DOMESTIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
6 January 1900
BIRTHS
BARICHIEVY, Mrs. A., East London, December 4, a daughter.
COOK, Mrs. G. H., Durban, Nov. 30, a daughter.
CURNICK, Mrs. E. J., Idutywa, November 26, a son.
DERMAN, Mrs. W. H., jun., Queenstown, November 20, a son.
FISON, Mrs. D., Durban, December 1, a son.
GORDGE, Mrs. C. G., Congella, December 1, a son.
JONES, Mrs. J. J., Durban, November 30, a son.
JOOSTE, Mrs. G. F., Cape Town, Dec. 4, a daughter.
LIST, Mrs. G. R., Durban, December 2, a son.
MELLOR, Mrs. J. E., East London, Dec. 4, a son.
MOWATT—On December 27, at 37, Holland Street, Aberdeen, the wife of Charles Mowatt, Port Elizabeth, of a daughter.
RYAN, Mrs. J. H., Durban, November 28, a son.
SELLAR—On December 27, at Durban, Mrs. J. N. Sellar (nee Bagshaw), of a daughter.
STEWART—On January 1, at East London, the wife of Charles E. Stewart, C. E., of a daughter.
TYSON, Mrs. J. D., Grahamstown, Dec. 4, a son.
WILLIS, Mrs. T. J., Kingwilliamstown, Dec. 3, a son.
WREFORD, Mrs. H., East London, December 3, a son.
MARRIAGES
GALLAGHER, Rev. A. H.—BLACKMORE, M. G., Bellair, December 2.
HENDERSON-TRAIN—On December 28, at St. Andrew’s Presyterian Church, Upper Norwood, by the Rev. John Bogue, M.A. (uncle of the bride), John McClelland Henderson, M.E., Ph.D., Colorado, U.S.A., eldest son of J. C. A. Henderson, Esq., Johannesburg, to Mary Campbell, eldest daughter of Rev. John G. Train, Upper Norwood.
HERBERT, S. C.-GRANT, M., Maritzburg, Nov. 30.
MOLYNEUX, R. J. M.-VAL-DAVIES, M. J., Port Elizabeth, November 30.
SHADDICK-KRIGESCOBB—On December 27, by the Rev. Arnot, Stanley Boyd Shaddick, of Stoneleigh, Beckenham, Kent, to Melita M. Krigescobb, of Pretoria, South Africa.
SHONE, H. J.-SMITH, H. T., Grahamstown, Dec. 6.
TELFORD, J.-CLARKE, G. I., Durban, November 29.
VARLEY, W.-CARPENTER, B., Greyville.
DEATHS
BARKER—On December 20, at Chieveley Camp, South Africa, of enteric fever, Percy Edgar, the dearly beloved son of T. Barker, 30A, Alma Terrace, York, formerly conductor of stores at Edinburgh Castle, in his 21st year.
BERTHON—On December 15, at Wynberg, Cape Town, of wounds received at Magersfontein, Herbert Cecil Willoughby Berthon, of Cleeve Court, Somersetshire, Lieutenant 2nd Battalion Royal Highlanders (Black Watch), son of Major-General T. P. Berthon, of Westmont, Ryde, I. W., in his 35th year.
BLANDY—On January 1, Graham James Duff, only son of the late Graham John Blandy, of Madeira, and of Maria Blandy, of Bournemouth, in his 21st year.
DALZEL—On December 27, killed by a shell at Ladysmith, Augustus Frederick Dalzel, Lieutenant 1st Battalion Devonshire Regiment, the dearly-loved and only son of the late William Frederick Blyth Dalzel, M.D., Surgeon-Major Bengal Army, aged 29.
DICKINSON, Mrs. R. L.., Leydsdorp, November 8.
DOOLEY, H., Pinetown, December 5, aged 30 years.
ESCOMBE—On December 27, at Durban, Natal, Harry Escombe, P.C., Q.C., aged 61.
ESTMENT, H., Grahamstown, December 6, aged 66.
GRAHAM, D., Kenilworth, December 9, aged 54.
HEATHCOTE, B. A., Harrismith, November 30.
KOTZE, Rev. Dr. J. J., Cape Town, December 4.
LAMBTON—Alexander F. Lambton, Captain Highland Light Infantry, killed at Magersfontein, second son of Lieutenant-Colonel Francis and Lady Victoria Lambton.
LE SUEUR—On November 29, from a mortal wound received on November 27 at Modder River, Eustace Monroe Le Sueur, of the Remington’s Imperial Guides, only son of the late R. T. le Sueur, M.D., and Mrs. le Sueur, of Park Drive, Port Elizabeth.
LITKIE—On December 28, at Kimberley, Emile Maximilian Litkie, aged 55.
MACKAY, W. A., Grahamstown, December 4, aged 21.
MCFIE—On December 6, at Pietermaritzburg, Elizabeth, youngest daughter of the late Mr. Alexander McFie, farmer, Kilmarnock.
MILNE-MILLER—On December 18, killed at Ladysmith while fighting as a Volunteer with the Natal Carbineers, in his 26th year, Robert Michael Milne-Miller, of Innisfall, Alberta, Canada, younger and last surviving son of the late Surgeon-Major Colin Matheson Milne-Miller (formerly proprietor of Kincurdy, Ross-shire), and of Mrs. Milne-Milner, Meads, Eastbourne, great-grandson of the late Colin Matheson, of Bennetsfield
MOLONY—On December 15, killed in action at Colenso, Joseph Cuthbert Molony, of Thorneycroft’s Mounted Infantry, late of Gwelo, Rhodesia, and of Belleville, Ashtown, Co. Dublin. R.I.P.
MULLINS, H., Bulawayo, November 19, aged 21.
PAGE, F., Cape Town, December 8, aged 71.
PATERSON, Rev. T. J., Port Elizabeth, aged 85.
PATERSON—On December 30, at “Auchinlea,” Greenend, Liberton, Francis Alexander, eldest son of Hugh Paterson, house-painter.
SIMKINS, W. C., Queenstown, December 5.
SLOGROVE, Mrs. J., East London, Dec. 3, aged 51.
Miscellaneous articles on the same page:
The Rev. Hugh Price Hughes, ex-President of the Wesleyan Conference, having been asked by Mr. Berry whether he would support the proposal for a day of humiliation and prayer, telegraphed the following reply:--“No humiliation, but thanksgiving for the readiness of Englishmen to surrender all, even life itself, to insure freedom for South Africa and justice for our kinsmen.”
The session of the Cortes was opened in Lisbon on Tuesday. The Message from the Throne stated that in order to secure the tranquility and strengthen the prestige of Portugal in the northern territories of Mozambique, an expedition had been dispatched, the heroic efforts of which had been crowned with success, and once more it had been proved that the people which had been able to conquer those territories for civilization was not lacking in the elements necessary to preserve and defend them.
A Daily Mail correspondent has had an interview with General Gourko prior to the latter’s departure from Marseilles for Delagoa Bay. It is the Russian General’s intention to help the Boers and to his interviewer he observed:--“At Port Said about 3000 cases of medicines of various kinds await our arrival, and will be taken on board. At Lourenco Marques I shall disembark with my party, and those-a numerous body-who will have already arrived there. From Lourenco Marques I shall proceed to Pretoria, and thence to the theatre of war, where the command of an army corps has been offered me. In my own mind,” resumed General Gourke, “I am absolutely confident of the success of the Boers, and you may take my word that there are thousands of Russians now fighting under General Joubert.”
The night before Sir Redvers Buller left London for South Africa he was a visitor at the famous “Beefsteak Room” of the Lyceum Theatre. It is related that, in conversation with Mr. Comyns Carr, the latter asked the General how long he expected to be away from England. “About six months,” was the reply. “Six months is a long time,” rejoined Mr. Comyns Carr. “South Africa is a long way off, Carr,” said Sir Redvers. At the present juncture it looks decidedly as if General Buller did not speak by the card when he mentioned half a year as the probable duration of his absence.
At the monthly meeting of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, held on Monday afternoon, money and book grants amounting to £3860 were then made. The former included £1050 for the enlargement of Lincoln Training College, and £500 for a diocesan college for boys at Karkloof in Natal.
The Daily Graphic of Wednesday publishes a letter from an officer of Rimington’s Scouts, in the course of which the following passages occur: “my predictions as to the strength of these ‘pious and pastoral’ enemies of all that is good in civilization, are being amply verified. Maxim-Nordenfelts, Hotchkiss, and other guns, together with guns of caliber and range equal to any in our possession, they are plentifully supplied with, and ammunition sufficient for years. Renegades and foreigners have joined them, and it is pretty certain that they have nearly 100,000 men altogether. So no one can advance the argument that it is a case of the strong against the weak. Our advantages of system and training are negatived by their absolute knowledge of every inch of the ground, by their ‘mobility,’ and by their ‘slim’ cunning. Unless they have a strong position they will not fight, and their fighting consists of shooting down the attacking men and bolting before they have a chance to return the compliment. If our men had been able to make a bayonet charge the other evening the war would be over as far as Kimberley and this part of the country is concerned. By this time you will have heard all about the awfully treacherous abuse of the white flag by the Boers. In case anyone should advance the plea that they are ignorant, I state that amongst a whole lot of papers I found in their laager at Belmont, were printed copies of the Geneva Convention, dated October, 1898. What about their unpremeditated attack in defence of their country? I also found a lot of ‘commandeer briefs,’ or papers showing what was ‘commandeered’ from the inhabitants of certain districts, and most of the oxen, horses, mules, wagons, and provisions mentioned therein had been taken from ‘Kleurlings’ (coloured people, natives). In case a ‘Kleurling’ couldn’t give material he had to go himself. Letters full of the foulest abuse of English men, women, and children, and inciting the receivers to spare none, were also found, full, also, of hypocritical calls for aid from Divine Power. I am most thankful that these scum, these would-be slave-owners and slave-drivers, have at last been found out. The most extraordinary thing to my mind is the marvelous sang froid of Tommy Atkins. He goes ahead as if at a picnic, and his shooting has improved wonderfully. Some, when crossing the river under a hail of bullets, were calmly catching ducks and wringing their necks for supper. They are always asking us questions and continually wanting to know ‘’ow fur are them beggars off, sir,’ ‘D’ye think Kruger is with ‘em this time?”
DR. CARL PETERS ON THE WAR.
In an article contributed to this week’s Finanz Chronik on the war in South Africa by Dr. Carl Peters, the explorer says:--“A peaceful settlement between the two races has been impossible after Majuba Hill, and particularly since the Jameson raid. If England would reign from Table Mountain to the Zambesi, she had to prove her military superiority by facts, both to the Boers and to the native tribes. The curious point in the matter is this, that the war, let it result as it may, will fail to seriously disturb the previous balance of the two races in South Africa. This part of the world will permanently remain Anglo-Dutch. Two languages will remain in dual power whether the English have to deal with a disaffected Dutch populace or the Dutch with rebellious British subordinates. German sympathies are engaged, as far as I can see, mainly with the Boers, not in South Africa, where the majority of German commercial men hope for a British victory, and in Johannesburg itself most of the educated Germans are anti-Dutch and the pro-Boer sympathies prevalent within the German Empire, originate rather in the rivalry with England than in racial instinct. For the two nations are related to us in the same degree, the Anglo-Saxons and the Low Franks. The South African Boer does not care more for the German than for the Englishman, and I cannot bring myself to believe that even the Dutch in Europe are conspicuous for philo-German sentiment.”
The Messageries Maritimes steamer Natal has arrived a Port Said, carrying heavy mails for Pretoria. She also carries thirty French filibusters, chaperoned by a Transvaal agent, and three Russian ex-officers. These Boer filibusters form an awkward squad under a French artilleryman and two lieutenants. The principal Boer aboard is a grandson of President Kruger.
20 January 1900
(Announcements inserted under this heading are charged for according to length.)
BIRTHS
ANSTEY, Mrs. N., Durban, December 11, a son (stillborn).
BANFIELD, Mrs. F. M., Durban, December 10, a son.
BLINKHORN, Mrs. J. V., Rondebosch, December 21, a son.
CARBUTT, Mrs. T. B., Wynburg, Nov. 28, a daughter.
CROWDER, Mrs. T. H., Pietermaritzburg, December 9, a daughter.
DARKE, Mrs. H. G., Durban, December 1, a daughter.
DICKIE, Mrs. A., Durban, December 14, a daughter.
ELSTOB, Mrs. A., Durban, December 9, a daughter.
GACE—On December 15, at Hillside, Bellair, Durban, the wife of Langley Gace, of twins, a son and daughter.
HART-DAVIS—On January 5, at Altskath, Lidgetton, Natal, the wife of Sidney O. Hart-Davis, of a son.
HEY, Mrs. G., Durban, December 18, a son.
IRELAND, Mrs. G., Durban, December 9, a daughter.
JONES, Mrs. N. F., Durban, December 19, a daughter.
KENNEDY, Mrs. J. H., Salisbury, Rhodesia, November 26, a son.
KING, Mrs. Jos. W., Cathcart, December 6, a son.
KIRKBY, Mrs. T. V., Durban, Dec. 20, a daughter.
KNOX, Mrs. J., Umzinto, December 15, a son.
KYLE, Mrs. W. B., Durban, December 7, a son.
LEES-SMITH, Mrs. H. S., Durban, December 8, a son.
MACKENZIE—On January 11, at Buccleuch, Natal, the wife of George C. Mackenzie, of a son.
MASSON, Mrs. G., Albany, Cape Colony, a son.
MOSENTHAL, Mrs. P. H., Cape Town, December 24, a son.
PEARCE, Mrs. J., Durban, December 20, a daughter.
SAVILLE, Mrs. Durban, December 15, a daughter.
SEWELL, Mrs. A. C., Durban, December 7, a son.
MARRIAGES
ANGUS, A.—LAWRIE, J., Durban, December 14.
BERNSTEIN, F.—GRABER, N., Cape Town, Dec. 10.
HENSON—MAJOR—On January 11, at the Parish Church, Croydon, by the Rev. Canon Pereira, assisted by the Rev. J. Henson and the Rev. Talfourd Major, William Warner Henson, M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P., of Impendhla, Natal, son of George Henson, Esq., of Prestwold, Leicestershire, to Dorothy Wickham Featherstonehaugh Major, second daughter of the late C. M. Major, Esq., of Cromwell House, Croydon. Natal papers please copy.
JONES, H. W.—SAVEALL, W. M. Greyville, Dec. 13.
MCLACHLAN, D. F.—POWELL, L. M., Durban, Dec. 11.
MERCER, H. W.—VEAL, H. E., Cala, Tembuland, November 27.
MICHELL, W. F.—THORNHILL, E. M., Durban, December 12.
MOLYNEUX, R. J. M.—DAVIES, M. J., Port Elizabeth, November 30.
OSMOND, A.—JORGENSEN, M., Howick, December 12.
PEARCE, R. D.—RUTHERFORD, L., Greyville, December 16.
PEARSON, L. E.—ELLERD, A., Durban, December 16.
SANDERS, J. E.—CORBETT, A. L., East London, December 4.
SHADDICK—KRIGE-SCOBLE—On December 27, at the Parish Church, Beckenham, by the Rev. Arnot, Stanley Boyd Shaddick, of Stoneleigh, Beckenham, Kent, to Melita M. Krige-Scoble, of Pretoria, South Africa.
