.-The Deutsche Zeitung publishes the following dis? patch, dated Pretoria, November 27, receiving it, it is thought, through Boer diplomatic channels : "President Kroger and President Steyn have instructed Gen Joubert and Geo Cronje not to split their forces into small detachments, bot to strike vigor? ?os blows Geo Joubert has three corps, one holding Ladysmith, the second commanding the T?pela, and the third east of Estcourt in order to cue off the British retreat. Geo Cronje's forces are divided ioto three contingents, one at Kimberley, another at Modder river and third in the rear of Geo Methuen " London, Nov 28-Gen Forestier Walker has sent the following dispatch, dated Cap? Town, today, to the war office : "Kekewicb reports from Kim? berley ?rcm Nov 18 to Nov 23 tome unimportant skirmishes with the Hoers. ? Wounded, Capt Bodley. Lieut. Haw I Ker and three troopers ; ali doing well. The health cf the garrison 19 good, and the water supply is plentiful. - ii ti -? Port Royal Giveo Big Ap? propriation. Washington, Nov 30.-The report of Rear Admiral Endicott, chief of the bureau of oaval yards and docks, submits estimates for improvements amounting to $14,756,439 The recommendations are made with a view to so improving the various stations that the entire navy, inoiuding the portion in reserve, may be pu: imo immediate service and kept there continuously Among the items recom? mended are a new stone and concrete orv dook at the New York navy yard to cost ?1,000 OOO and at Norfolk, to cost ?1,200,000. Another important ?fem is $1,500 000 for barracks at Boston, Brooklyn, League Island, Norfoik and Mare Island, each to cost ?300,000 The to'ai estimate for various nsvy yards and stations are as follows : Norfolk ?1 649.000. iocludiog ?300, 000 to cegio new dock and ?500.000 for additional ?and to iocrease scope of vard; Port Riyal. S C, ?882 000 ; Pensacola: Fia. ?20,000 ; Kev West, F.a, ?117.000; Dry Tortugas, Fi?, ?200.000 Seaboard Going to Charles ton. Charleston, S C , Nov 29-The Chattanooga, Augusta and Challes ton raihoad company was organiz"d here this afternoon. This is the Sea board Air Line's new road between this city and Atlanta, surveys lor which have been completed The following officers were elected : President, E Randolph Williams, ol Baltimore ; vice president an'! gen eral manager, James I Jackson, of Augusta; ?ecretarv, Henrv !>a;-' ci Charleston : treasurer, li Goodwyn Rhett, of Charleston ; boa? ? of <li rectore, G W Williame, .lr. C Wu beru, R Goodwyn Rhett, W ii Chis oim, C S Heard, Jam?s U Jackson, ii Wilson, Henry Buist, E Ran dolph Williams, S W Travis, W B S Whaley and W M Wallace. British Numbers Triumph.! Attacked 8,000 Boers En? trenched at Modder River. London, Nov 29-The war office has received the following dispatch from Gen Buller : "Cape Town, Tuesday, Nov 28. Gen Methuen reports : " 'Modder River, Taesday, Nov 28 -Reconnoitered at 5 a m. enemy's position on Modder River and found them strongly entrenched and conceal? ed No means of outflanking, the river beiog full. Action commenced with artillery, mounted infantry aod cavalry, at 5 30, guard on right, Ninth brigade on left, attacked position io widely extended formation at 6 30, and ? supported by the artillery, found itself in front of the whole Boer force, 8,000 strong, with two large goos, four Krapps, etc. " *The naval brigade rendered great assistance from the railway. " 'After desperate, hard fighting, which lasted 10 bourR, our moo, without water or food and in the burning ?un, made the enemy quit his position. ** 'Geo Pole-Carew was successful in j getting a small party across the river, ! gallantry assisted by 300 sappers " 'I speak in term? of fa i i?h praise of the conduct of all who were engaged in one of thc hardeet and most trying fights sn the annals of the British army. If I oan mention one arm particularly, it ?3 twa batteries of artillery.' " A special* dispatch from Wiodsor says that Gen. Methuen's dispatch to the queen after the battle cf Modder River 6ays : "The battle was the bloodiest of the century. The British shelled the enemy ont of the trenohes and then charged. The resait was terribie*" A revised hst of the British casual? ties at Belmont shows : Officers-Killed, 4 ; wounded, 22 ; non-commissioned officers and privates killed, 46 ; wounded 225, of wbioh number the Guards had 35 killed and 159 wounded. A revised list of the casualties sus? tained by Gen. Hildy ara's forces at the battle of Beacon Hill shows : Killed, 13 ; wounded, 64 ; missing 1 ; pris? oners, 8 SORTIE FROM KIMBERLEY. Pretoria, Monday, Nov. 27.