Towyn-on-Sea and Merioneth County Times

LADY SMITH BEFORE THE ATTACK. The Times correspondent wired as follows from Ladysmith :—" The investment still draws on. We daily hear guns firing at Colenso, but the only tangible result we can discern is a considerable restlessness among the Boers investing this place. They seem desirous of making some move to hasten the reduction of the garrison, being doubtless prompted by the massing of troops below the Tugela, and to feel that unless they do something more active they will not achieve their object of starving the garrison out. Thus, since Christmas we have been more heavily bombarded, and the enemy have made two night movements, which looks as if, having started with the best intentions of attacking, their hearts failed them when the breastworks loomed out black before them. This is our interpretation. With glasses one can see the enemy busily employed in building abattis, wire entanglements and trenches at all salient points, being evidently prompted by fear of further sorties. Loyally supported by civilians, the garrison can hold out for a consider- able period. We have not come down yet to half rations. The greatest difficulty is medical accom- modation for the wounded and sick. It must be remembered that, owing to the evacuation of Dun- dee, the appliances for the single brigade are now doing service for a division, plus civilians. The enemy celebrated the New Year and the anniver- sary of the Jameson Raid with a nocturnal salute, all their guns firing into the town.

THE ATTACK RENEWED. From Sir Redvers Buller. FRERE CAMP, Friday. I received following message to-day from White (begins) Saturday, 3 15 p.m.—Attack renewed. Very hard pressed (ends). I have absolutely no more news, and there is no sun. There is a camp rumour that he defeated the enemy at 5 p.m. and took 400 prisoners. Sent all available troops yesterday to make demonstration at Colenso. The trenches there were all occupied by enemy.

AMBULANCE CORPS TO THE FRONT. DURBAN, Thursday evening. The European and Indian Ambulance Corps went to the front at Durban and Maritzburg to-day. DURBAN, Thursday evening. One hundred and twenty recruits for the Rail- way Pioneer Corps sailed to-day for Capetown. FBERE CAMP, Friday night. Our Cavalry scouts have daily skirmishes with the enemy's patrols. They have also secured a good deal of loot. The Boers bombarded Lady- smith with much energy yestcruay and to-day.

A LUCKY;, HALF CROWN. In a later letter, describing the battle of Modder River, Corporal Webb say" :-Our commanding officer was killed early in the fight. He was about fifty yards behind me, shot through the neck. It was something awful. We advanced on the enemy's position about half-past five in the morning, and it was just like walking into the jaws of death. The shells and rifle bullets fell and burst around us like a lot of hailstones falling. It was a sight I shall never forget, if I live to the end of time. One man had a half crown in his pocket, and a bullet went through his pocket and buried itself in the half crown, and just bruised him.

MONTGOMERY SERGEANT'S MIS- ADVENTURE. Quartermaster-Sergeant Pain, of the 2nd Shrop- shire Light Infantry, at Orange River, in a letter, dated December 12, written to his wife at Hereford, explains how the Shropshire soldiers—Sergeant Mickleburgh and Private Taylor-were shot by a sentry in their own regiment. The writer says Last night, as a precaution, we put on two extra companies on outpost duty, because we had received reports that we were likely to be attacked. Our pickets captured a Boer patrol of three men, so everyone was on the alert. About 10 30 p.m., Sergeant Mickleburgh (who is a native of Mont- gomery) and Private Taylor were returning from patrol duty, and were challenged by one of the sentries. Instead of giving the countersign and answering Friend," they answered All right." Many of the Boers speak English; so after the sentry had challenged three times he fired ten rounds from his magazine at the men, and seven shots took effect. Poor Mickleburgh was severely wounded in three places, and Taylor received four bullets. The poor fellows presented a terrible sight.

THE EQUIPMENT OF THE VULUNTEERS. The following appeal has been issued by Colonel Pryce-Jones, M.P. The Battalion has been ordered to supply ona section to go to the front and to take part with his line regiment in South Africa, and another is ordered to hold itself in reserve. It will, therefore, be necessary to raise funds to supplement the Government allowance in order to turn out the section in every respect fully and adequately equipped. In addition to this it is pro- posed to insure for X100 the life of every married man going out, and of every single man whose relatives are dependent upon him at home, during the continuance of the war, conditionally that the same be secured in trust or to purchase an annuity for those entitled to it in case of death. Any surplus will be applied in reduction of the Corps' liabilities, and for furthering its efficiency in the future. As Commanding officer, I have therefore the honour to appeal to the generous and patriotic in- habitants of the counties of Montgomery and Mer- ioneth to subscribe to the fund which has been opened at the North and South Wales Bank, New- town, for this purpose. May I ask everybody who can to subscribe some- thing, however small, and those who can well afford to subscribe handsomely to make that personal sacrifice, to mark this memorable crisis in the his- tory of our country, when for the first time, I believe the Volunteers have been invited to go out on active service to fight the battles of the Empire? E PRYCE-JONES, January 9th, 1900. O.C. 5th V.B.S.W.B. Headquarters: Newtown, Montgomeryshire.