DEATHS
ATTENAULT, B. R., East London, December 9.
BOWEN—On January 6, killed in action at Ladysmith, Robert Scarlett Bowen, Major 2nd Battalion 60th Rifles, aged 37.
BROWN—On January 6, died of wounds received in action near Colesberg, Captain A. W. Brown, 1st Suffolk Regiment, son of J. Brown, , Esq., of Coombe Villa, Teignmouth.
BROWNLEE, Mrs. F., Durban, December 12, aged 48.
CRANKO, F. J. W., Cape Town, December 15.
CUDLIP, W., Umzinto, December 1, aged 66.
DENNISS—On January 6, killed in action at Ladysmith, Natal, George Barlow Bartley Denniss, 2nd Lieutenant 23rd Field Company Royal Engineers, aged 21, eldest son of E. R. Bartley Denniss, of Harrow-on-the-Hill, barrister-at-law.
DICK-CUNYNGHAM—On January 8, from wounds received in action at Ladysmith, Lieut.-Colonel William Henry Dick-Cunyngham, V.C., commanding 2nd Battalion Gordon Highlanders, youngest son of the late Sir William Hanmer Dick-Cunyngham, 8th Baronet of Prestonfield and Lambrughton, aged 48.
FIELD, R. J., Delagoa Bay, December 19, aged 26.
FRASER—On January 4, at Southampton, accidentally drowned off Braemar Castle, while leaving for the Cape, Charles, aged 31, eldest son of the late Alex. and Mrs. Fraser, 34, Kent Street, Glasgow.
GRAHAM—On November 17, at sea, on board the Union Company’s s.s. Greek, William Graham, writer (of Messrs. Ritchie, Graham and Tindall), only son of the late George Graham, C.E., Caledonian Railway.
GRAVES, Mrs. A., Isipingo, December 18.
HARKNESS—On October 27, at Barberton, Transvaal, Alexander, third son of the late Peter Harkness.
HILL—On January 6, killed in action at Ladysmith, W. H. T. Hill, 5th Lancers, dearly-loved son of James Ledger and Mary Hill, of Coombe Grove, Bath.
HORNBY—On January 8, at Umtata, Cape Colony, Margaret, infant daughter of Stephen Langton Hornby, of Rookiklip, Kokstad, Griqualand East.
JACKSON—On December 15, killed in action at the Tugela, Alexander R. Jackson, of South African Light Horse, second son of the late Alexander Jackson, M.D., F.R.C.P.E., Edinburgh, and of Mrs. Jackson, 103, Baron’s Court Road, West Kensington, and grandson of the late James Shand, surgeon, Turriff.
KEITH—On December 12, at East London, John, son of the late William Keith, contractor, 5, Devon Street.
KELMSLEY, R. W., Grahamstown, Dec. 12, aged 66.
LAFONE, On January 6, killed in action at Ladysmith, Illegible Boutcher Lafone, Captain 1st Devonshire Illegible, fourth son of Alfred Lafone, M.P., Illegible Park, Middlesex, aged 39.
MACKWORTH—On January 6, killed in action at Ladysmith, Captain and Brevet Major Digby Mackworth, the Queen’s Regiment, aged 31, eldest son of Colonel Sir Arthur Mackworth, Bart., C.B., of Glen-Usk, Monmouthshire.
MARITZ, T. A., Konigsberg, Zululand, December 3, aged 29.
MERCER—On November 25, 1899, at Harrismith, Orange Free State, Eleanor Louise Mercer, aged 28.
MILLER-WALLNUTT—On January 6, Major Claude Charles Miller-Wallnutt, D.S.O., Gordon Highlanders, only son of the late Major Wallnutt, H.M. 74th Regiment, and grandson of the late William Miller, of Monkcastle and Monkredding, Ayrshire; killed in action in assault on Ladysmith, Natal.
MURISON—On January 4, at Homestead, Shanklin, William Charles Norman Murison, youngest son of the late Captain James Murison, Member of the Legislative Council of Cape Town, aged 45.
PAGE, J., Christiana, Transvaal, Oct. 29, aged 43.
PATON—On December 26, killed in action at Mafeking, Harold Percevil Paton, Lieutenant Protectorate Regiment, son of John Paton, Viewforth, Stirling.
PLATT—On January 5, at Ladysmith, Natal, of enteric fever, Cecil Sherman Platt, 2nd Lieutenant 5th Dragoon Guards, aged 22.
PRICE-DENT—On December 31, from the effects of the explosion of a shell at Ladysmith, Captain Phillip Hampton Price-Dent, 1st Devonshire Regiment, youngest son of the late Major-General R. H. Price-Dent, Bengal Staff Corps, J.P., and of Mrs. Price-Dent, of the Manor House, Hallaton, Leicestershire, aged 29.
RANDALL, Miss E., Cape Town, Dec. 12, aged 76.
RIGHTFORD, Mrs. J., Cape Town, December 21, aged 41.
RITCHIE, A. S. Roodebloem, Dec. 15, aged 42.
ROGERS—On January 6, killed in action at Ladysmith whilst fighting with the Imperial Light Horse, Frank Cornwall Rogers, aged 21, only son of Mr. and Mrs. H. A. Rogers, of Johannesburg.
ROSE—On January 3, at Durban, on board the s.s. Lismore Castle, Margaret Cassilis Rose, Army Nursing Staff, second daughter of the late Rev. John Rose, of Rosskeen, and niece of Inspector-General G. Maclean, R.N.
ROSS—On November 12, 1899, by a gun accident, William J. Ross, at Port Herald, British Central Africa, aged 34.
RUSSELL—On January 5, at Ladysmith, S.A., Leiutenant Cecil Pomeroy Russell, 1st Battalion Leicestershire Regiment, eldest son of Colonel C. J. Russell, Royal Engineers (retired), aged 24.
RUTHERFORD—On December 11, killed at Magersfontein, Thomas Rutherford, private, 12th Lancers, late Royal Scots Greys.
STEWART—On December 13, at Ladysmith, Natal, of enteric fever, while serving with the Natal Imperial Light Horse, Bernard, youngest son of John C. Stewart, of Fasnacloich, Argyllshire, aged 22 years.
TILNEY—On January 12, at 49, Loop Street, Maritzburg, Mrs. E. W. Tilney.
VERNON—On December 26, killed in a sortie from Mafeking, Ronald James Vernon, Captain 60th King’s Royal Rifles, son of Honourable Mr. and Mrs. Greville Vernon.
WALKER—On January 5, at Ladysmith, of dysentery, Charles Pope Walker, Major R.A.M.C.
WALKER—On January 9, at 8, Lewisham Park, Lewisham, Philip Graham, the youngest and dearly-loved son of Henry and Annie Walker, in his 20th year.
WAYLEN—On January 10, at Bath, Charles William, second son of the late Alfred Waylen, of Devizes and Perth, Western Australia, aged 61.
WEST—On January--, killed in action off Colesberg, Second-Lieutenant Archibald Vivian West, 2nd Battalion Berkshire Regiment, only son of Lieutenant-Colonel Frederick West, and grandson of Admiral Sir John West, G.C.B.
WHITE—On January 6, killed in action, near Colesberg, South Africa, Cecil Arbuthnot White, Lieutenant 1st Suffolk Regiment, youngest son of Robert Holmes White, of 10, Devonshire Place, W., and Boulge Hall, Woodbridge, Suffolk, aged 25.
WILKINS—On January 6, killed in action near Rensburg, Cape Colony, Captain and Adjutant Francis Alfred Pressland Wilkins, 1st Battalion Suffolk Regiment, only son of Alfred Wilkins, of 43, Earl’s Court Square, S.W., aged 28.
IN MEMORIAM
In ever-loving memory of David John Davis, second son of the late Frederick and Eliza Davis, who died at Craddock, South Africa, on January 14, 1890.
Miscellaneous articles on the same page:
A Saldanha Bay telegram received at Cape Town reports that some fishermen have found a capsized boat marked City of Paris, No. 73. There were foresail shrouds attached, but no trace of human beings. The sea was moderate at the time.
There was an affecting incident at the War Office on Friday afternoon. A lady, who had gone to the lobby to see the latest news, found herself unable to make out the somewhat small and faint writing on one sheet referring to deaths among the Ladysmith garrison. The attendant very considerately read out the list for her. He did his reading in a bold, clear voice until he got near the bottom of the sheet. It was noticed that there was a sudden hesitancy, and then in an almost choking voice the poor fellow read out the concluding line recording the death from dysentery of his own son. The attendant is a great favourite with the regular visitors, and on all hands, the keenest sympathy with him was expressed. He has two other sons at the front.
Among the numerous questions which the British public is putting to the War Office, remarks a contemporary, not the least interesting concerns the maps of the seat of war. But is it not rather the business of the Natal Government to explain why there are no accurate plans of the country round Ladysmith? As for the War Office, we fancy it never contemplated fighting in the Colonies at all. The Boers found an ample survey, belonging to General Symons, of routes through the Free State. The milestones on the road to Pretoria were all measured as far back as 1896. The French in 1870 had plans of the route to Berlin, and every Greek officer in the late war carried a street map of Constantinople in his knapsack. Absit omen.
27 January 1900
(Announcements inserted under this heading are charged for according to length.)
BIRTHS
BARROW, Mrs. J. N., Queenstown, December 8, a daughter.
EVA, Mrs. G. H., Greyville, December 23, a daughter.
FELLOWS—On January 20, at Wynberg, Cape Town, the wife of J. A. Fellows, of a daughter.
GIBB, Mrs. G. W., Balgowan, Natal, December 26, a daughter.
HOGG—On December 17, at Kingwilliamstown, Violet Falconer, wife of Alexander Hogg, a daughter.
HOGG, Mrs. D., Durban, December 25, a daughter.
HOWARTH—On December 21, at 274, Loop Street, Maritzburg, the wife of F. W. G. Howarth, Johannesburg, of a son.
KENNEDY—On Sunday, November 26, 1899, at Salisbury, Rhodesia, the wife of J. H. Kennedy, of a son.
KING, Mrs. S. E., Durban, December 28, a son.
MACK, Mrs. G. W., Durban, Dec. 23, a daughter.
MCWILLIAM, Mrs. A., Durban, December 23, a son.
NIMMO—On November 26, at Bulawayo, the wife of David Nimmo, LL.B., a daughter.
SELLAR, Mrs. J. N., Durban, Dec. 26, a daughter.
MARRIAGES
NAYLOR, F. C.—SMITH, R., Cape Town, Dec. 20.
PATTRICK, C. B.—DAVIES, L., Cape Town, Dec. 21.
PEARCE, C. W.—WEBB, E. M., Kingwilliamstown, December 5.
DEATHS
BROWN—On January 21, at Renfrew Street, Glasgow, William A. Brown, lately of Port Elizabeth, son of the late James Brown, Stationer, Hill Street, Garnethill, Glasgow.
CHAPMAN, George D.—On December 28, at Claremont, late of Muizenberg Hotel.
CONNELL—On January 15, killed in action at Rensburg, John V. D. Connell, New Zealand Mounted Rifles, aged 23, third son of the late John A. Connell, Auckland, New Zealand, and grandson of the late James Connell, LL.D., Glasgow.
CURNICK, Mrs. E. J. N., Idutywa, Dec. 2, aged 24.
DUNN—On January 6, killed at Ladysmith, Arthur S. Dunn, aged 26, trooper, Imperial Light Horse, second son of W. H. Dunn, Eldhurst, Melrose.
FOX—On January 6, killed in action at Ladysmith, while serving with the Border Mounted Rifles, Francis Charles Fox, late Lieutenant Royal Artillery.
FOX, G., Kingwilliamstown, December 18, aged 66.
FULLER, Miss S., Bloemskraal, Dec. 22, aged 83.
HALL—On January 6, killed in action at Ladysmith, Lieutenant Lewis Duval Hall, Rifle Brigade, aged 24, the very dear son of Lewis Duval and Mary Kate Hall, 15, Grosvenor Place.
HEX, H., Queenstown, December 3, aged 27.
HEUGH, Miss S., Uitenhage, December 12, aged 84.
LINDSAY—On December 26, at Enslin, South Africa, of fever, Colour-Sergeant John Lindsay, 1st Battalion Gordon Highlanders, aged 34; deeply regretted.
LONGFIELD, M. J., Whittlesea, December 16, aged 66
MASSON, G., Grahamstown, December 23, aged 45.
MOCATTA—On January 6, killed in action at Ladysmith, Ernest William Mocatta, Imperial Light Horse, youngest son of Major-General D. Mocatta, Chester, aged 27 years.
NETTLESHIP—On January 6, killed in the assault on Ladysmith, Gerard W. R. Nettleship, Imperial Light Horse, youngest son of the Rev. A. Nettleship, Rector of Barton-on-the-Heath.
NICHOLLS, A. L., Durban, December 21.
RAITT—On January 21, from wounds received in action with General Hildyard’s Brigade in Natal, Arthur Douglas Raitt, Captain “The Queen’s” (Royal West Surrey Regiment), aged 31.
ROBBINS—On January 6, killed in action at Ladysmith, Arthur Mockeridge Robbins, of the Imperial Light Horse, aged 22, only son of Lieutenant-Colonel Robbins, R.A.M.C., and Mrs. Robbins, of 25, Earl’s Court Square, London.
SAMPSON, Miss A., Post Retief, December 5, aged 29.
SCHERNECKEA, Miss M. A. E., Cradock, December 18, aged 42
SCOTT—On January 22, at Vernon Terrace, Brighton, Caleb Edward Scott (late of Kimberley and Johannesburg), only son of the late Rev. Francis Caleb Scott, Vicar of Goring, Sussex.
TRILL—On January 24, at Lowood, Sydenham, of acute bronchitis, George S. Trill, many years resident in Cape Town.
TUCKER—On January 6, at Ladysmith, killed in action, in his 21st year, Philip Yorke Tucker, of the Imperial Light Horse, second son of Alfred Tucker, Esq., and grandson of the late Captain James Charles Yorke, 5th Dragoon Guards.
ON THE TUGELA
THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM
Writing from Chieveley Camp on December 28, the Daily Chronicle correspondent says:--We have had a lesson in the art of sitting still. This policy is at distinct variance with Tommy Atkins’s preferences. Both he and his officers are chafing under the curb and anxiously anticipating the next forward move. Apart from the ordinary antipathy to inactivity on the field, there are two special causes for the present fuming—to wit, the indignity of the Colenso reverse (a fortnight old tomorrow), and the knowledge that our comrades-in-arms must be becoming sorely pressed at Ladysmith. General White and his gallant garrison have held out nobly for a prolonged period, but everybody knows this sort of thing cannot possibly last forever. Deaths from the enemy’s shell, deaths from disease, shortage of food for man and beast, the heavy burden of sick and wounded, the handicapping of a large number of civilians, and the knowledge of Buller’s repulse here, are all matters which must be making an impression at lonely Ladysmith. It is pretty well understood that once a move takes place now; it will be a strong, firm, uncheckable advance right though to the beleaguered city. It is also becoming recognized that that successful move must be a flank or flanks attack—the method of attack, in fact, which I said in my last week’s letter was the plan predicted by a few correspondents and most of the colonials whilst at Frere before the last battle. We cannot take Colenso from the face without a most terrible sacrifice of life. Even now it is currently whispered that General Buller estimates a loss of 4000 men in reaching Ladysmith. If we are to lose 4000 men in reaching Ladysmith by flanking Colenso, what should we have lost by taking Colenso from the face? We have confidence in the flank movement, though we realize that there must be stubborn fighting with the commandoes surrounding Ladysmith, quite apart from the difficulty of driving back the thousands on the Tugela. Still, the fight must be fought, and the battle won, too, if it costs every man in the column.
