The Boer War.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 10, 14 January 1901, Page 2

The Boer War.

THE ADVANCE ON CAPE COLONY. ENEMY AVOID RAILWAY AND GARRISONED TOWNS. A HOPELESS MISSION. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright London, Jan. 12. Lord Kitchener reports that Hertzog’s commando is near Sutherland. General Settle is arranging to head him off. The bands of invaders on the Midland Line have broken to fragments. Some are returning North, and one half East. Most of the Boers are going North, but others are hiding in the mountains to the norih-west of Jamestown.

An attack on Machadorp on Wednesday night was repulsed at dawn. It is semi-officially announced that the Cape Colony invaders are avoiding the railway and garrisoned towns, but are continuously on the move, seizing horses and foodstuffs. Their mobility precludes pursuit, Kruitzinger finds it more easy to advance than to retreat.

Hertzog’s vanguard is west of Calvinia, towards Vandirunsdorp, while a portion of the same commando has been pursued between Enraserburg and Sutherland,

All the country which the invaders have quitted is quiet again, and garrisons protect the chief towns. A portion of the mounted forces has been moved south to protect the Southwest.

A hundred Boers crossed the Orange River towards Barclay, but the East Cape Police and British farmers succeeded in repelling and . punishing them. All the towns on the main line in the Orange Colony and to Pretoria are held strongly, but the Boers show -no disposition to attack. The mounteds also occupy Prekeneroksloof Pass, and are blocktng invaders westward. Major Henniker’s troops with others cover the railway in the vicinity of Matjifontein. The screen across Capetown is considered impenetrable. Mr Hofmeyer, who is recruiting his health at Munich, has cabled the Afrikanders that the proposed mission to England is useless. London, January 11.

Commandant Hertzogg, with 700 men and two guns, has crossed the Roggeveld Mountains, Western Cape Colony, travelling a distance of fifty miles. He has been lost to pursuit in the Clan-William country, which is extremely difficult, with passes easily defended.

The cruiser Sybil’s bluejackets and a gun have landed at Lambert Bay, and are entrenching to prevent Hertzogg advancing along the sand veldt. A second column, 500 strong, belonging to the western invading commando, has reached Doom river, 70 miles south of Calvinia.

The western invading commando under Kruitzinger was within fifteen miles of Richmond on the 9th. Several thousand Boers in Bechuanaland, supposed to be trekking to German East Africa territory have turned south and occupied Griquatown.

The circulation of the newspapers Onsland and South African News has been prohibited in the districts under martial law. The Boers have raided cattle close to Pretoria

General Bruce has reprovisioned Hoopstad and Bulfontein. The latter has been surrounded for two months. The townspeople repulsed several attacks.

PREPARATIONS AT CAPETOWN.

RECRUITING STILL-CON-

TINUES.

THE DELAGOA RAILWAY.

London, Jan. 12.

The Naval Brigade, 2000 strong, with six Hotchkiss guns, are at Capetown in readiness.

Four thousand town guard and 450 postal corps have been enrolled, and are drilling daily. The Cape Times and ; the Argus have each formed an employees corps. Lord Kitchener has warned the mine owners that the dynamite in the mines near the Rand is the property of the military, and that he is not answerable for any damage caused by its explosion. A number of the City Imperials are olfering to return to the front. The Daily. Mail says that the English have decided to bring the train from Pretoria to Delagoa direct without transferring the control to the Portuguese drivers. The Daily Express states that Holland prevented Leyds re-engaging Boer exiles in Holland. BRITISH TROOPS IN SOUTH AFRIOA. CASUALTIES TO DATE 12,700. BOER FORCES INCREASED SINCE OCTOBER. THE POSITION IN CAPE COLONY. [by telegraph—press association.] Wellington, last night. The Acting-Premier, Hon. J. G. Ward, has received the following cablegram from the Agent-General in regard to South Afrioan war operations:— “The British troops in South Africa number 210,000—regulars 142,000, militia 20,000, colonials 33,000, yeomanry 8000, English volunteers 7000. The British casualties to date from deaths from all causes are 12,700. The oversea contingents sent to'South Africa were as follows: —Australian colonies 6350, Canada 3050, New Zealand 1820, and the proportion sent home to December 31st was: Canadians three-fifths, Australians one-, third, New Zealand one-sixth. The progress of the war for the last two months has been less favorable, Boer duplicity, farm burning, and other drastia measures being responsible. The Boers have fought with desperation and some success, and much outlying country has been abandoned to them, but they have failed to break the lines of communication. Their numbers have inoreased since October, and there are now probably about 16,000 in the field. The position is unexpectedly difficult, but not specially dangerous, as the Cape Dutch show no sign of a general rising so far. Sir Alfred Milner cables that Lieutenant Ross, of tha Third Contingent, baa died at Pretoria.

REFUGEES -RETURNING. London, Jan. 13. Lord Kitchener has cleared Johannesburg of undesirables. Many foreigners who shipped away as refugees at Capetown are returning to guard the Rand mines, but the number per mine has been limited. Reuter estimates the total at twelve hundred.