BOER PRISONERS' STORY. A Special Service telegram from Capetown, January 7th, says: The twenty Free Staters who surrendered at Colesberg were fired upon by the Boers on yielding, and one of their number was killed. The remaining nineteen state that of late the only food which they received was a pound of biscuits and half a pound of bully beef, to last three days. They declare that all the Boers in the district are greatly in want of food, and corroborate the statements already made as to the bitter feel- ing between Transvaalers and Free Staters, and as to Cronje's threat to shoot all malcontents.

LORD METHUEN'S MOVEMENTS. RUSSIAN OFFICER DIRECTING BOER PREPARATIONS. The Dutch organ Ons Land states that Lord Methuen is building a railway round the Boer position at Magersfontein, and that material for the completion and extension of the line is being hurried off to the front. A German doctor who was present in the Boer lines during the fighting at Magersfontein has arrived here. He states that a Russian military officer is with the Boers advising them. He i3 paid a salary of L15,000 per annum, and has been promised a bonus of X250,000 if the Republics prove successful. The doctor also states that the Boers have now completed at Magersfontein three tiers of trenches which are connected by means of communicating trenches. All these trenches afford cover to mounted men, and the Boers are also able to move their big guns from trench to trench under pro tection of the communicating trenches. The Boers return their losses at Magersfontein as 166 killed and wounded, and at Colenso as 11 killed and 16 wounded.

LADYSMITH HEAVILY BESIEGED. The following telegram was posted at the War Office on Saturday night General Buller to Secretary of State for War. FRERE CAMP, Saturday. Following telegram received from General White. Begins:- January 6, 9 a.m.-Euemy attacked Cassar's Camp at 2 45 this moruing in considerable force. Enemy everywhere repulsed, but fighting still continues.

SERIOUS POSITION OF GENERAL WHITE. The following messages were posted at the War Office on Sunday General Bailer to Secretary War. (Received Saturday). FRERE CAMP, Saturday. Following message received 1 p.m. to-day from General White. Begins Saturday, 11 a.m.—Attack continues and enemy has been reinforced from south. General Buller to Secretary of State fur War. (Received Sunday.) FRERE CAMP, Saturday. Following message received 4 p.m. from General White. (Begins):- Saturday, 12 45 p.m. Have beaten enemy off at present. They are still round me in great numbers, especially to south, and I think renewed attack very probable. (Ends.) Sun has failed so 1 cannot get further informa. tion from Ladysmith until to-morrow.

GENERAL WHITE'S ACCOUNT OF THE FIGHT. The following despatch from General Buller, supplementing those published above in reference to the heavy fighting at Ladysmith on Saturday, has been issued by the War Office:- FRERE CAMP, Monday. General White wires at 2 p.m. yesterday :— (Begins). An attack was commenced on my position, but chiefly against Caesar's camp and Waggon Hill. The enemy were in great strength, and pushed their attack with the greatest courage and energy Some of our entrenchments on Waggon Hil1 were three times taken by the enemy, and re-taken by us. The attack continued until 7 30 p.m. One point in our position was occupied by the enemy the whole of the day, but at dusk, in a very heavy rainstorm, they were turned out of this position at the point of the bayonet in the most gallant manner by the Devon Regiment, led by Colonel Park. Colonel Ian Hamilton commanded on Waggon Hill, and rendered valuable services. The troops have had a very trying time, and behaved excellently. They are elated at the services they have rendered to the Queen. The enemy were repulsed everywhere with very heavy loss, greatly exceeding my side, which will be reported as soon as lists are completed. (Ends). FRERE CAMP, Sunday, 3 55 p.m. During the prolonged attack on Ladysmith by the Boers yesterday the 2nd Battalion Gordon Highlanders and the 1st Battalion Manchester Regiment, who were under canvas at Caesar's Camp, charged with the bayonet. The two battalions of the old 60th Rifles (King's Royal Rifle Corps), who were posted on Rifleman's Ridge, also used the bayonet in driving off the Boers.