Referring to the Colenso reverse, the correspondent proceeds:--The attack to the onlooker was purely a frontal attack by three bodies of troops separated by no great distance. The face of the enemy was attacked point blank by each brigade—whether on the nose, right or left cheek seemed a detail. There was no question of giving the Boer a regular round-arm, swinging blow under one of his ears. The face, and face only, was the object of the military pugilist. Over all this, however, the bravery of the British soldier and Colonial volunteer stands in supreme grandeur. It mattered not to Tommy and his leader whether the plan was good, bad, or indifferent, he fought on with that stolid indifference and solemn bravery that is so characteristic of the British soldier alone. His orders and the enemy were his only thoughts. He never winced or wavered for a second as the rain of hail beat into the ranks and reduced the number of his friends. He marched on with a glaring eye on the spitting hills ahead and grasped his rifle a little tighter maybe, as he hoped for revenge and victory. We see a good deal of Tommy Atkins in the street-not always the best side of him—and we often think very lightly of him and his, but I don’t think that anybody could have seen him fighting on December 15 on the banks of the Tugela without having the very deepest respect for him.
3 February 1900
BIRTHS
BRAINE—On January 2, at Walmer, Port Elizabeth, the wife of C. Dimond H. Braine, C.E., Public Works Department, of a son.
BUCHAN, Mrs. J., Durban, December 31, a son.
COULSON, Mrs. A. C., Congella, January 2, a son.
DAVIS, Mrs. O., Durban, December 29, a daughter.
D’ENTON, Mrs. L., Port Elizabeth, Dec. 29, a son.
ELLIS, Mrs. R. J., Maitland, Cape Colony, January 1, a daughter.
EVANS, Mrs. S. J., East London, December 21, a daughter.
GRANT, Mrs. E. P., Durban, December 30, a son.
HORSLEY, Mrs. D., Greyville, January 2, a son.
HURRY, Mrs. G., Port Elizabeth, December 28, a daughter.
KNOX, Mrs. R. A., Umzinto, Dec. 24, a daughter.
MAASDORP, Mrs. G. H., Graaff-Reinet, Jan 1, a son.
MURRAY—On January 26, at 24, Osborne Place, Aberdeen, Mrs. Charles Murray, of a daughter.
PADDON, Mrs. T. E., Grahamstown, Dec. 24, a son.
REID, Mrs. G. W., Durban, January 2, a son.
SHERRIFFS, Mrs. W., East London, Dec. 24, a son.
SIMON, Mrs. F., Durban, January 4, a son.
MARRIAGES
ASTON, F. S. D.—SAUNDERSON, M. S., East London, December 21.
BUTLER, C. H. J.—BATTEN, M. D., Durban, January 1.
DURNO, Rev. J.—MACANDREW, E. E., Port Elizabeth, December 28.
JAMIESON, F.—FIDDES, G. S., Durban, January 1.
MITCHELL—JOHNSTONE—On January 4, at Cape Town, by the Rev. Mr. Maclure, John Thomas Mitchell, Assistant Manager, East Rand Mines, Boksburg, Transvaal, youngest son of the late George Mitchell, Inspector, G.P.O., Edinburgh, to Maggie Ainslie, third daughter of James Johnstone, merchant, 9 Gillespie Place, Edinburgh.
DEATHS
ADAMES—On December 4, at Bulawayo, of typhoid fever, Ernest Gribbon, youngest son of James Adames, of Green Bank, Lewes, aged 30.
BRANCH, B. B., Queenstown, January 2, aged 28.
BURNE, Miss F. O. T., Umhlali, Dec. 30, aged 15.
CHAPPEL, Mrs. M., Tarka, December 27.
DE ROUGEMONT—On January 23, killed in action at Chieveley, Natal, Harold Wake De Rougemont, Captain South African Light Horse, second son of the late Commander Frank Rougemont, R.N., and Mrs. De Rougemont, of Bradwell, Oxon, aged 22.
EASTON, T. J., Grahamstown, January 1, aged 68.
GARVEY—On January 24, killed in action at Spion Kop, Lieutenant Henry Wiltshire Garvey, 1st Border Regiment, youngest son of Toler R. Garvey, of Thornvale, King’s Co., aged 23.
GOOSEN, N. J. A., Tarka, December 22, aged 40.
GRANT, Mrs. W., Port Elizabeth, Dec. 27, aged 49.
GRANT—On January 24, killed in action at Spion Kop, Robert Josceline Grant, 3rd Battalion King’s Royal Rifles, aged 22, dearly-loved son of Lieut.-General Sir Robert and Lady Grant.
HAND, N., Cambridge, December 23, aged 64.
HAUSHAHN, A., East London, December 24, aged 58.
HIGGO, Mrs. W. G., Cape Town, aged 50.
KINLOCH—On January 6, killed in action at Ladysmith, A. David Kinloch, Volunteer Hotchkiss Detachment, second son of the late Colonel Kinloch, R.A., of Gourdie, Perthshire, aged 30.
LUYT, Mrs. M. S., Woodstock, Jan. 5, aged 89.
MACKENZIE—On January 24, at De Aar, South Africa, of enteric fever, Cortlandt Gordon Mackenzie, Captain Royal Artillery, and of Foxton Grange, Market Harborough.
MCLACHLAN—On Christmas Day, shot in the Market Square, Harrismith, Orange Free State, for refusing to fight against his own countrymen, John McLachlan, junr., eldest son of John McLachlan, of Wandsworth and grandson of the late John McLachlan, of Lambeth, aged 30.
Miscellaneous articles on the same page:
DEBATE ON THE ADDRESS
The debate on the amendment of Lord E. Fitzmaurice to the Address in reply to the Queen’s Speech was resumed.
Sir F. Flannery, continuing the speech which was interrupted by the adjournment last night, asked whether the amendment, if not intended to reconcile divergent views, was patriotic, whatever might be its affect on party it could do no good to the country. If it were to succeed a general election must follow at a time not for party dissension but for closing all party ranks, by showing a united front to our foes. (Cheers.)
Mr. Bryce maintained that the debate had become absolutely unavoidable. Everybody in the country was asking why we were at war. (Cries of “No.”) They desired to know the causes that had brought us into our present position. Nothing but a sense of duty had induced the Opposition to undertake their unpleasant task. The Government would have done far better if they had waited longer before beginning their policy of redressing the grievances of the uitlanders. The grievances were bad, but the war was worse. Those grievances in a far-away corner of the earth were a small matter—(cries of “Oh”)—in comparison with the cost of the present war. Instead of going upon the uitlanders’ grievances in order to get a casus belli, the Government elected the question of the franchise in the Transvaal, and upon that question they could not use any argument except that of persuasion. It did not contain any casus belli, as we had no franchise rights for our subjects. (Hear, hear, from the Opposition.)
(Left sitting)
LITERATURE
A CENTURY OF WRONG. By F. W. Reitz, State Secretary of the South African Republic (London: Review of Reviews Office, Mowbray House, Norfolk Street, W.C.).—Audi alteram partem is the motto which adorns the title page of Mr. F. W. Reitz’s statement of the case for the two Republics, entitled “A Century of Wrong,” and prefaced by his “brother Briton,” Mr. W. T. Stead. We gladly hear it; and what is more, we can distinguish the low sad note of pathos which runs through the writer’s pleadings. It is the swan song of a dying cause, and as such it must evoke the pity even of those who best know the inherent corruptness of the Boer oligarchy. The Boers have in them the makings of a splendid race, but their government hitherto has deprived them of their birthright of true liberty. They will recover it under the beneficent rule of Great Britain. It is impossible to refrain from paying a tribute to the eloquence with which Mr. Reitz pleads the hopeless cause of the two Republics. But his history is painfully distorted, and into every act of British diplomacy he reads the most sinister of motives. In his conclusion he speaks thus of Great Britain’s glory:--
The orchids of Birmingham are yellow. The traditions of the greatest people on earth are tarnished and have become yellow. The laurels which Britannia’s legions hope to win in South Africa are sere and yellow. But the sky which stretches its banner over South Africa remains blue. The justice to which Piet Retief appeals when our fathers said farewell to the Cape Colony, and to which Joachim Prinsloo called aloud in the Volksraad of Natal when it was annexed by Great Britain; the justice to which the burghers of the Transvaal entrusted their case at Paarde Kraal in 1880 remains immutable, and is like a rock against which the yeasty billows of British diplomacy dissolve in foam.
That is a very fine passage. For literary effect it could hardly be surpassed. But it has one defect. It is not true. The rock of justice is indeed immutable, and even the blunders of British diplomacy, caused in the past by childish trustfulness in Boer “simplicity,” will not in the end avail to shake it. The criminal negligence of British Governments and the War Office has enabled “the little child” among nations to gird up its loins and arm itself to the teeth in order to secure its complete emancipation from the restraints which every civilized people imposes upon itself. Mr. Reitz recapitulates all the old arguments in favour of arbitration and against suzerainty, and endeavours once more to catch the unwary British reader in the meshes of his fine-spun theories and his quibbles about international law. The essential facts, however, remain incontrovertible. These are that residents in the Transvaal who were made to bear all the burdens of citizenship were accorded none of its rights or privileges, although these were guaranteed to them by Convention. This in itself was serious enough so far as the good government of the Transvaal was concerned, and moreover, it reacted most perniciously upon the whole of South Africa. But it is evident now that the principle of Dutch racial predominance thus given effect to in the Transvaal was meant to be extended as soon as possible to the whole of South Africa. If there was any doubt of this before, it cannot remain after one has read Mr. Reitz’s book.
The Army and Navy Gazette contains this week an interesting coloured plate depicting types of the Honourable Artillery Company of London.
Messrs. Williams and Norgate are the publishers of an exceedingly useful manual on “Self-Aid in War, with Practical Hints for the Cavalry Wounded in South Africa,” written by Surgeon-Major T.F.S. Claverhill.
The Amateur Photographer of this week contains an article by Ernest Carr on “Campaigning with the Camera,” which has a very special interest in view of the present situation on the Tugela. The writer contends that the camera could render most invaluable help in connection with reconnaissances of positions actually held by the enemy.
Among the many pictorial productions occasioned by the war, “Celebrities of the Army” and “The Transvaal War Album,” both published by George Newnes, Limited, take a very high place. The first issue of the former contains admirable coloured portraits of Sir Redvers Buller, Lord Wolseley, Sir F. Forestier-Walker, and Colonel Baden-Powell.
“Commandeered by Kruger” is the title of an entertaining narrative in the Windsor Magazine for February. The writer thus sums up the advantages of the Boer in war:--“The strength of the Boer lies in the quickness of his mobilization, his adaptability to his surroundings, his ability to feed himself and his horse without a commissariat, and his wonderful faith in Almighty God!”
We have received the February issues of the Photogram and the Anglo-Russian; an “Illustrated Souvenir of the City of London Volunteers,” issued at twopence from the offices of the City Press; “British War Songs”—a capital shillingsworth—published by Charles Sheard and Co.; the Wide World Magazine, the Strand Magazine, the Sunday Strand, the Captain, and the Incorporated Accountants’ Journal.
The fourth annual report of the Rhodesia Chamber of Mines has just reached this country, its production this year having been delayed by the disorganized state of business arising from the war. Extracts, culled from the Rhodesian papers, have already been given in our columns. The full report contains exceedingly useful tables giving an analysis of gold production from monthly reports from September, 1898, to June, 1899, the total output of the Geelong Mine, and details of work done upon other properties.
It is said that Lord Beaconsfield, a few weeks before his death, in 1881, spoke very strongly to a member of the Gladstone Government, during a private conversation, concerning the stopping of the Transvaal War after the reverse of Majuba Hill. The Conservative leader, according to the story, shook his head and remarked:--“We might easily have vanquished the pigmy; we may have to fight the giant in twenty years’ time.”
In conjunction with the Archbishop of Cape Town and the military authorities the Church Army is arranging for a number of thoroughly-experienced Evangelists to proceed to the front in South Africa for the purpose of assisting the military chaplains among the troops and in the hospitals. The first of these Evangelists will sail in the Norham Castle, and it is expected that a number more will quickly follow. The entire cost will be borne by the Church Army.
In the House of Commons at Ottawa on Thursday, Mr. Bourassa, a French-Canadian member, objected to the adoption of the Address in reply to the Speech from the Throne until the full correspondence between Britain and Canada with respect to Canada’s participation in the South African war had been laid on the table. Sir Wilfred Laurier, in order to afford full consideration for the subject, consented to the adjournment of the House until February 8.
10 February 1900
BIRTHS
ATTRIDGE—On February 8, at 139, Kew Road, Richmond, the wife of Harry Attridge, of Cape Town, of a son.
BLAKEWAY, Mrs. P. W., Umtata, Jan. 4, a daughter.
BUCHANAN, Mrs. H. W., Verulam, a son (prematurely).
GREENE—At Oakdene, Crescent Road, Kingston Hill, Surrey, the wife of Lieutenant –Colonel Greene, Natal Carbineers and Member of Legislative Assembly of Natal, of a daughter.
GREGG, Mrs. T. E., Cradock, Dec. 27, a daughter.
HARVEY, Mrs. A. J., Verulam, Jan. 4, a daughter.
HOWARD, Mrs. J. H., Durban, Jan. 5, a daughter.
HURLEY, Mrs. W. J., Grahamstown, Jan. 4, a son.
JONES, Mrs. J. H., Houts Bay, January 7, a son.
MACKAY—On January 31, at 1, Roseburn Gardens, Glasgow, the wife of W. H. Mackay, of Pretoria, of a daughter.
PITT—At Mowbray House, Mowbray, the wife of R. G. Campbell Pitt, of Johannesburg, of a son.
MARRIAGES
AITKEN, J.—DOLPHIN, N. M., Durban, January 1.
EWING—ROOS—On January 24, at Rietfontein, Riet Siding, Cape Colony, John Ewing, Cape Government Railway, late of Leith, to Annie S. Roos, Rietfontein, South Africa.
GOLDBY, W. E.—WHEELWRIGHT, E. G., Durban, December 26.
HORBY—LEARY—On January 10, at the Cathedral, Umtata, Cape Colony, by the Lord Bishop of St. John’s Kaffraria, the Rev. Philip Dyson Hornby, youngest son of Henry H. Hornby, of Beechwood, Grassendale, Liverpool, to Ethel, youngest daughter of the late William Leary, of Umtata.
JOHNSON, H. H.—VAN DE VEN, R. E., Rondebosch, January 11.
LANGTON, A. P.—HEWETT, E. H., Cape Town, Jan. 9.