-Gen Datori reports that the British made a sortie from Kimberley earl*; Saturday morning and fired on the Boers with artillery and infantry io the dark? ness. The British sortied where the Bioemhof Boer force was stationed On our (the Boer) side there were 300 men. Gen. N Dctort, who was nine miles off. hastened to the assistance or the Bloemhof cootingeot with a hun. dred men. Nine burghers were killed, seventeen were wounded and there were some missing The British ieft on the field a private and sergeart. It is reported that the British attempted to leave Kimberley on the ea6t side to assist the troops from Belmont. Commandant L?bbe was slightly wounded. The British have repaired 'be dam? age to the railroad. The Free Staters engaged with the British were overwhelmed by numbers and, after a brave stand until the after? noon we were compelled to take up another position cn the otherside of the railroad. Oelarey says it is impossible to give the numbers of killed and wounded Boers, but the ioss is not great The Boers had four guns to the Brit? ish 24 GEN METHUEN WOUNDED. London. Nov 30 -It is officially announced that Gen Methuen was among these wouoded at the battle of Modder riv?r. Gen Methuen, it developed later, was slightly wounded by a buliet which inflicted a fl?sb wound in the thigh. Lieut Long of the Seoond Yorkshires is another officer killed Ten officers were wounded Thc war office today makes public the following dispatch from the officers com?naQiio? at Cape Town under date of Nov 29 : Kimberley ail well to Nov 23. Rail and telegraph opeo to Modder riv?r Gatacre reports. Nov 28, 'nat thc situa ?ion i< unchanged. The office h-js received the fallowing di-patcb from Baller d;tfed Piefermar i zburg, Wednesday, ]?pv 29 : 'Mitch? ell, a telegraphist, has just made his way out of Ladysmith to Weeoen, whence he sei ds ti; following menage : " 'On Nov 9 we Peas back the Boers with great loss to ti.?' enemy. ()jr t'?:;-l casualties were rcmarkablv small Phere were colv eTg>" men ki tied d?vnog the siege of sfc< i ;. and <o ai! bardes, ere. only hundred men have been ki = ! ..: or wound . " 1 ieft Ladysmith tho night of Nov 20 Since Nov 9 no ;rr< mp: ha-; been made tc at'eck Ladysmith io farce.' " The war effice has received from the general commanding the troops at Cape Town the fo?iowiog : Tbe following received Nov 30: "Killed, staff colonel, H P Northcott ; Second Coldstream?, Lieut Gol H R Stopford; Capt S Earle. "Wounded, artillery, Maj W Lind? say, Capt Farrell, Lieat Dunlop, Lieut Farse ; Third Grenadiers. Maj Count Gleichen. Lieut the Hon E H Lygon ; Coldstream!?, Lieut Viscount Acheson ; medical corps. Capt C A Moore. The casualties amoog the officers of the Ninth brigade and the men of the division wili follow. OPERATIONS IN NATAL. Estcourt, Monday, Nov 27.-The Twelfth Lancera are reported to have attacked Piet Reliefs force at Weenan acd to have inflicted great loss on the Boers. General Hildyards troops bivouacked last night at Frere. Two BDers have been captured. Oae of them, a doctor, entered the British camp under the belief that it was a j Boer bivon&o. Gen Joubert is reported to have retreated to Colenso yesterday by way of Chieveley. He travelled in ao omnibus drawn by sis horses It is rumored that be is hurrying to oppose Col Baden-powell. Two Estcourt trains arrived at Frere last night There is great rejoicing at the opening of the Hoe. Boer prisoners report Gen. Hild? yards night attack with cold steel paralyzed the burghers, whose loss was 30 killed and over 100 wounded^ REPORTS OF HEAVY BOER LOSSES Orange River, Nov 27.-Boer prisoners here report that the number of Boers killed at Belmont ie believed to be 140, and at Gras Pan 400. Among the prisoners are several with enormous red crosses on their sleeves. It ie reported that they j fought with the artillery. NEWS OF KIMBERLEY AND MAFEKING. London, Nov 30.-News received today from Kimberley under date of Nov 30, and Mafeking Nov 24- Noth? ing of importance was reported from either place. LADYSMITH HEAVILY BOM? BARDED MONDAY. London, Dec 1-The Times pub? lishes the following dispatch from Frere, Natal, dated Monday, Nov 27 : "Ladysmith was heavily bombarded today." No News From Africa. English Suffering in Painful Suspense London, Dec 2, 4 30 a tn-Absolute silence has fallen over affairs io South Africa. The war office has not yet received Lord Metheun's casualty list The public and the press, hitherto patient, are beginning to murmur at the apparently needless delay which keeps many families in a elate of pain? ful suspense. It is regarded as practically certain that Lord Metbeun has been reenforced by half a battalion of the Gordon Highlanders, a regiment of cavalry and a battlery of artillery, and that Dc Aar is being daily reenforced by troops to hold the lines of communication It