Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY. DEC. 19, 1899

Manawatu Herald, 19 December 1899, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY. DEC. 19, 1899

The War. ♦ The news of Lord Methuen's unsuc cessful attack on the Boers at Magen fontein though bad, is not so bad as it might have been, and as it sounds From the latest cables it appears tha he had only 8000 men with which to attack 12 000 men who were entrenched, and the result is probably no more than the general himself expected. We have learnt that the British loss was great but we have yet to learn how the. Boers fared. Some of the prisoners say that the British artillery cleared the upper entrenchments and that word was passed to prepare to withdraw during the night. As Lord Methuen's losses were very heavy and as the Boers continued the defence till dark, the general was not likely to leave his army in the open and had therefore to fall back upon the site he had before encamped, another reason being to find water tor men and horses. It is evident that Lord Methuen is determined to make his way ahead as sure as possible, and it is a constantly increasing drain upon his force as he advances to keep hi 9 communication open with the rear. We do not quite like not hearing as to the position at Kimberley as it would appear that an attack had been made on that position or the commander would have united in the attack with Lord Methuen on Magersfontein. It is unlikely that the Boers will attack Lord Methuen, but will do their best to block him from reaching Kimberley, but as further troops and guns are arriving at the Cape and within a week 11,000 more men will be landed, the. aspect of the situation in this direction will soon be changed. General Gatacre appears to be recovering from his false step as 1800 Boers have been intercepted and repulsed, and he has the fortieth battery of artillery to reinforce him. He has a very difficult task set him as the Cape Boers are rising to the south of him. We trust soon to hear some decisive news from Lady smith, and General White's action in destroying a bridge on the line of the supposed Boers retreat from Colenso point to the ex pectations of the commander that the assault of the latter town will be successful. Great Britain will spare no cost in money, material, or men to win, and though the Generals have a very lengthy land transport to conduct they are batter situated than the Boers are

■^— —— — — E— —MB ■— a— B n having sources from which to draw further supplies. The British army can be replaced but the Boers suffer an irreparible loss when their troops are killed, wounded, or taken prisoners. The country is so difficult for transportation and so admirable formed for •lefence that an attacking force has a ilifficult game to play, an instance ol which has been shown in the defence of the towns besieged, and thus we must not look for many successes within a few weeks, nor must we bt> surprised at the stand the Boers artable to^make. It is quite clear tint the force the Eoers have been able to raise has been very much larger than it was anticipated they would have been able to, and the artillery they possess as well as the large supply o> ammunition show that the Boers had been plotting the overthrow of Cape Colony for som ; years and that the war on the part of Great Britain is a wholly justifiable one, deserving the support of every member of the Em pire.