SANDEMAN—FLOOD—On December 16, at Cape Town, George H. Sandeman, Cape Garrison Artillery (on Staff of Lieutenant-General Sir Charles Warren), son of Captain Julian Sandeman, late R.H.A., to Kate Sydney, eldest daughter of the late William Flood, Paymaster Royal Navy, and of Mrs. Flood, 10, St. Andrew’s Mansions, W. Kensington.
SCHMIDT, P. C.—ROLFE, E. K., Beira, January 8.
STEWART—ADAM—On February 6, at St. Stephen’s Church, Bandra, Bombay, by the Rev. R. Hugh Gundry, M.A., Robert Barton Stewart, Indian Civil Service, second son of the late Robert Stewart, of the Standard Bank of South Africa, to Frederica Sybil (Freda), youngest daughter of Colonel Adam, Indian Staff Corps.
SYERLEY, C. A.—LOGAN, E. E., East London, Dec. 26.
WILLIS, J.—GREGG, A., Cradock, January 8.
DEATHS
BAXTER, W. M.—Aloe Siding, January 4.
BIRCH—On January 24, killed at Spion Kop, Charles Grant Francis Grey Birch, Captain 1st South Lancashire Regiment, aged 32, only child of the late Colonel Charles Birch, of Lympstone Grange, S. Devon, and Mrs. Birch.
BUCHANAN, Mrs. H. W., Verulam; also infant son.
BULFIN, J., Colesberg, January 1, aged 32.
CARNE, S., Durban, January 2, aged 59.
COLLINS—Reported killed in the action at Spion Kop, with the Imperial Light Infantry (Durban), Alfred George, aged 27, elder surviving son of Frank and Rosa Collins, now of Horsham, Sussex.
GILBERT—On January 13 last, at Durban, Natal, of enteric fever, Frederick John Daines Gilbert, third son of the late Rev. W. H. L. Gilbert (M.A.), B.N.C. Oxon, and of Mrs. Gilbert, of 77, Gloucester Place, Portman Square, W., in his 37th year.
(Note: Apparently the second page of deaths did not get copied.)
Miscellaneous articles on the same page:
HOUSE OF COMMONS
(Friday, February 9)
FORT GUNS
Mr. Wyndham, replying to Mr. Hedderwick, said: None of the guns in the forts at Cape Colony and in Natal, which were there before the war, have been used during the campaign. It was not in the public interest to state the armaments of those forts. (Cheers.)
FIELD ARTILLERY GUNS
Colonel Welby asked the Under-Secretary for War whether he could state how many Royal Horse and Field Artillery guns were now in South Africa per thousand of the troops there; calculating the per thousand on the same basis as the guns of mobilized German Army Corps; their proportion to the three arms, trains, columns, and services employed in the field, and not at the base.
Mr. Wyndham said that even if it were possible it would not be expedient to give the distribution of troops in South Africa at the present time. (Cheers.) His statement had referred to the immediate future. He said that the number of field guns in or proceeding to South Africa gave a Continental percentage in the firing line, and by that he meant a proportion of five guns for every 1000 troops.
AMBULANCE CORPS
Mr. T. M. Healy asked the Under Secretary for War whether every member of Lord Iveagh’s Ambulance Corps had to sign an agreement that he would become a combatant if called on; and whether in any of the foreign ambulance corps with the Boers such a condition had been insisted on.
Mr. Wyndham: Nothing is known of this officially at the War Office.
Mr. Healy: It’s a very good example to Russia.
PROPERTY IN THE BOER REPUBLICS
Mr. Bowles asked the Secretary for the Colonies could he explain the scope and effect of the notice issued by Sir Alfred Milner, High Commissioner for South Africa, on January 26, 1900, to the effect that Her Majesty’s Government would not recognize as valid any forfeiture, charge, fine, encumbrance, conveyance, transfer, or transmission in respect of property situate in the territories of the South African Republic or the Orange Free State which might be declared, charged, levied, created, made, or carried into effect by the Governments of those countries subsequent to the outbreak of war; and was it the intention of Her Majesty’s Government to prosecute the war until the invalidity of the acts contemplated by the notice was recognized by the two States.
Mr. Chamberlain: Her Majesty’s Government have reason to believe that it was the intention of the Republican Government to impose burdens which it would be impossible to meet upon property within their territories, owned by British subjects and the subjects of other Powers, with the object of confiscating the property. It would be impossible for the Government to countenance any such acts of confiscation at the termination of the war, without the sanction of the War Office, whether carried out by an act of the Executive or under colour of legislation empowering the Courts to declare such forfeiture. The text of the notice shows that it has no reference to transactions between individuals. It is not desirable to enter into a discussion of the points raised in the latter part of the question.
Mr. T. M. Healy: May I ask whether any foreign Power has made remonstrances on the subject?
Mr. Chamberlain: That question should be addressed to the Foreign Office.
Mr. Healy: I ask the Under Secretary for Foreign Affairs.
The Speaker: Order, order. (Laughter.)
NO NEWS FROM THE FRONT.
Sir H. Campbell-Bannerman said the House would like to know whether there was any news from the war.
Mr. Balfour: No, sir, I do not think there is.
Mr. F. H. Wilsons’s Appointment
Mr. MacNeill asked to what position on the staff of Sir Alfred Milner had Mr. F. H. Wilson, legal assistant of the Colonial Office, been appointed; and whether, seeing that the legal advisers to the High Commissioners of South Africa had hitherto been selected from the Cape Bar on the recommendation of the Prime Minister of Cape Colony, he would explain on what grounds had there been a departure from this practice.
Mr. Chamberlain said in view of the pressure of work in the High Commissioner’s office, Sir A. Milner requested the assistance of an additional staff officer with legal experience. Mr. Wilson would give such assistance, and his presence would in no way affect the constitutional relations between the Governor and the Cape Ministry.
THE RETURN OF THE WOUNDED
Mr. Wyndham, replying to Mr. MacNeill, said the steamship Sumatra arrived on December 6 at 12:30, being one hour and a half before the time the steamship company had notified that she was expected. The ambulance arrived at 2 p.m., and the invalids, who had remained on board, were landed at 3 p.m., and placed in a shed close by. They had great coats on, and were not left out in the rain. All were then removed without delay to hospital at Woolwich.
THE SUSPENSION OF THE 12 O’CLOCK RULE
Mr. Balfour moved that the proceedings on the Address, if under discussion at twelve o’clock this night, be not interrupted under the Standing Order Sittings of the House. A division was taken on the motion, with the following result:--For the motion, 226; against, 86; majority, 140.
DEBATE ON THE ADDRESS
The debate on the motion for an Address in reply to the Queen’s Speech was resumed.
Sir T. Esmonde seconded the amendment of Mr. Clancy, representing:--“That the over-taxation of Ireland, which promises to become greatly aggravated by the expenditure on the war in South Africa, is a most serious and pressing grievance, and demands the early attention of Parliament, with a view to its removal.” This, the hon. Baronet said, would be a very expensive war, and it was not conceivable that Ireland could derive any advantage from it, whilst undoubtedly it would lead to a very great increase of taxation of which the country, whether she liked it or not, would have to bear an utterly disproportionate share.
Mr. Lough continued the debate.
A meeting to protest against the war was held in Northampton on Wednesday night, Mr. Labouchere and Mr. Hyndman being announced as the principal speakers. There was an organized opposition, and long before the meeting commenced the platform was stormed, and chairs were thrown about the hall. The party in possession of the hall sang with overwhelming effect “God Save the Queen” and “Rule Britannia,” and showed determined hostility to the promoters of the meeting. While the Chairman was appealing for order, a determined rush on the platform ended in the tables and chairs being thrown in the body of the hall. Seeing the danger of their position, and the utter impossibility of holding a meeting, Mr. Labouchere and his supporters fought their way to an ante-room, and there waited until an escort of police could conduct them from the hall in safety.
Mr. George Grey (the leader of Grey’s Scouts in the Matabele War) recently arrived from South Africa on the conclusion of an eight months’ successful journey in Northern Rhodesia on behalf of the Tanganyika Concessions. It was reported some time ago that the expedition had been cut up by the natives. Mr. Grey said to an interviewer:--We started from Bulawayo on April 5 and thence crossed the Zambesi. Proceeding north past Monze’s, where the Chartered Company keep a force of 30 mounted police, we went through Minenga’s, crossing the Kafue River. From that point the expedition spent five months in more or less unknown lands, passing through one large district where the natives had never before seen a white man. We returned to Bulawayo at the end of November. Probably owing to the respect called forth by the strength of the expedition the natives were universally civil and hospitable. The greatest care was taken to treat them fairly in every way, and this was appreciated by them. Although we suffered much from fever every member of the party returned safely.
17 February 1900
BIRTHS
BENSON, Mrs. H., Durban, January 13, a daughter.
BORAIN, Mrs. J. E., Durban, January 17, a son.
DALTON, Mrs. E. J., Port Elizabeth, Jan. 7, a son.
DASHWOOD, Mrs. J., Durban, December 28, a son.
DAUGHERTY, Mrs. T. E., Durban, January 11, a daughter.
DAVIES, Mrs. E., Port Elizabeth, January 4, a son.
DOUGANS, Mrs. J. E., Addington, January 12, a daughter.
DOWIE, Mrs. J., Port Elizabeth, January 17, a son.
DOWLING, Mrs. F., Verulam, January 6, a daughter.
EDLMANN—On February 12, at Hanover, Cape Colony, the wife of Robert Elliot Edlmann, of Schuilhoek, Cape Colony, and Kent House, Leamington, England, a son.
FLEMING, Mrs. M., Queenstown, Jan. 3, a daughter.
FOX, Mrs. G., East London, January 7, a daughter.
GARBUTT, Mrs. P. F., Umgeni, January 17, a daughter.
GORDON, Mrs. G. W., Greyville, January 11, a daughter.
GREENE—On February 1, at Oakdene, Crescent Road, Kingston Hill, the wife of E. M. Greene, M.L.A., of Pietermaritzburg, and Lieut.-Colonel of Natal Carbineers, of a daughter.
MARRIAGES
ADAMS, C.—HUGHES, H. L., Tarkastad, January 13.
BROWN, W. M.—CHADDOCK, E. A., Durban, January 15.
GANDIE, W. L.—GALLOWAY, J., Durban, January 6.
GOLDBY—WHEELWRIGHT—On December 26, at St. Michael’s, Eshowe, province of Zululand, Natal, by the Right Rev. the Bishop of Zululand, Walter E. Goldby, Auditor-General, Natal, youngest son of the late Major W. Goldby and Mrs. Goldby, Wimbledon, Surrey, to Eva Gertrude, second daughter of W. D. Wheelwright, Esq., J.P., Eshowe.
HARRISON, J. W.—PATTERSON, V. O. M., Port Elizabeth, January 10.
HOLMES, Rev. F.—EDWARDS, E. A. S., Graaff-Reinet.
HUMPHERSON, S.—ELLERD, J., Durban, January 16.
LAVENSTEIN, A.—COWEN, L., Port Elizabeth, January 12.
PASCOE, W. H.—CLARKE, M. J., Queen’s Town.
WATSON—CARMICHAEL—On January 23, at the Presbyterian Manse, Woodstock, Cape Colony, by the Rev. W. E. Robertson, Walter Watson, to Isa, daughter of the late Duncan Carmichael, Glasgow.
DEATHS
BLEKSLEY, F. C., Cape Town, January 19, aged 27.
BROWNE, W. A., East London, January 9, aged 56.
CARBUTT, Miss M. C., Ladysmith, January 9.
CHEESEMAN, Dr., Pearston, January 16.
COOKE, T. R., Kuil’s River, January 12, aged 54.
COTTON—On January 29, at Ladysmith, Wellington Robert Paul Stapleton Cotton, Lieutenant 19th Hussars, eldest son of Colonel Hon. Richard Stapleton Cotton.
CURRAN, E. J., Grahamstown, January 16, aged 57.
DE WET, J. S., Worcester, January 4.
DICKINSON, Miss S., Port Elizabeth, Jan. 18, aged 65.
DICKSON---On January 24, killed at Spion Kop, Francis Herbert Dickson, Sergeant in 2nd Battalion Royal Lancaster Regiment, only son of the late Rev. F. J. Dickson, Rector of Ribchester, Lancashire, aged 25.
EKERMANS, A. J., Rondebosch, January 16, aged 57.
ELLIOTT—MACONOCHIE—On February 9, at St. John’s Church, Greenhill, Harrow, by the Rev. Thomas Smith, M.A., Richard Lowens Elliott, eldest son of the late W. R. Elliott, Esq., of Enfield, to Mimi Moore Maconochie, eldest daughter of Mrs. J. R.
KNIGHT—On February 12, at his residence, Horner Grange, West Hill, Sydenham, William Knight, aged 56.
Miscellaneous articles on the same page:
POTGIETER’S DRIFT
BRIDGEHEAD SECURE DEBOUCHES BARRED
EXCESSIVE ARMY BAGGAGE
Mr. W. S. Churchill describes General Buller’s dash for Potgieter’s Drift in his letter to the Morning Post, and he makes the following instructive remarks:--“Let me make an unpleasant digression. The vast amount of baggage this army takes with it on the march hampers its movements and utterly precludes all possibility of surprising the enemy. I have never before seen even officers accommodated with tents on service, though both the Indian frontier and the Soudan lie under a hotter than the South African sun. But here today, within striking distance of a mobile enemy whom we wished to circumvent, every private soldier has canvas shelter, and the other arrangements are on an equally elaborate scale. The consequence is that roads are crowded, drifts are blocked, marching troops are delayed, and all rapidity of movement is out of the question. Meanwhile, the enemy completes the fortification of his positions, and the cost of capturing them rises. It is a poor economy to let a soldier live well for three days at the price of killing him on the fourth.”
Mr. Churchill went with the mounted forces to Springfield. “Tiny patrols—beetles on a green baize carpet—scoured the plain (he writes), and before we reached the crease—scarcely perceptible at a mile’s distance, in which the Little Tugela flows—word was brought that no Dutchmen were anywhere to be seen. So we come safely to Springfield—three houses, a long wood bridge erected by public subscription at a cost of £4300’—half-a-dozen farms, with their tin roofs, and tree clumps seen in the neighbourhood—and no Boers. Orders were to seize the bridge; seized accordingly; and after all had crossed and watered in the Little Tugela—swollen by the rains to quite a considerable Tugela, eighty yards wide—we looked about for something else to do. Meanwhile more patrols came in; all told the same tale: no Boers anywhere. Well, then, let us push on. Why not seize the heights above Potgieter’s? If held they would cost a thousand men to storm; now, perhaps, they might be had for nothing. Again, why not? Orders said, ‘Go to Springfield’; nothing about Potgieter’s at all. Dundonald reflected, reflected again, and finally resolved. Vorwarts! So on we went accordingly. Three hundred men and two guns were left to hold the Springfield Bridge, 700 and four guns hurried on through the afternoon to Potgieter’s Ferry, or, more properly speaking, the height commanding it, and reached them safely at six o’clock, finding a strong position strengthened by loopholed stone walls, unguarded, unoccupied. The whole force climbed to the top of the hills, and with great labour succeeded in dragging the guns with them before night. Then we sent back to announce what we had done and to ask for reinforcements.