is supposed that the Natal advance bas been delayed by the necessity o? getting supplies lo Pieterruaritzburg, but not a word emanates from any ol the various commands Civilizing the Soudan. Cairo, D^o 1 -Officers from ibe Soudao who have arrived here say that when Gen. Wi0gat's force over? took the khalifa rfae latter tried to outflank the Anglo Egyptair.s but failed. Seeing his position was hope? less the khalifa told bis emirs to stay with him and die. He theo spread a sheepskio on the ground a':d sat down 00 it, with the emirs on either side o? him. The khalifa was found ?bot through the head, heart, arms and legs, and the ? emirs were lying ocad beside bim ! Th;- members 0: bi-? bodyguard were ; aii drad in front of them, j Gen. Wiogatc's force swept over ! them without, recognizing *he khaiifa ? afj?l his emir?, bur. they were identified i later. j The khalifa is described as of rcedi j um beighr, strong and stout, of light ' brown color and w< a it-ng ^r_v j beard Liverpool, Dec 1 -Following; are lhe weekly cotton statistics : Total pairs of ail kinds, HOG ; American, 64,00 ); English spinn rs' takings, 72 OOO ; t< :t ?-X?..<H;--, ?0,000 ; im pori, totai, 67,?OU ; American, 60, OOO ; stock, total, 781,000; Araeri ? can, 694,000 ; quantity afloat, totai, j 110,000; ail American ; totai sales on speculation, 4,100 ; total saies to exporters, 4,600. * ?j MINDANAO ACCEPTS I AMERICAN RULE _ Mayor of Zamboanga Assas- ! sinated Calixto and Has Himself Made President. Manila, Dec 1.-Tbe seamer Sal? vador from Zamboanga, island of Mindanao, which has arrived here, brings details of the occupation of the town by Commander Very of the United States gunboat Castine The revolutions in Mindanao were led by Alvarez and Calixto, who left Luzon some time ago and for the last seven months had been stirring up the people, winning a considerable fol? lowing The commercial depression and the lack of food resulting from the island's blockade set the people against the revolutionists and colmi nated in the assassination on Nov 15 of Calixto, a firebrand and the real leader of the revolution, by Midel, mayor of the town of Tetuan. Midel, under a pretext, secured Calix?o's presence in Tetuan, and where the mayor's guards were sta? tioned, the latter fired a volley, kill? ing Calixto instant^. Midel at once repaired to the Cas? tine and arranged with Commander Very for the occupation of Zamboan? ga Commander Very asked tbat^ Datto Mandi, with 500 of bis follow ere, stationed on a neighboring isl and, come to Zamboanga The followiogmorning Midel raised the American flag; over Zamboanga, the insurgents offering no resistance and evacuating the town The Castine was saluted with 21 gone and Commander Very landed a hundred blue jackets and took posession of the town and fortifications. Datto Mandi's men arrived in the after nooc They were armed with wooden shields and swords and were used oa picket duty. Commander Very dispatched the gunboat Manila ?sov 15 to Jolo, to convey troops to reinforce him A company of the Twenty third regi* ment nuder Capt Nicholas arrived Nov 17 and two more companies followed them shortly. Mandi's fol lowers then returned home Alvarez sought to arrange for a surrender of tne arms and artillery pieces. On the afternoon of Nov 20 j Midel called a meeting of the local j chiefs, who formally deposed Alvarez i as leader of the revolutionists in the j i^iand and elected Midel president cf i the new insular government established i under American sovereignty and con- | trol The chiefs then reques ed Commander Very to grant exemption ? from taxes until the reestablishment of j commercial relatioos, permission to carry arm3 in the mountaios, religious J freedom and the power to conduct local j government as they had previously done, which requests, pending the arrival of Brig Gen Otis cr the military governor of the district, the comman? der granted. Commander Very then affected an apparent reconciliation between Alva nz and Midel and their followers, Alvarez signing a formal resignation of the position of revolutionary leader Nov 22 at a point on the coast near the rebel (own of Mercedes. Alvarez de? livered 13 Nordenfeldts and Maxims, with ammunition, which were stored oo board the Castine Eight Norden feidts aod Maxims were delivered to the army in Ziroboanga, as were also 200 rifles with ammuni?oo. Alvarf-z had only a dozen followers left, the remainder of the revolution? ists having scattered and returned to their occupations No fighting is ex? peced Caromar: der Very having started to ocsapy Z-mboanga is considered to have bandied the situation in its many phases with eoergy and diplomatic ekiil. Pittman Cleared of Murder. Charleston. S. C., Nov 29.