The Boer War.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 8, 10 January 1901, Page 2

The Boer War.

INVASION OP CAPE COLONY.

THE POSITION SERIOUS. CAPE DUTCH ASSISTING THE BOERS. APPEAL OF EX-V OLKSR AAD MEMBERS. BRITISH LOSSES IN THE HELVETIA FIGHT. PREPARATIONS TO RESENT FURTHER INVASION. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. London, last night. A Central Peace Committee has been formed at Kroonstad, including W. K. DeWet, the late assistant to the Chief Commandant. Three ex-members of the Orange Free State Volksraad and five Justices of the Peace have addressed an open letter to the Cape Dutch, in which they Btate that the time has arrived when the inhabitants of Orange River Colony should strive to avert further desolation. The country is a wilderness, and farmers and'their families are refugees in the towns. The ruin is due to a small obstinate minority. They add: “We have done our best for the right to get Afrikanders one flag, but have been beaten, and our duty is now to acoept England’s irrevocable terms. Meetings such as the recent Afrikander Bond Congress at Worcester will do much harm in encouraging this invasion. It is unbrotherly, and if you raise false hope we appeal to you to deputationise Steyn and De Wot, they being the only obstacle to peace. Kruger and the late Transvaal Government are quite willing to accept the British terms. Steyn’s refusing to accept has encouraged the burgherß in the hope of intervention. It is your duty to assist us in showing the hopelessness of this.”

Reuter’s correspondent states that the invaders in the Calvinia district are freely receiving horses, food, and good wishes of the Dutch. They profess themselves to be a big patrol preparatory for De Wet’s appearance. If he comes to the district there is every likelihood of the Dutch joining him, provided he can supply a sufficiency of arms and ammunition. Only the more educated of the Dutch recognise the hopelessness of the struggle. Other advices state that the British preparedness and significant arming of the loyalists has generally impressed the Dutch.

A newspaper, the “Advertiser,” published at Worcester, Cape Colony, has been suppressed. Every preparation has been made at Piquetberg and Prieska to resist invaders. There are fifteen hundred Boers near Sutherland, and others are near to Jamestown.

Twenty-three of the garrison’s artillery and twenty-one Hussars reported missing when the Boers surprised Helvetia are still missing. The Liverpool Regiment had eleven killed in the Helvetia fight The Times Capetown correspondent states that many Afrikanders are joining the forces enrolling for the defence of Cape Colony. They declare it is their plain duty to repel the invaders, and that the Dutch settlers must resent the raiders pillaging.