“The necessity for reinforcements seemed very real to me, for I have a wholesome respect for Boer military enterprise; and after the security of a great camp the dangers of our lonely, unsupported perch on the hills came home with extra force. After an hour’s study my feeling of insecurity departed. I learned the answer to the questions which had perplexed the mind. Before us lay ‘the devilry’ the Boers had prepared, and it was no longer difficult to understand why the Springfield Bridge had been spared and the heights abandoned. The ground fell almost sheer 600 ft. to the flat bottom of the valley. Beneath the Tugela curled along like a brown and very sinuous serpent. Never have I seen such violent twists and bends in a river. At times the waters seemed to loop back on themselves. One great loop bent towards us, and at the arch of this the little ferry of Potgieter’s floated, moored to ropes which looked through the field glasses like a spider’s web. The ford, approached by roads cut down through the steep bank, was beside it, but closed for the time being by the flood. The loop of river enclosed a great tongue of land which jutted from the hills on the enemy’s side almost to our feet. A thousand yards from the tip of this tongue rose a line of low kopjes crowned with reddish stones. The whole tongue was virtually ours. Our guns on the heights or on the bank could sweep it from flank to flank, enfilade and cross fire. Therefore the passage of the river was assured. We had obtained what amounted to a practical bridgehead, and could cross whenever we thought fit. But the explanation of many things lay beyond. At the base of the tongue, where it sprang from the Boer side of the valley, the ground rose in a series of gentle grassy slopes to a long horseshoe of hills, and along this, both flanks resting securely on unfordable reaches of the river, out of range from our heights of any but the heaviest guns, approachable by a smooth grass glacis, which was exposed to two or three tiers of cross fire and converging fire, ran the enemy’s position. In technical language the possession of the heights virtually gave us a bridgehead on the Tugela, but the debouches from that bridgehead were barred by an exterior line of hills fortified and occupied by the enemy.”
KIMBERLEY GARRISON EATING HORSE FLESH
HEAVY INFANTILE MORTALITY
The issue of the Cape Argus of January 24, received in England this week, contains a letter from Kimberley, dated the 13th of that month, in which the writer (the Argus special correspondent in Kimberley) says:--The siege of Kimberley is now beginning to be acutely felt by the inhabitants. In my last letter I mentioned that our meat rations had been cut down to a quarter of a pound per diem for adults, and from Monday last (8th) the bulk of the meat served out has been horseflesh, the proportion being about one-fourth ox-meat to three-fourths horseflesh. To the male portion of the community, and even those of the opposite sex, there is little or no hardship in having to eat the flesh of man’s best friend, and on the Continent, even in the best restaurants, “Potages du chevaux”(!) forms just as much a staple item on the menu as does roast beef in England. The majority of people, unless they were told, would never know the difference. It is slightly darker in colour, and a little sweeter in taste, otherwise it closely resembles beef. To most of the women, and practically all the children, however, the mere thought of eating horseflesh is repugnant, and rather than consume it they have done without animal food altogether. With the supply of tinned meats pretty well consumed, the dietary of these unfortunate people is necessarily a limited one.
From today a proclamation has been issued raising the price of beef to 1s. per pound, and horseflesh to 9d. and it is also notified that though all efforts will be made to continue the daily version of a quarter of a pound of meat, a full supply cannot be guaranteed.
The health report of the medical office of health for December was published yesterday, and throws some important sidelights on the siege. The population is estimated at 14,000 white and 19,000 coloured, the latter including those in the compounds convict station, and gaol. The deaths for the month were 70 white and 219 coloured, a rate per 100 living of 60 white and 138.3 coloured. The death rate during the whole of 1898 was 21.7white and 53 coloured. The infantile death rate (under one year reached the extraordinary figures of 671.1 per 1000 white and 912.7 coloured per 1000.
Time hangs on one’s hands dreadfully, and it was a good idea of some of the churches here to arrange organ recitals in their churches at night, these forming a most welcome diversion.
A Glasgow gentleman wrote to Dr. Hendrick Muller, the Envoy Extraordinary of the Orange Free State at the Hague, asking him what amount of truth there was in reports with respect to the nature of the ties which bound the Orange Free State to the Transvaal. He received in reply a letter, containing the following: “I have no objection to reply to your question whether there is any truth in the rumours spread in England pretending that the Free Staters are abandoning the Transvaalers and are giving up fighting, or intend to do so. These rumours are altogether false. On the contrary, the Jameson raid had already brought the two Republics together, as it had shown the designs of the present British Administration as regards the independence of the two South African Republics. And now this war is making one nation of the two States and brothers of their burghers, who before were treating each other as cousins.”
24 February 1900
BIRTHS
HEARD, Mrs. J. P., Durban, January 7, a son.
HODGSON, Mrs. A., Graaff-Reinet, January 11, a daughter.
HUDSON—On February 19, at Wynberg, Cape Town, the wife of Arthur Ainslie Hudson, M.D. Edin., of East London, Cape Colony, of a son.
LEWIS, Mrs. R. F., Port Elizabeth, January 12, a daughter.
LLEWELLYN—On February 13, at Bulawayo, the wife of Llewellyn Thomas Evan Llewellyn, of a son.
LODER—On February 19, at Brookwood Lodge, Brookwood, Surrey, the wife of A. S. Loder, of a daughter.
MACFARLANE—On February 20, at Cape Town, the wife of W. J. Macfarlane, stockbroker, of Johannesburg, of a daughter.
MALLANDAIN, Mrs. W. A. J., Pinetown, January 6, a daughter.
MATTHEY—On February 2, at Boyn Hill Avenue, Maidenhead, the wife of Captain Cyril G. R. Matthey, City Imperial Volunteer Infantry, of a son.
MCDONALD, Mrs. R., Durban, January 9, a son.
MCKENZIE, Mrs. J., Estcourt, January 9, a daughter.
MEADWAY, Mrs. A. E., Potchefstroom, December 28, a daughter.
MONCRIEFF—On January 3, at Durban, South Africa, the wife of Frederick Hope Pattison Moncrieff, of a daughter.
POTGIETER, Mrs. B. J., Cradock, Jan. 7, a daughter.
PRENDERGAST, Mrs. Durban, January 5, a son.
REID, Mrs. J. G., Durban, January 7, a daughter.
SHEDLOCK, Mrs. A. B., Umhlali, Jan. 6, a daughter.
SIMPSON, Mrs. C. H., Cape Town, January 8, a son.
STEWART—On December 31, at East London, the wife of Charles Edward Stewart, C. E., a daughter.
STRADLING, Mrs. R. A. B., Uitenhage, January 9, a daughter.
SULSKI, Mrs. W., Cape Town, Jan. 3, a daughter.
THOMPSON, Mrs. W., Greyville, January 5, a son.
VISSER, Mrs. J., Hanover, January 1, twins (boy and girl).
VOSLOO, Mrs. J. A., Somerset East, Dec. 21, a son.
WESTON, Mrs. C., Umbilo, December 26, a son.
WHITE, Mrs. J. H., Concordia, Namaqualand, December 3, a son.
WOOD, Mrs. H., East London, Dec. 28, a daughter.
MARRIAGES
AUSTIN, F.—REDMAN, E., Umzinto, January 18.
BERTHON, L. T.—JEFFREYS, A. E., Weston, Natal, January 20.
BUCKLAND—STOVELL—On February 15, at St. James’s, Sea Point, Cape Town, Arthur Frederick, second son of Henry Buckland, of Glendower, Woodford, Essex, to Bella Kate, youngest daughter of the late John Stovell, of Horsham, Sussex.
BUTCHER—ROSS—On February 21, by the Rev. Henry Stevens, M.A., Vicar of Holy Trinity, Sydenham, London, Harry, fourth son of Samuel Butcher, Durban, Natal, to Ethel, youngest daughter of the late Alexander Ross, of St. Kierans, Lawrie Park Road, Sydenham, and Ceylon.
HOLDERNESS, H. H.—DICKINSON, B. H., Cato Ridge, Natal, January 16.
JACOB, H. A.—WELLINGTON, L. E., Durban, January 17.
SMITH—IVISON—On February 19, at St. Michael’s Parish Church, Workington, Captain Peter Smith, to Jane Rollo, eldest daughter of William Ivison, Kimberley.
DEATHS
BARKER—On February 2, at Ladysmith, of enteric fever, Lieutenant F. Oswald Barker, 5th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers, aged 24, third son of Henry and Alice Barker, of Alexandria, Egypt.
BLAIR—On February 7, killed in action at Koodoosberg, Hugh Maxwell Blair, Captain, 2nd Seaforth Highlanders, eldest son of the late Alexander Blair, advocate, Sheriff of the Lothians and Peebles.
CARBUTT—Killed in action at the relief of Kimberley, Edward, son of the late George Henry Carbutt, and nephew of Sir Edward Carbutt, Bart., R.H.A., U Battery.
COLVILLE—About January 21, at Ladysmith, Natal, of enteric fever, John Stuart Hepburn, of Natal Carbineers, fourth son of the late Daniel Weir Colville, Boston, Natal, and grandson of the late Rev. William Colville, minister, Eaglesham.
CRALLAN—On February 6, killed in action at Bird’s River, Ernest Charles Hamer Crallan, Captain Brabant’s Horse, second son of late Rev. T. E. Crallan, M.A.
EYKYN—On February 8, from wounds received on February 7 at Koodoosberg, Captain Cecil Eykyn, of the Black Watch, fourth son of the late Mr. Thomas Eykyn, of 47, Hyde Park Gate.
FARMAN, E. W., Durban, January 10, aged 37.
FERREIRA, A. M., Eland’s River, Dec. 21, aged 69.
FOSSEY, Mrs. E. E., Greyville, January 11.
FRASER—On January 24, killed in action at Spion Kop, Eric Fraser, Lieutenant 2nd Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers, aged 21, youngest and dearly-loved son of Mrs. Fraser and the late James Fraser, of Newfield, Blackheath Park, S.E.
FRENCH—On February 12, killed in action at Ramoutsa, South Africa, Sampson Gough French, Captain Royal Irish Regiment, eldest son of Savage French.
GALBRAITH—On December 11, killed at battle of Magersfontein, South Africa, Andrew Galbraith, aged 23, of the Seaforth Highlanders, son of George Galbraith, 240, London Road, Glasgow.
GANDIE, W. L., Durban, January 11, aged 32.
GODDIN—On January 18, at Cape Town, David Cumberland Goddin, aged 30.
HARRIS, J., Worcester, January 2, aged 55.
HERDEN—At De Aar Hospital, of enteric fever, Wilfrid Arthur Hebden, Captain 1st Battalion Essex Regiment, only son of Mrs. Hebden, Longcroft, Shanklin, Isle of Wight.
HENSLEY—On January 20, from wounds received while fighting at Venter’s Spruit, Natal, Captain Charles Albert Hensley, 2nd Battalion Royal Dublin Fusiliers, aged 34, elder son of Albert Hensley, of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and grandson of the late Commander Charles Hensley, R.N.
HESKETH—Killed in action at the relief of Kimberley, Algernon Ernest Hesketh, Lieutenant 16th Lancers, youngest and dearly-loved son of Mrs. Hesketh and of the late Captain W. Pemberton Hesketh, of the 42nd Highlanders (Black Watch) and 18th Hussars, aged 25 years. R.I.P.
HOPKIRK—On December 12, at Bulawayo, from typhoid fever, William Charles, youngest son of the late F. L. Hopkirk, and of Mrs. Hopkirk, of 128, Burnt Ash Hill, Lee, Kent.
HUMPHREY, Mrs. G., Port Elizabeth, Jan. 8, aged 74.
JOHNSON—On February 2, at Funchal, Madeira, James Yate Johnson, of the Middle Temple, Barrister-at-law, and formerly of Kendal, aged 80.
KINGSFORD—On January 24, killed in action at Spion Kop, Herbert M. Kingsford, of Thorneycroft’s Mounted Infantry, son of Montague Kingsford, Canterbury.
KYNOCH-SHAND—On January 24, killed in action at Spion Kop, Lieutenant Robert McKerrell Kynoch-Shand, elder son of the late R. S. Kynoch-Shand, Esq., of Hillside, Kincardineshire, and The Linn, Keith.
LAURENCE—On January 24, killed in action at Spion Kop, while serving with Colonel Thorneycroft’s Mounted Infantry, Philip, aged 21, the eldest and dearly-loved son of Frederic and Fanny Laurence, of Somerfield Terrace, Maidstone, and grandson of the late William Laurence, of Elsfield, Hollingbourne.
ORLEBAR—On February 17, at Ladysmith, William Aubrey, in his 21st Year, of fever, the dearly-beloved youngest son of Emily Orlebar, 11, First Avenue, Brighton.
WORKMAN—On February 15, at Modder River, South Africa, of enteric fever, James, son of Hugh Workman, 301, W. Princes Street, Glasgow.
IN MEMORIAM
In memory of Harriette Blanche Hoole, the beloved wife of Samuel Watson Jameson, who died at the Hillyers, Cookham, England, on February 24, 1899.
Miscellaneous articles on the same page:
Bugler John Dunn, who was wounded at Colenso, and whose picture we gave in our last issue on Monday last visited Osborne at the invitation of the Queen, and had the honour of being presented to Her Majesty. The Queen evinced considerable interest in the plucky little lad, and before his departure he was presented with a silver-mounted bugle, suitably inscribed.
The steamer Knight Templar sailed from New Zealand on Saturday with 250 roughriders selected from 2000 picked riders and shots, all unmarried men, many representing the oldest families in the Colony, and 270 horses. The troop was entirely equipped by public subscription, and will be landed at Cape Town free of cost to the Imperial Government. Three hundred more will follow next month. The movement is the outcome of the proposal and efforts of Mr. George G. Stead, of Christchurch, supported by the New Zealand Press, the local Committees, and the general public. The total subscriptions amount to £50,000, each centre providing its quota of men.
Major William Joseph Myers, of Willowbrook, Eton College, and of the King’s Royal Rifles, adjutant to the Eton College Volunteers, who died on October 30, aged 41, in action at Farquhar’s Farm, Natal, bequeathed by his will of August 27, with a codicil made October 3 to the Headmaster of Eton various sums for beautifying the College.
Lord Dundonald, has achieved some reputation as an inventor, and all his inventions have relation to military matters. A gun-carriage which he planned for the rapid conveyance of small guns in the field is now in use at the front. A heating apparatus for carrying in the hand during long and exposed marches in cold weather has been a great boon to soldiers in previous campaigns. One of his latest inventions is a nosebag for horses to give them proper ventilation while feeding. This is now being used in the cavalry regiments in South Africa.
The War Office has issued an appeal made by the Queen to her old soldiers, in the course of which Her Majesty says:--Confident in their devotion to Country and loyalty to her Throne, the Queen appeals to them to serve once more in place of those who for a time are absent from these Islands, and who, side by side with the people of her Colonies, are nobly resisting the invasion of her South African Possessions. There has been a splendid response to the appeal.
Orders have been issued directing the storeship Wye to be refitted at Sheerness Dockyard for a voyage to Ascension with naval supernumeraries and stores.
The portrait of the late Lieutenant “Coffee” Adams, which we give elsewhere, is reproduced by courtesy of the proprietors of the Graphic.