WHAT BULLER WAS DOING. With the object of holding the Boers in position around Colenso a large force of troops moved out from Chieveley Campat two o'clock in the afternoon. The naval guns opened the demonstration with a heavy fire upon the enemy's lines. The dispositions were as follows:—Lord Dun- donald's cavalry moved forward towards the Tugela, whilst the centre, left, and right went in the direction of Hlangwana. General Hildyard's brigade marched in extended order upon Colenso. The Fusilier Brigade proceeded to the southern base before Hlangwana. Numbers of Boers were seen galloping up to occupy the trenches. A few shots were fired from the enemy's Mausers at our cavalry and General Hildyard's infantry, but we had no casualties. Two of our batteries proceeded to within 1,500 yards of Colenso and shelled the Boer position vigorously, but the Boers were not to be drawn into opening their fire. An artillery duel continued till dusk, when the troops all returned to camp. The Boer commanding from Bulwana Hill at Ladysmith ceased at five o'clock this evening.

WESTERN FRONTIER. MODDRR EIVRR, Sunday. The Boers are still extending their works. It is estimated that 30,000 men will be required to defend them. A native states that numbers of the enemy are leaving Magersfontein and proceeding towards Colesberg. The Colonial Dutch rebels who were taken pris- oners at Sunnyside, by Colonel Pilcher's column will be sent to Capetown for trial.

INDIGNATION AGAINST THE REBEL PRISONERS. MODDER RIVER, Sunday. Early this morning a naval gun fired at the enemy's positions. It is stated that the Boers have mounted a gun on a ridge on the extreme left of the position, while they have also thrown up additional works for a considerable distance to the right. The Queenslanders and Canadians, who took part in Col. Pilcher's march to Douglas, were in a state of intense indignation when they learned that the prisoners whom they captured at Sunny- side were nearly all British subjects. On all sides hope was expected that the rebels would receive just and proper punishment for the crime of tak- ing up arms against their Sovereign. One man remarked to a prisoner," You are fighting on be- half of a country which refused even the right of citizenship to British subjects, while England allows you sufficient privileges to enable you to elect in her own colony the entire ministry."

THE TOTAL CASUALTIES. Down to Tuesday night the total caualties, excluding those at Ladysmith on Saturday, were 7,213. These figures were made up of 89 officers and 938 men killed, 259 officers and 3,416 men wounded, and 102 officers and 2,409 men miss ing

BURIAL OF GENERAL WAUCHOPE. The description of the burial of General Wau- chope given by the Daily News correspondent is as follows:- Three hundred yards to the rear of the little township of Modder River, just as the sun was sinking in a blaze of African splendour, on the evening of Tuesday, the 13th of December, a long shallow grave lay exposed in the breast of the veldt. To the westward the broad river, fringed with trees, ran murmuringly, to the eastward the heights still held by the enemy scowled menacingly north and south the veldt undulated peacefully, a few paces to the northward of that grave 50 dead Highlanders lay, dressed as they bad fallen on the field of battle; they had followed their chief to the field, and they were to follow him to the grave. How grim and stern those dead men looked as they lay face up- ward to the sky, with great hands clenched in the last death agony, and biows still knitted with the stern lust of the strife in which they had fallen. The plaids dear to every Highland clan were repre- sented there, and, as I looked, out of the dis- tance came the sound of the pipes it was the General coming to join his men. There, right under the eyes of the enemy, moved with slow and solemn tread, all that remained of the Highland Brigade. In front of them walked the chaplain, with bared head, dressed in his robes of office, then came the pipers, with their pipes(sixteen in all), and behind them with arms reversed, moved the Highlanders, dressed in all the regalia of their regiments, and in the midst the dead General, borne by four of his comrades. Out swelled the pipes to the strain of The Flowers of the Forest," now ringing proud and high until the soldiers' heads went back in haughty defiance, and eyes flashed through tears until like sunlight on steel; now sinking to a moan- ing wail like a woman mourning for her firstborn, until the proud heads dropped forward till they rested on heaving chests, and tears rolled down the wan and scarred faces, and the choking sobs broke through the solemn rhythm of the march of death. Right up to the grave they marched, then broke away in companies, until the General lay in the shallow grave with a Scottish square of armed men around him only the dead man's son and a small remnant of his officers stood with the chap- lain and the pipers whilst the solemn service of the Church was spoken. Then once again the pipes pealed out, Lochaber No More cut through th e stillness like a cry of pain, until one could almost hear the widow in her Highland home moan- ing for the soldier she would welcome back no more. Then, as if touched by the magic of one thought, the soldiers turned their tear-damp eyes from the still form in the shallow grave towards the heights where Cronje, the lion of Africa," and his soldiers stood. Then every cheek flushed crimson, and the strong jaws set like steel, and the veins on the hands that clasped the rifle handles swelled almost to bursting with the fervour of the grip, and that look from those silent, armed men spoke more eloquently than ever spoke the tongues of orators. For on each frowning face the spirit of vengeance sat, and each sparkling eye asked silently for lood.