-A J. Pittman, who killed bis brother in thc lobby of the Hotel Calhoun here on Oct 18th, was tried for the murder in the court of sessions here today and acquitted. The brothers had had j some business trouble, but had been partially reconciled and met at the hotel to talk matters over They i wf*re in the reading room of the ! hotel when tbe affray took place There were no oyo. witnesses. On the stand today Pittman said that he believed his life to be in danger when he tired To Establish a Gold Standard. The Currency Bill Prepared by the Republicans. Washington* Nov. 27 -The gen? eral currency bili prepared by the Republican caucus committee ap? pointed by the last Congress has received its final revision at the hands of the members and will be given to the pres3 to morrow afternoon for publication on Wednesday, after a copy has been mailed to each Re? publican Representative iu Congress: The measure represents the unani* mons conclusions cf the committee and wili be called up for considera? tion at the caucus of the Republican members of the House, which is to be held probably next Saturday. Accompanying the bill is a report setting forth at length the reasons and necessity which, in the opinion of the committee, exist for the pro? posed legislation. The Evening Star today prints the following as some of the chief features 0/ the bill, and which in the main are fairly accurate : "An amendment to the coinage laws, making 52 38 grains of gold, 900 parts fine, the standard coin measure. "An amendment to the Green? back Reissue Act of 1878, providing that those treasury notes eball not be redeemed with gold, except in change for gold. This provision wiil prevent the operation of the endless chain which hitherto has been the means to raid the gold re? serve. "An amendment to the specie Resumption Act? directing the main? tenance of a gold reserve of not less than $100,000,000, the maintenance of the reserve at that figure now being entirely in the discretion of the secretary of the treasury. "Au amendment of the National Bank Act, authorizing banks to be organized with a capital stock of $25,000. At present the minimum is $50,000 Another amendment to the game Act, authorizing banks to issue notes (0 the par value of the bonds they have on deposit to secure circulation At present the limit is 90 per cent A third amendment to this Act reduces the taxation on bank circulation to one tenth of 1 pei cent This tax is to pay the expense of engraving and printing the notes. The present rate more than meets this expense.v Foolish Talk io Frankfort. Frankfort, Kv.. Nov. 27.-Senator Denoe left for ^ashiogton tonight aod after his departure a story, emanating from Republican circles, was put abroad that io the event Goebel is given a rcertifiaate of election nest Saturday by the throwing out of the vote of Jeffer? son, Knox and Johnson counties Senator Deboe, Senator Lindsay, Gov? ernor Bradley, Gen. Taylor and other Republican leaders will unite in an appeal to Presideot McKinley to declare martial law io Kentuckey, recognizing Taylor as Governor and supporting his administration Senator Deboe stated t3 the Associated Press reporter tbat be felt confident 00 emergency would arise requiring the assistance of the Federal authorities, but intimated that be had assurances that Federal aid could be bad if it became necessary. Philadelpbia, Pa. Nov 29 -A elec? tric shock io th* basement of Partridge & Richardson's department store, nam? bers 15 to 29 North E'ght Street, start? ed a fire this morling that io less than four boure caused an estimated loss of more than $3.000,000. The heaviest loosers are J B Lippeocott & Co, bock publishers, 716 to 820 F.iberD Street, whose six story brick building, containing rare and valuable plates and machinery was completely gutted, involving a loss estimated by the mem b2rs of the firm at $2.000,000 ; and Partridge & Richardson. New York, Nov 29.-The east bound Buffalo express on the Dela? ware, Lackawana and Western rail? road, while standing outside the station at the Vanwinkle street cross? ing at Patterson, N. J , tonight was run into by a swiftly*movirg accom? modation train, bound from Philiips burg, X. J , to Jersey City. At least six people were killed, and there are now 20 injured at ilie hospital at Patterson, of whom some will probably die, while some of those not seriously injured were able to go to their destination. ? o uti) ron ras 8UMTSB WATCHMAN. Established April. 1850. "Be Just and Fear not-Let all the Ends thou Aims't at, be thy Country's, thy God's and Truth's." THE TRUE SOUTHRON. Established Jane. 15*6 Consolidated Aug. 2,1881 ^SUMTER. S. C., WEDNESDAY. DECEMBER 6.1899 New Series-VoL XIX. So. 19