The Princess of Wales has written to Mrs. Day, of Letheringsett, intimating that she will send her some warm jerseys for the use of the soldiers in the Norfolk Regiment at the front, in whom Her Royal Highness states she takes a great interest.
Today five more traction engines, with twenty specially-constructed trucks and five special sleeping cars, are to go by road to Southampton for transport to the Cape.
Major-General Charles Edmund Knox, who was wounded at Paardeberg, February 16, was in command of the 13th Brigade, part of the Sixth Division, under General Kelly-Kenny. He was formerly Commandant of the Shropshire Regiment, and was lately in command of the 32nd Regimental District, at Bodmin. He served under Sir C. Warren in the Bechuanaland Expedition in 1884, when he raised and commanded the 4th Pioneer Regiment.
The War Office has under consideration a proposal to acquire Cambrian House in Caterham Valley for use as a barrack or hospital in connection with the Foot Guards’ depot in the vicinity.
3 March 1900
BIRTHS
ACUTT—On February 28, at Durban, the wife of Mr. E. L. Acutt, of a daughter.
BEATLEY, Mrs. A., Durban, January 20, a son.
BEST. Mrs. W. J., East London, Jan. 14, a daughter.
BROCKETT, Mrs. H. C., Port Elizabeth, January 18, a son.
BROPHY, Mrs. W. I., Durban, January 17, a son.
CATHRO, Mrs. A. G., East London, Jan. 16, a daughter.
COGILL, Mrs. W. H., Queenstown, January 20, a daughter.
COPPINGER, Mrs. E., Alexandria, Jan. 20, a daughter.
COUDER, Mrs. G. H., Cathcart, January 19, a son.
FERGUSON—On January 20, at the Presbyterian Manse, East London, the wife of the Rev. John T. Ferguson, a son.
GAMLEY, Mrs. D. M., Durban, January 19, a son.
GIFFORD, Mrs. A., Port Elizabeth, January 20, a daughter (prematurely).
GREIG, Mrs. T. A., Rondebosch, January 23, a son.
IRELAND—On February 26, at Pietermaritzburg, the wife of Frederick L. Ireland, Wemmer, Johannesburg, of a daughter.
MACGREGOR, Mrs. R., Clairmont, Cape Colony, January 18, a son.
SAVILLE, Mrs. P., Durban, January 17, a daughter.
SCHULTZE, Mrs. J., Durban, January 22, a son.
TEMPLE, Mrs., Durban, January 22, a daughter.
WILLIAMS, Mrs. W. C., Durban, Jan. 21, a daughter
YOUNG, Mrs. A., East London, January 13, a son.
MARRIAGES
BARKER, J. J.—RUSS, H. F., East London, Jan. 20.
DOWLING, A. K. H.—MILEHAM, L., Mossel Bay, January 23.
HAYBITTEL, S. R.—PEGRAM, M. A. C., Rondebosch, January 31.
HILL-HILL, C. P.—BRUNETTE, H. M., Kingwilliamstown, January 29.
PILL—HAINES—On February 27, at Holy Trinity Church, Twickenham, Robert Pill, of Perranporth, Cornwall, and Johannesburg, to Agnes Mary Minton, eldest daughter of the late Francis Minton Haines and Mrs. Haines, of Chandos, Strawberry Hill.
THEOBALD, A. J.—FLEMING, A. M., St. John’s, January 16.
DEATHS
BARKER, Mrs. E. J., Malvern, Natal, January 22, aged 85.
BLEASBY, T., Beira, January 15, aged 42.
BRENNAN, W., Port Elizabeth, January 22, aged 31.
CRALLAN—On February 16, killed in action at Birds River, Ernest Charles Hamer Crallan, Captain Brabant’s Horse, second son of the late Rev. J. E. Crallan, M.A., late of Ivy House, Emsworth. (Corrected notice.)
DOYLE, Mrs. S., Queenstown, January 21, aged 61.
FAWCUS—On January 24, killed in action at Spion Kop, Crichton W. M. Fawcus, of Thorneycroft’s Mounted Infantry, aged 24.
FRANCIS, R., Cathcart, January 14, aged 53.
GOUGH, H., Cape Town, January 25, aged 64.
HAMPSON, Mrs. M. A., Durban, January 22, aged 45.
HELLIER, J. H., East London, January 15, aged 21.
HERLIHY, Miss B., Durban, January 9, aged 17.
JONES, R., Port Elizabeth, January 9, aged 50.
LAWSON, B. H., Ladysmith, January 6.
LITKIE—On January 24, killed in action, Spion Kop, Edgar Charles Litkie, Corporal, Thorneycroft’s Mounted Infantry, aged 23, youngest son of Valerian A. Litkie, of 39, South Street, Mayfair.
LORIMER—On January 19, at the Gordon Memorial Mission, Natal, Jane Kinnear Lorimer, eldest daughter of the late Rev. Dr. John Gordon Lorimer, Glasgow.
LOWE—On February 9, at Umtali, Rhodesia, of malarial fever, Charles Alfred Lowe, late of the Buenos Ayres and Pacific Railway, Argentine Republic, in his 46th year.
MACHELL—On January 16, at Modder River Camp, of enteric fever, Sergeant Edward Sanders Machell, Northumberland Fusiliers, only son of Major E. J. Machell, late Royal Artillery, aged 25.
MACLACHLAN—On February 1, in Natal, Captain Donald Maclachlan, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, son of the late George Maclachlan, of Maclachlan, Argyllshire, from wounds received at Venter’s Spruit.
MAJENDIE—On February 12, of wounds received in action the same day, at Dekiels Drift, on the Riet River, in the Orange Free State, Henry Grylls Majendie, Captain Rifle Brigade, aged 34, only son of the late Sir Vivian Dering Majendie, K.C.B.
MALLOCK—On January 24, killed in action at Spion Kop, Natal, James James Raymond Mallock, Lieutenant Lancashire Fusiliers, youngest son of Lieutenant-Colonel and Mrs. T. J. Raymond Mallock, of Firlands, Camberley, Surrey, aged 26.
MASSY—On January 24, killed in action, at Spion Kop, Hampden Hugh Massy, Major Commanding the 17th Field Company Royal Engineers, aged 40.
MAUNSELL—On January 24, on board the s.s. Nile, going to South Africa with his regiment, to the inexpressible grief of his heart-broken wife, Lucius Augustus de Vere Maunsell, Major 9th King’s Royal Rifle Corps, and late Captain the Leicestershire Regiment, aged 36.
MCCORQUODALE—On January 24, killed in action at Spion Kop, Hugh Stewart McCorquodale, Lieutenant Thorneycroft’s Mounted Infantry, in his 25th year, youngest son of the late George McCorquodale, of Newton-le-Willows and Gadlys, Isle of Anglesey.
MCGLASHAN, Mrs. J., East London, Jan. 19, aged 43.
MENZIES—On Saturday, February 3, at Beach Cottage, Ryde, I of W., William Menzies, Captain R.N., second son of the late William Menzies, Senior Puisne Judge Cape of Good Hope, aged 66.
MILLER, A. H., Sterkstroom, January 17, aged 21.
MINGAY, Mrs. E., Bolela, December 30, aged 33.
MURRAY—On January 24, reported killed in action with General Lyttelton’s Brigade in Natal, Captain Fergus Murray, 2nd Scottish Rifles, younger son of the late Commander John Murray, R.N., of Murraythwaite, Dumfriesshire, aged 31.
MYERS, Mrs. A., Durban, January 17, aged 58.
NELSON, P. S., Cape Town, January 19.
NEWNHAM—On January 24, at Spion Kop, Percy Forbes, Indian Staff Corps, Lieutenant, Thorneycroft’s Mounted Infantry, and youngest son of W. H. Newnham, Moston, Weybridge.
NICHOLSON, Mrs. E. R., Port Elizabeth, January 16, aged 46.
NIXON—On February 16, at Ladysmith, Arthur Cooper Nixon, youngest son of Henry Nixon, of Hasketon, Woodbridge, Suffolk, aged 33 years.
O’PHELAN, Mrs. J., East London, Dec. 25, aged 56.
PETRE—On January 24, killed in action at Spion Kop, Hon. Joseph H. L. Petre, Captain Loyal Sussex Hussars and Thorneycroft’s Light Infantry, youngest son of the late William Bernard, 12th Lord Petre, aged 33. R.I.P.
PIESER, G., Kimberley, December 21, aged 50.
RANKIN, Mrs. J., Somerset East, December 30, aged 80.
RAPHAEL—On January 24, killed in action at Spion Kop, Frederick Melchoir Raphael, Lieutenant 1st South Lancashire Regiment, aged 29, second son of George Charles Raphael, of 37, Portland Place, W., and Castle Hill, Englefield Green, Surrey.
ROBINSON—On January 25, at 95, Philbeagh Gardens, S.W., Murrell Robinson Robinson, M. Inst. C.E., late Chief Inspector of Public Works, Cape of Good Hope, aged 79.
ROLLAND, A. H., McW., Sterkstroom, Jan. 20, aged 26.
ROSSITER, A. E. Vryburg, aged 22.
ROSS—On January 24, killed at Spion Kop, Major Archibald J. J. Ross, 2nd Battalion “King’s Own” Royal Lancaster Regiment, eldest son of the late Colonel Archibald P. G. Ross, R.E., aged 41.
RUDALL—On January 24, killed in action at Spion Kop, Alfred Rudall, Lieutenant Imperial Light Infantry, aged 23, of 47, Russell Road, Kensington, youngest son of the late H. A. Rudall.
RUMNEY—On February 17, at Mancazana, 114, Cavendish Road, Balham, S.W., suddenly, after 16 years’ patient suffering, Charles Rumney, aged 52.
RUSSELL—On January 24, at French Hoek, South Africa, after a very short illness, Madeline Mary, aged 19, only daughter of the Rev. John M. Russell, B.D., senior minister of St. Andrew’s Cape Town.
SAUNDERS-KNOX-GORE—On January 24, killed in action at Spion Kop, Cecil Henry Saunders-Knox-Gore, Captain, Thorneycroft’s Mounted Infantry, late 6th Inniskilling Dragoons and Queen’s Bays, third son of Major-General Saunders-Knox-Gore, of Belleek Manor, Ballina, Co., Mayo, and Ardmore, Torquay, aged 37, deeply lamented.
SCHULZ, F. W., East London, January 17, aged 74.
SCOTT-RANKIN, J. W., Cradock, Dec. 27, aged 15.
SHARP—On February 13, at De Aar, South Africa, of fever, Willie, youngest son of Mrs. James Sharp, 35, North Fort Street, Leith.
SIMON, A.—Durban, January 4, aged 49.
SMIT, B. J., Cape Town, January 20, aged 26.
SMITH, A., Durban, January 9, aged 26.
SOAMES—On January 16, at Pietermaritzburg, Maurice, elder son of the late Rev. Douglas Soames, Chaplain in Her Majesty’s Forces, aged 24.
STEHN—On February 19, at Ladysmith, of enteric fever, Arthur Stehn, Natal Naval Volunteers, youngest son of Christian Stehn, of Brunswick Square, Brighton.
STRONG—From wounds received in the action at Spion Kop, Natal, Sydney Philip Strong, Major 2nd Battalion the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), aged 42.
STUBBS—On February 12, killed in action at Slingersfontein, South Africa, Arthur Kennedy Stubbs, Captain and Brevet-Major Worcestershire Regiment, eldest son of Major-General F. W. Stubbs, late Royal Artillery.
TAIT—On February 7, killed in action at Koodoosberg, Frederick Guthrie Tait, Lieutenant in the Black Watch, third son of Professor Tait, of Edinburgh University, aged 30.
TARBUTT—On February 13, at Pretoria, of typhoid fever, Lieutenant C. A. Percy Tarbutt, South African Light Horse, a prisoner of war, aged 26, eldest son of Percy and Kate Tarbutt.
TARR, G., Kimberley, aged 22.
THOMSEN, L., Grahamstown, January 12, aged 58.
TREVETHEN, R. H., Greyville, January 19, aged 43.
TREVOR—On January 24, killed in action at Spion Kop, Hon. Nevill Windsor Hill Trevor, Lieutenant Thorneycroft’s Horse, third son of Mary, Lady Trevor and the late Lord Trevor, aged 31 years.
TRILL—On January 24, at Lowood, Sydenham, of acute bronchitis, George S. Trill, many years resident in Cape Town.
VERTUE—On January 24, killed in action at Spion Kop, Captain Naunton Henry Vertue, of the Buffs, whilst acting as Brigade-Major to General Woodgate.
USHER, J., Kokstad, January 8, aged 85.
WADE—On January 24, killed in action at Spion Kop, Alexander Price Conolly Herschel Wade, Lieutenant 2nd Royal Lancaster Regiment, second son of the late Sir Thomas Francis Wade, G.C.M.G., K.C.B., aged 29.
WARDROP—On January 20, at Graaff Reinet, Cape Colony, Ida F. R., the beloved wife of Charles H. Wardrop, of Doorn Klooff, and second daughter of the late I. de la Harpe, of the Glen, Graaff Reinet.
WARNER, Mrs. M.E., Grahamstown, December 29, aged 26.
WEBSTER, Mrs. A., Kingwilliamstown, January 21.
WHELFHAN, J. E., Kingwilliamstown, January 20, aged 27.
WILLIAMS, C. B., Indwe, January 8, aged 80.
WILLIAMSON, G., Greyville, January 11, aged 59.
WILSON, J. T. P., Pietermaritzburg, Jan. 15, aged 16.
WILSON—On January 24, in the action at Spion Kop, Natal, Harold Alfred Cobbe Wilson, Second Lieutenant 2nd Middlesex Regiment, second son of Alfred and Fanny Wilson, of the Vicarage, Bedford Park, Chiswick, aged 21.
WOLFE, Mrs. R., Wynberg, January 27.
WOOD, R. H., Durban, January 16, aged 48.
WORMAN, Mrs. J., Durban, January 23, aged 72.
WORSLEY-WORSWICK—On December 16, at Bulawayo, Francis Joseph, fourth son of Major W. Worsley-Worswick, late 37th Regiment, of Ashmans Hall, Beccles, aged 21.
YOUNG—On February 23, at the house of his cousin, 9, George Street, Glasgow, George Duncan Young, aged 27, late of Johannesburg and Elgin.
10 March 1900
BIRTHS
AGAR-WOOD, Mrs. R., Stutterheim, January 29, a son.
AIKEN, Mrs. J. W., Umzinto, Feb. 1, a daughter.
AMES, Mrs. W. J., Somerset East, January 29, a son.
ANDERSON, Mrs. H. E. K., Estcourt, January 31, a daughter.
ASTON, Mrs. W., Cape Town, January 29, a son.
BAYTOPP, Mrs. H., Pinetown, Feb. 1, a daughter.
BLACKBEARD, Mrs. H. C., Fort White, Jan. 26, a son.
BULL, Mrs. C. A. L., Greyville, Feb. 7, a daughter.
BURMEISTER, Mrs. P., Stutterheim, Jan. 22, a son.
CATLIN, Mrs. R. M., Kenilworth, February 4, a son.