MORE BOER TREACHERY. Private G Francis, of the Guards Brigade, writ- ing to his friends at Luton, under date of Dec 8th, says:—I saw a wounded Boer at the battle of Belmont, so I went to him. He was bleeding fast, and I bandaged him up. I then turned to get him a drink from my surgical haversack, and when I turned round he had his hand on his rifle, and was just about to point it at me, so I shot him dead with my revolver.

A PARTRIOTIC VILLAGE. On the day the Daily Mail fund for the Absent- Minded Beggar" reached C50,000 this paragraph was given The most .successful village concert so far recorded in these columns is that held at Nutfield, Surrey, no less than £161 13s having been collected. Nutfield is not a large village, but such a contribution certainly places Nutfield high up in the list of patriotic places."

WHO PAYS P A rather nice point in casuistry is being dis- cussed in several clubs just now, remarks To-Day. The 18th Hussars made bets somewhat freely that they would be the first regiment in Pretoria. Who pays ?

THE BOER PRISONERS. A letter received by Mi N E Barnes, Alcester road, Birmingham, from his nephew in the War- wickshire Regiment, and written at Capetown on December 20th, says I have just come off guard over some prisoners at the Castle, and while I was on a party of the Duke's brought in 57 more of them from Orange River. Out of the 57 there were only two Dutchmen, the remainder being made up of all uationalities."

THE BOER IRISH. A Laffan telegram from New York says :—Col J F Dunn, who is with the Boers, states that the Irish brigade serving under the Transvaal flag numbers 2,500 men. He likewise says that the Boers are receiving recruits daily from every country in Europe and from America.

ANGLOPHOBIA RAMPANT. IT IS A MARKETABLE COMMODITY IN THE STREETS OF PKRIS. In the recent number of the Figaro M. Alfred Capus gives a lesson on the way to sell newspapers in Paris nowadays Newsboy (shouts) Here y'are Police news. Horrid murder Here y'are. (Soliloquises). No price, that! Police news and murders played out. (Shouts again.) A rrest of murderer! (Soliloquises.) They don't want no murderers! Boer victory. (Shouts.) Great Boer victory! Passer Hand it over. Newsboy: Here y'are governor. Latest news! Last Boer victory (Several men hesitate and then pass on without buying). Well I'm blowed! Boer victory not enough These are precious hard times (Roars in a gentleman's ear). Great Boer victory Gentleman: Get out. Newsboy What are they taking P Lemme see (Considers). Right you are! (Shouts). English defeat in the Transvaal. English defeat! Passer: Hillo-paperl Second Passer: English beaten Let's see Third Passer Here's a penny. (All three buy papers). Newsboy That's the ticket! (Shouts again but no one stops). English defeat! English Soliluq. What are they up to? No pleasing them!) Gentleman stops English defeat ? Newsboy Yes, sir. Paper? Gentleman: (wildly) Defeat is not enough Not near enough (Goes on). Newsboy That chaps on the spot I It's the English they are taking. I'll give them their blooming English! (Shouts). English crushed in the Transvaal! Massacre of the English Massacre English crushed! Crowd rushes in: Paper there Hand it over Hurry up! Newsboy rises to the occasion English mas- sacred to the last man Ten thousand English killed! Surrender of Ladysmith! Invasion of England! Total destruction of English army. (Crowd rushes in and fights for papers).

— » — The Admiralty has accepted the tender of Laird Bros., Birkenhead, for the propelling machinery of the battle-ship Montague, now building at Devon- port Dockyard. The engines, the most powerful ever placed on a battle-ship, are to develope 18,000 indicated horse-power, or 3,000 in excess of the en- gines of other ships of the Bulwark type. The difference, however, will only give the Montague a knot more speed. The two sets of triple expansion engines and thirty Belleville watertube boilers will cost £ 150,000. The total cost of the ship will be over £ 1,000,000. Printed and Published by Samuel Salter and David Rowlands, at their Offices, 21, Berriew Street, Welshpool, in the County of Montgomery, and Rock View, Towyn, in the County of Merioneth. —Thursday, January 11, 19CO.