BRITISH TROOPS DEFEATED AT THE CAPE WITH GREAT LOSS.

Dunstan Times, Issue 985, 4 March 1881, Page 3

BRITISH TROOPS DEFEATED AT THE CAPE WITH GREAT LOSS.

Capetown, February 26th. Intelligence has been receive! from Natal that a severe disaster, has o'Oinred in'the Transvaal to a po lion of the fo ce under Sir George Colley. The news to hand states that ho alvnnoel fro m I.igu.m wi hj six comp olios of infancy and o’cupial dlpitskok,. The Boors, in yr-at force, made a strong attack on the p >si i-m and desperate Hghtiiu ensueo. la-tiny a d tho morning The British tr-mps snlf red immnise loss, and finally vere driven f om the place. .Sir George Colley and a number of officers were killed, and of the «h> e si* companies only 100 officers and m;u escaped.

February 28th. Further telegrams to hand from Nata’ fully confirm the previous announc me it of the disaster to British troop* j rl rim T.-,vi a . vital. The fighting was at Spiik .f (not Opitskok, as state-1 in thi fir-t telegram), and v as of a desnei ate and most sanguina.y character. The bittle la*t--.l for fu'.iy seven hours. Tne B-i ish resisrel the attack of th i Boers until their ammnmtioo was exhauste 1, an 1 tho small force which was left was ihen compels! ti retreat. Tne enemy followed in pnr-uir, for s one distano-, hut were ohao.el by rh-i gun from the c mp at M.-niit Pn spec", white the stragglers from the defua el force are now arriving s * f ely.