CORSER, Mrs. H. E., Cape Town, Feb. 2, a daughter.
COUDER, Mrs. G. H., Cathcart, January 19, a son.
CUMMING, Mrs. R., Cape Town, Jan. 17, a daughter.
DOVE, Mrs. J. H., Durban, February 3, a son.
ELLIOTT, Mrs. A. J. B., Ixopo, January 25, a son.
FORD, Mrs. G. H., Steynsburg, January 26, a son.
FOWLER, Mrs. F. W., East London, a son.
FRANKLIN, Mrs. A. J., Estcourt, Feb. 4, a daughter.
GARRETT, Mrs. S., Port Elizabeth, February 1, a son.
GOWTHORPE, Mrs. R. A., Durban, February 1, a son.
GREETHAM, Mrs. H. F. J., Umtata, January 12, a daughter.
GREIG, Mrs. T. A., Rondebosch, January 23, a son.
GRIFFITHS, Mrs. T. W., East London, Jan. 24, a son.
HARBORTH, Mrs. H. L., Krantzkloof, Feb. 6, a son.
HATCH, Mrs. W. A., Durban, January 25, a son.
HUNT, Mrs. F. T., Port Elizabeth, February 6, a daughter.
KING, Mrs. B., Greyville, February 6, a daughter.
LONGLANDS, Mrs. R. F., Greyville, Feb. 8, a son.
MACGREGOR—On March 4, at Pietermaritzburg, Mrs. John MacGregor (nee Maggie Millar), a daughter.
MILNE, Mrs. J., Durban, February 1, a son.
RANKIN—On March 7, at 13, Shandon Street, Glasgow, the wife of George Rankin, Klerksdorp, South Africa, of a son.
REID, Mrs. R. S., East London, February 3, a son (stillborn).
STRACHAN—On February 10, at Shady Pine, Kenilworth, near Cape Town, the wife of John Strachan, of a daughter.
TOWNSHEND, Mrs. P., Vryburg, Dec. 9, a daughter.
VAN HEERDEN, Mrs. W., Cradock, January 30, a son.
WEBB, Mrs. C. S., Grahamstown, January 29, a daughter.
WHIPP, Mrs. T. H., Durban, February 6, a daughter.
WILLIAMS, Mrs. W. P., Durban, February 6, a son.
MARRIAGES
BRANDT—DUNBAR—On February 27, at the parish church, Heathfield, Sussex, by the Rev. William Rooke, Frederick Austin, youngest son of the late Robert Brandt, of Bickley, Kent, and Knollys Road, Streatham, S. W., to Lillian Beatrice, only daughter of the late James Dunbar, C.E., of Montreal and London.
ELLIOTT—MACONOCHIE—On February 9, 1900, at St. John’s Church, Greenhill, Harrow, by the Rev. Thomas Smith, M.A., Richard Lowens Elliott, eldest son of the late W. R. Elliott, Esq., of Enfield, to Mimi Moore Maconochie, eldest daughter of Mrs. J. R. Maconochie, of Chetwode, Harrow. (Corrected notice.)
PARKER, W. J. M.—ROBINSON, E. M., Durban, February 3.
RICHES, N. H.—HULL, W. H., Durban, February 8.
DEATHS
BIRKETT—On February 13, at Ladysmith, of enteric fever, Trooper John Louis Birkett (Dundee Troop Natal Carbineers), aged 19, eldest son of Francis John Birkett, Town Clerk, Dundee, Natal, and grandson of John Birkett, F.R.C.S.
BRAUNS, Mrs. W. F., East London, Jan. 31, aged 22.
BREETZKE, Miss M. L., Port Elizabeth, January 30, aged 29.
CLARKE—On March 7, at Ivanhoe, Hornsey Lane, N., Arthur Clarke, aged 47 years.
DANBERN, W. J., East London, January 31, aged 26.
DYKES, P., Verulam, Natal, January 17, aged 83.
FELMORE, P., Woodstock, February 5, aged 66.
FORSYTH, R., Port Elizabeth, January 28, aged 15.
GRANT—On February 21, at Kimberley, Alaster Grant, Lieutenant, Robert’s Horse, wounded in the advance on Kimberley, son of the late Colonel J. A. Grant, C.B., C.S.I., and Mrs. Grant, of Househill, Nairn, and 11, Wilton Crescent.
GUSH, W., Maclear, January 25, aged 74.
HAMPSON, Mrs. J. A., Durban, January 22.
HANSEN, Miss F. A., East London, Jan. 25, aged 18.
HENWOOD, O., accidentally drowned in Mooi River, on January 29,
HERRIDGE, Mrs. S. A., Pella Namaqualand, Jan. 9, aged 64.
HOLWELL, A. C., Harding, Natal, January 29.
HORT, Mr. J., Kingwilliamstown, Jan. 25, aged 68.
MCCOMB, S. J., Queenstown, January 30, aged 64.
MCDANIEL, J., Thomas River, January 29, aged 74.
MENPES—On February 6, as the result of an accident at Joker Mine, Abercorn District, Mashonaland, Mortimer James Menpes, eldest son of Mortimer Menpes, of 25, Cadogan Gardens, S.W., in his 21st year.
OGILVIE, J., Somerset East, January 28, aged 43.
OVERBEEK, A. C., Cape Town, February 2, aged 77.
PAXTON, G. D., Durban, February 1, aged 16.
SEYMOUR, G., Upper Malvern, Natal, January 31, aged 88.
THOMAS, G. W. J., Ladysmith, January 22, aged 30.
VERSFELD, Mrs. M., Cape Town, Jan. 31, aged 72.
WADHAM, J., Uitenhage, January 27, aged 61.
WILDE, Mrs. M., Uitenhage, February 5, aged 71.
Miscellaneous articles on the same page:
Mr. Horace W. Nicholls, who acted as special photographer for South Africa during the early part of the war, and many of whose pictures appeared in these pages recently, is giving a series of illustrated lectures in various parts of the country. He has a capital collection of views, and the first of the lectures, given recently in the Royal Albert Institute, Windsor, was an unqualified success.
The Morning Post correspondent at Orange River says:--The Army looks ten years older than when it left England. We are not yet in rags, but we are exceedingly dirty; and, between the close-cropped crowns and bearded chins it is difficult to recognize one’s nearest friends. A man soon has his fill of war, and most of those who have been here from the beginning are heartily tired of the dreary country, and would change it cheerfully for the worst they know elsewhere. The new comers are full of fight and most anxious for a chance of it, but, despite its climate, no one has a good word for the country, which has not a single quality which a Britisher could appreciate, save its capacity for engendering thirst. But with beer at two shillings a bottle, lime juice at four, and whiskey unprocurable at any price, a thirst man is not the enviable object he may be elsewhere.
Writing of the Durhams’ charge up Spion Kop, the Standard correspondent says:--Colonel Woodland estimates Vaal Kop to be 700 ft. high. What infantry other than the present-day representatives of “the thin red line” would coolly, under the fearful heat of an African sun, and after fighting every inch of their way for over an hour, fix bayonets and charge, never crying halt until they gained the summit? That is what, in most brilliant manner, the Durhams did. On arriving at the foot of the kopje, word was given to fix bayonets and charge, and they ran up the hill to the chorus of a rousing British cheer. Some 40 Boers who stayed to the last on the near base, scurried before them, leaving their horses behind them. The fire from the high ridge to the left became very deadly, and Major Johnson Smyth fell, shot through the throat, while leading his company. Up, still up, panting through the steepness of the ascent, but not to be stayed in their victorious career, the men of the Durhams charged, the Boers still fleeing before them, until the latter, hurrying for dear life, disappeared over the crest. Then our gallant fellows reached the top, and raised a cheer, which was taken up by the oncoming regiments below. They were just in time to secure three laggards and bowl over a number of others who had not yet got clean away. Very few dead Boers were seen on the kopje, though three were found decapitated, evidently by one of our lyddite shells.
At Balsall Heath, Birmingham, on Tuesday, Mr. Powell Williams, M.P., in reply to a vote of confidence in the Government, said the only thing which would stop the war was to bring home to the Boers that the nation was determined to carry it on until there was absolutely no opposition to the supremacy of the Empire in South Africa, and until the enterprise and integrity of Englishmen were recognized and respected.
A correspondent, signing himself “Colonel” writes: “Those of us who have sons or relatives in the besieged and now relieved towns have been very patient under great anxiety for the last four months. I think, however, the time has now arrived when the War Office might publish a list of officers and men in hospital suffering from wounds or disease. This would to some extent relieve our anxiety. I have a son in one of the battalions which have suffered most severely, and I have not heard from him since October 25 last. If he is dying in hospital I should prefer to know it.”
At length we are in possession of that invaluable communication of Oom Paul to the besiegers of Ladysmith (says the Cape Town correspondent of the Daily Telegraph). The full text possesses those engaging characteristics of the old Predikant to which we have so long been accustomed. He beats George Washington because at 74 he can still tell fibs—as good round, brazen, thumping ones as when he was in his prime. The statement that “the enemy create devastation when they come on the farms” is artistic lying, just a little slim. Many persons, I am aware, would say it was of a crude and silly order; but they do not take into account the circumstances. First, the farm is everything; second, the burghers do not know and have no means of knowing the facts; and lastly, it was necessary to do something to erase the impression produced by the terrible vandalism of the Boers in Natal and the Colony. Please note very carefully that whenever the Boers have been guilty of any atrocity and they anticipate being charged with it, they do not wait for the accusation to be preferred, but instantly bring it against the British. That saves time and humbugs the Boer and the foreigner. I need not tell you that we have not devastated a single Afrikander farm in the Colony. The Afrikanders in the Colony are our subjects. On the other hand, as I have said elsewhere, the Boers have added a new horror to war by their procedure here and in Natal.
17 March 1900
BIRTHS
BLATCHLY, Mrs. C. A. C., Port Elizabeth, February 10, a daughter.
BRADLEY, Mrs. J. W., Durban, February 14, a son.
BURNS, Mrs. M. J., Port Elizabeth, February 11, a son.
CARRIE, Mrs. W., East London, February 13, a daughter.
CHAPPELL, Mrs. W. J., Greyville, February 11, a daughter
CURRIE—On March 10, at Maritzburg, Natal, the wife of Oswald James Currie, M.B., M.R.C.S., of a daughter.
DYKES, Mrs. J., Durban, February 11, a daughter.
GILBERT, Mrs. W. F., Umtata, Feb. 5, a daughter.
GUSH, Mrs. G. A., Nazaar, February 7, a daughter.
HEATHCOTE, Mrs. R., Umtata, a son.
HERSHENSSOHN, Mrs. J. M., Durban, February 13, a daughter.
JACKSON, Mrs. R. B., East London, February 10, a daughter.
MALCOLM, Mrs. A. A., Durban, January 13, a daughter.
MALLINSON, Mrs. A. E., Durban, February 14, a son.
MILLER, Mrs. J. W. C., East London, February 10, a daughter.
RUSSELL, Mrs. J., Durban, February 5, a daughter.
WELLS, Mrs. J., East London, February 11, a son.
MARRIAGES
BUCKLAND, A. F.—STOVELL, B. K., Cape Town, February 15.
COFFYN, G. W.—SPENCE, A. M., Aberdeen, Cape Colony, February 7.
DREW, A.—BEERE, C. L., Port Elizabeth, Feb. 12.
FULLAWAY, A. V.—MARSHALL, M. L., Queenstown, February 12.
HALL, G. R.—BROWN, A. N., Durban, January 30
JAMES, D.—REDMAN, B. G., Durban, February 12.
MORONE, A.—GODFREY, M., Port Elizabeth, Feb. 14.
THORNTON, H.—DOWSETT, G. L., Port Elizabeth
GOLDEN WEDDINGS
DENHOLM YOUNG—MILLER—On March 12, 1850, at Cape Town, by the Reverend William Elliott, Captain S. Denholm Young, son of S. Denholm Young, of Broomrig, Dumfriesshire, to Margaret Jessie Adamson, daughter of the Reverend Ebenezer Miller, M.A., Principal of the Free Church of Scotland Training College, Chinsurah, Bengal.
DEATHS
BARKER, S. A., Volsrust, December 1, aged 27.
BARTLETT, Miss A. L., Durban, February 11, aged 42.
BEHRMANN, A., Ocean Lodge, Victoria County, February 9, aged 67.
BLUNDEN, A. E., East London, February 9, aged 49.
BOTTEN, J., Grahamstown, February 14, aged 72.
BRITTAIN—On March 1, at Ladysmith, of enteric fever, Francis Henry, son of the late Thomas Brittain, Parkfields, Tittensor, Stoke-on-Trent, aged 28.
CALLAGHAN, Mrs. J., Kingwilliamstown, February 9, aged 56.
CHRYSTAL—On March 5, killed in action at Dordrecht, South Africa, James William Chrystal, Cape Mounted Rifles, aged 25, eldest and beloved son of Rev. J. R. Chrystal, B.D., Cadzowburn, Hamilton. Also, missing since October, near Tuli, Rhodesia, Robert Patrick Chrystal, B.S.A. Police, aged 21, third and beloved son of above.
COCHRANE, Miss A., Edinburgh, February 11, aged 21.
COOPER—On March 10, at Cape Town, Gilbert William Cooper, C.I.V., eldest son of William Cooper, of Ashwell, Herts., aged 20.
GARDNER, Mrs. T., Cape Town, February 18, aged 70.
JAY—On March 13, at Kingwilliamstown, of typhoid, Charles Alfred Jay, four times elected Mayor, third son of the late James J. Jay, of Camden House, Lewisham, deeply respected.
MACKENZIE—On February 5, at Buccleuch, Natal, Colin Aitchison, infant son of George C. Mackenzie.
NEWSON, R. F., Victoria West, February 12.
PARR, F., Cradock, February 9, aged 26.
PHILIP—On February 16, at Drogas Rivier, Caledon, Cape Colony, John Lethem Philip, eldest son of the late Rev. William E. Philip, Missionary, of Hankey, South Africa, in his 59th year.
RYNEVELD, D. J., Cape Town, February 17, aged 24.
RYVES—On March 4, at Queenstown, of enteric, Charles Fraser Maxwell Ryves, Cape Mounted Rifles, aged 22, only son of the late Major C. M. Ryves, 2nd Bombay Grenadiers, and of Mrs. Ryves, Palmyra, Lennox Road, Southsea.
SCHENKENWALD—On February 7, at Queenstown, South Africa, of enteric fever, Arthur Victor, second son of the late George Schenkenwald, of Stamford Hill, London, in his 24th year.
SERRURIER, Mrs. L., Cape Town, Feb. 19, aged 70.
WEBSTER, W. E., Mount Ayliff, February 1, aged 45.
Miscellaneous Articles on same page:
We have just received information of the death in London of Mr. Edward Bates Dorsey, the engineer. Mr. Dorsey was born in England 67 years ago, and began his work as an engineer at an early age in America. Mr. Dorsey was known in connection with several Transvaal mining ventures.
Here is a pretty story of Lord Roberts. On the eve of his departure for South Africa he received a letter, written in a youthful hand, and having attached to it two juvenile Christian names besides that of the writer’s. The surname was not given, but the letter bore the stamped address of the parents of the little trio. Lord Roberts was assured that he is one of the biggest men in the world, and a most enthusiastic hope was expressed that he would succeed against the Boers. “We shall,” concluded the youthful writers, “pray for you every night when we go to bed.” On arriving at the front Lord Roberts re-called the letter, and he wrote a reply, addressing it to the three Christian names, and adding the address stamped on their letter. “I hope, my dear children,” he said in conclusion, “that you will pray for me always.”
A tradesman named Stolberg, of Wurtemberg, has returned to his native place after three years’ absence in the Transvaal, where he took part in the opening stages of the war as Secretary of the German commando under Colonel Schiel’s leadership. He states that General Joubert is unpopular both with the young Boers and with the Germans. After the battle of Elandslaagte the Boers made no secret of the fact that they regarded the Germans as responsible for their defeat. When the scattered German corps reassembled at Dannhauser General Joubert addressed them as follows: “People, I thank you for having sacrificed yourselves for the Republic, but we require no officers who strive for orders and decorations of honour. We need only such people as fight simply and solely for the freedom of the Republic. I may tell you, by the way, that you possess little discipline, and it will be better if you return to discipline, and it will be better if you return to Johannesburg and drill yourselves.” In consequence of this address many Germans, including the Field Cornet, left the commando. Only those, says Stolberg, remained who had neither occupation nor money, but their enthusiasm was gone. Joubert, it is added, is the personal enemy of Schiel, who wore on his breast orders he had gained abroad.
24 March 1900
BIRTHS
AINSLIE-HUDSON, Mrs. A., Wynberg, Feb. 18, a son.
BENNETT, Mrs. A. R., Durban, Feb. 13, a daughter.
BUTCHER, Mrs. E., Grahamstown, Feb. 18, a son.
CHATAWAY—On March 5, at Bulawayo, the wife of Norman H. Chataway, Rhodesian Civil Service, of a daughter.
COBLEY—On February 20, at Parkside, Maritzburg, the wife of W. H. Cobley, M.Inst.C.E., Natal Government Railways, of a son.
DE SMIDT, Mrs. W., Cape Town, Feb. 25, a son.
DODS—On March 17, at Victoria West, Cape Colony, the wife of D. A. Dods, of a son.
FRANK, Mrs. L., Rosebank, February 17, a son.
FURMAGE—On February 11, at Pietermaritzburg, the wife of John Furmage, of Johannesburg, of a son.
HOGAN, Mrs. J., Port Elizabeth, Feb. 18, a daughter.
HURFORD, Mrs. E., Greyville, Feb. 13, a daughter.
HUTCHINS, Mrs. W. J., Rosebank, Feb. 2, a son.
JUBY, Mrs. J. W., Grahamstown, Feb. 19, a daughter.
LINTON, Mrs. F. G., Port Elizabeth, Feb. 19, a son.
MARSHALL, Mrs. H. E., Durban, Feb. 15, a daughter.
PICKERING, Mrs. B. A., Durban, Feb. 19, a son.
PIM—On March 13, at 20, Westbourne Terrace Road, W., the wife of Howard Pim, of Johannesburg, of a son.
SALKINSON, Mrs. A., Durban, February 19, a son.
SALOMON, Mrs. L. E., Maritzburg, Feb. 19, a son.
STAFFORD, Mrs. E. J., Pinetown, Feb. 18, a daughter.
WILLIAMS, Mrs. J., Port Elizabeth, February 16, a daughter.
MARRIAGES
BELL, H. E.—O’BRIEN, M., Cape Town, Feb. 21.
LEDGER, J. H.—THOMAS, E. E., Port Elizabeth, January 31.
TAYLOR, W. K. P.—WINSON, R. E., Verulam, Feb. 14.
DEATHS
BEAUMONT, C. J., Ladysmith, January 28, aged 20.
BERNING, F. S., Cape Town, Feb. 21, aged 75.
BLAIKIE—On February 18, in Ladysmith, Tom Blaikie, eldest surviving son of the late Anthony Adrian and Helen Blaikie, aged 36 years.
COULTER—On January 15, at Ladysmith, Edwin Burns, eldest son of the late Edwin Coulter, Inland Revenue, and Mrs. Coulter, 16, Sutherland Terrace, Glasgow.
DOUGLAS—On March 16, drowned at Table Bay, Cape Town, James Douglas, chief engineer, Dunolly Castle, beloved husband of Rebecca Middleton McDiarmid, Burdett Road, London, and eldest son of James Douglas, 238, Berkeley Street, Glasgow.
GRIGG—On March 12, at Wynberg Hospital, South Africa, of enteric fever, William Chapman Grigg, M.D., of 27, Curzon Street, aged 60.
LOCKYER—On January 21, at Bulawayo, of enteric fever, Sergeant Herbert Charles Lockyer, B.S.A., Police, younger son of the late Captain T. G. Lockyer, A.S.C., of Plymouth, and Mrs. R. T. Love, of Purleigh Rectory, Essex, aged 23. R.I.P.
MOOS, C., Newlands, February 23, aged 82.
PATMORE—On February 6, at Umtali, Rhodesia, Andrew Scott Patmore, Attorney, second son of Samuel Patmore 9, Hampton Terrace, Edinburgh, aged 29.
PINKNEY, G., Ladysmith, February 19, aged 12.
SERRURIER, Mrs. L., Cape Town, Feb. 19, aged 70.
TAYLOR, R. S., Salt River, February 25, aged 29.
TERNCROOK, Dr. K. F., Waterberg, Transvaal, February 6, aged 37.
TOWNSHEND, Mrs. A. W., Cape Town, February 23, aged 38.
VIVYAN—On March 9, at Ladysmith, of enteric fever, Kenneth Man Vyvyan, Border Mounted Rifles, second son of the Rev. T. G. and Mrs. Vyvyan, late of Charterhouse, Godalming, aged 21.
WATSON, F. M., Cannes, February 18.
Miscellaneous article on the same page:
Referring to the purchase of the letters stolen from Mr. Hawksley, a correspondent of the Cape Argus says: “It may be interesting to the public to know that Dr. Leyde’s emissaries also made an effort to purchase the startling documents which are reproduced in the pamphlet “Kruger and Co., Limited,’ lately published here. In this case, too, the sum offered was £100, which was declined. Needless to say that in the documents last referred to it is not the Colonial Office, but Dr. Leyde and some of his friends who are directly implicated. Might not Dr. Leyde do worse than emulate the example of Mr. Chamberlain, and put himself straight (if he can) before the world?”
31 March 1900
BIRTHS
ACUTT, Mrs. E. L., Durban, a daughter.
BALFE, Mrs. J. H., Durban, February 25, a daughter.
BENNETT, Mrs. J., Durban, February 25, a son.
BRINK, Mrs. P. G., Grahamstown, Feb. 26, a son.
COOPER, Mrs. A. C., Durban, February 24, a son.
ELLIS, Mrs. J. C., Umtata, February 20, a daughter.
GRUN, Mrs. L., Durban, March 1, a son.
HARGREAVES, Mrs. W. T., Umtata, February 17, a daughter.
HULL, Mrs. G. F. A., Port Elizabeth, February 28, a daughter.
HURRELL—On March 14, at Salisbury, Mashonaland, the wife of William Cranford Hurrell, of a son.
MACAULAY—On February 3, at Cleveland, Johannesburg, the wife of Donald Macaulay, M.A., M.B., C.M. (Edinburgh), of a son.
MACKILLICAN, Mrs. T., Durban, February 23, a son.
METCALFE, Mrs. P. J., Durban, February 23, a son.
MEYER, Mrs. C. W., Bolo, February 3, a son.
READ, Mrs. J. M., Queenstown, February 14, a son.
RICHMOND, Mrs. H., Umtata, Feb. 10, a daughter.
SCHERZ, Mrs. G., Port Elizabeth, Feb. 28, a son.
STARFIELD, Mrs. D., Port Elizabeth, February 28, a daughter.
TAFF, Mrs. H., Durban, February 24, a son.
WALL, Mrs. F., Durban, February 27, a son.
WARREN, Mrs. C., Cambridge, February 20, a son.
WILLIAMS, Mrs. D. J., Durban, Feb. 24, a daughter.
WILLIAMSON, Mrs. J., Durban, Feb. 22, daughter.
WYCHE, Mrs. C. H., Durban, Feb. 24, a daughter.
MARRIAGES
BELL, H. E.—O’BRIEN, M., Cape Town, February 21.
CARR, J.—LOOSE, E., Durban, February 24.
COFFYN, G. W.—SPENCE, A. M., Aberdeen, Cape Colony, February 7.
DREW, A.—BEERE, C. L., Port Elizabeth, Feb. 12.
IRVINE, W. H.—CALLAWAY, M., Queenstown, Feb. 22.
LEGGE, C. E.—DAVISON, C., Durban, February 21.
VERNON, E. S. D.—BROWN, E. M., Komgha, Feb. 13.
DEATHS
ALLEN—On February 20, at Durban, John Allan, son of Peter Allan, stationmaster, Cockburnspath, N.B.
BARTON—On March 16, at Orange River, George T. N. Barton, Imperial Yeomanry, aged 23, dearly-loved son of Rev. Joseph Barton and S. W. Barton, of East Leigh, near Havant.
BENINGFIELD, S. F., Durban, February 22, aged 65.
BIRKETT, J. L., Ladysmith, February 13, aged 19.
BOWKER, Mrs. S. B., Somerset East, Feb. 24, aged 43.
CLUR, Mrs. A. Kingwilliamstown, Feb. 17, aged 27.
DAVIDSON, A., Durban, February 23, aged 27.
DENNIS, F., Woodstock, February 28, aged 24.
DIXEY—On February 16, at Vischgat Poort, near Grahamstown, accidentally shot whilst out shooting, Clement Gough Dixey, aged 34.
HEWITT—On March 4, killed in action at Dordrecht, George Robarts Hewitt, aged 28, Cape Mounted Rifleman, eldest son of W. H. Hewitt, of Copdock, Ipswich.
JARRETT, H. B., Port Elizabeth, Feb. 26, aged 64.
LAZARUS, M., Durban, February 22, aged 64.
MACKAY, D. W., Durban, February 27, aged 36.
MANGOLD, J. F. W., Port Elizabeth, Feb. 28, aged 21.
MATTHEWS, W. E., Port Elizabeth, Feb. 22, aged 22.
PERIVANCICH—On March 16, suddenly, at Delagoa Bay, Francis Perivancich, Chief Engineer s.s. Clan Cumming, beloved husband of Elizabeth King.
RESSELL, M. J., Durban, February 26, aged 72.
SHAW, E., Ladysmith, February 20, aged 36.
STRATHEARNE, A. A., Ladysmith, January 29.
THOMAS, G. W. J., Ladysmith, January 24.
THWAITES, J. A., Beaufort West, February 27.
SMITH—On March 17, at Orange River, in Roberts’s Horse, aged 30, of tubercle of lung, William Warren Smith, Waterhouse, Bletchingley, Surrey, eldest son of the late William Warren Smith, of Garstone Park, Godstone, Surrey.
WILLIS—On February 28, at Ladysmith, John Frederick, youngest son of the late Dr. George Willis, Baillieston.
Miscellaneous articles on the same page:
YOUNG NATAL
Our illustration is from an etching by Mr. A. S. Langley, and represents Master Douglas Scott Dalrymple Clark as a drummer boy of the Cadet Corps band of the Maritzburg College, Natal, of which his father, Mr. R. D. Clark, M.A., New College, Oxford, is Headmaster. His grandfather by the mother’s side was the late General Sir William Sewell, K.C.B., regarding whom Napier, in his “Peninsular War,” writes as follows:--“In this affair Major Sewell, an officer of the staff, who had frequently distinguished himself by his personal prowess, happening to be without a sword, pulled a large stake from a hedge, and with that weapon overthrew two hussars in succession, and only relinquished the combat when a third had cut his club in twain.” Several old Maritzburg College boys have already fallen in battle during the present war, and the present cadets will doubtless by ready, should the need arise, to emulate their gallant deeds.
Mr. Macrum has appeared before the Foreign Committee of the House of Representatives at Washington and ventilated his grievance with regard to the opening of his Pretoria mail by the Censor at Durban, but he made no fresh disclosures; and as nothing that he said will be useful to the Democrats for the purposes of the Presidential campaign it is believed that the matter will be allowed to drop.
Mr. Julian Ralph gives some interesting particulars about Mr. and Mrs. Cronje in a letter to the Daily Mail. Cronje is picturesquely described as a thwarted general, but to the wide-awake and well-informed British officers, who are not under the severe rod of misguided censorship, he presented the appearance of a typical squat-figured, black-bearded, neckless Boer. I am sorry to say that, because of our previous ill success, or because of these politics which beset us but do not hinder the Boers in warfare, we have treated this bush-whacking chieftain as if he were another Napoleon. We brought him and his wife in a Cape cart, drawn by six artillery horses, to the Modder River today. His belongings were in a sack. His wife’s wardrobe was in a pillowcase, and the chief article in Frau Cronje’s pillowcase proved to be a silk dress commandeered from Lady Sarah Wilson.
The Bloemfontein correspondent of the Morning Post declares that the Boers, on retiring from Bloemfontein, looted four Free State farms.
The Executive Committee of the American Hospital ship Maine are sending parcels of warm clothing out to Madeira for the use of the passengers homeward bound.
Lord Salisbury has sent a letter to the Liberal Unionists in the Duddeston Ward for the intimation of their enthusiastic approval of the policy which Her Majesty’s Government has announced with respect to the Transvaal Republic and the Orange Free State.
Bugler Dunn passed through Liverpool the other day on his way to Isle of Man, where he intends to stay with his grandfather until he has recovered his health. Dunn wore his uniform. His presence becoming known, he was soon compelled to hold an informal reception in the station while waiting the departure of the Manx steamer. The Lord Mayor drove from the Town Hall to see him, and at the close of the interview presented the little hero with a substantial money gift.
There is ample evidence, says Reuter’s Bloemfontein correspondent, that a system of bare-faced swindling is now being practiced by the rebels in the north of Cape Colony, who, before the departure of the Boer forces, purchased “commando notes,” which they are now presenting to the British authorities, demanding compensation, and carefully preparing false cases of alleged damage done by the Boers. This proceeding cannot fail to have a serious effect on the loyalists, who were the real sufferers.
Mr. Rudyard Kipling, who is now at Bloemfontein, contributes four lines on Mr. Steevens to the newspaper, the Friend of the Free State, now edited by correspondents with Lord Roberts’s forces. They head an article on Steevens’s death, reported by his friend, Mr. Lionel James, and are as follows:--
G. W. STEEVENS
Through war and pestilence, red siege and fire,
Silent and self-contained he drew his breath;
Brave, not for show of courage—his desire
Truth, as he saw it, even to the death.
The correspondent of the Daily Mail at Bloemfontein who forwards these lines adds that Mr. Kipling is hard at work at the newspaper office, assisting to edit one of the most unique newspapers in the history of journalism.
Ellen Stanton has kindly transcribed Domestic Announcements from the South Africa magazine from 1889. She transcribed them from photocopies/digital photographs taken of original copies held at the Library of Congress in Washington DC. Where interesting extracts occurred on the same page as the Domestic Announcements, these have also been transcribed.