The Boer War.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 63, 15 March 1901, Page 2

The Boer War.

By Telegraph—Press Assooiation—Copyright

London, March 13,

Commandant Schelper was repulsed at Murraysburg, losing five killed. Colonel DeLisle is close on bis heels.

Kvuitsinger is doubling back towards Bedford.

Official details of the flogging of tho Boer peace envoy Morgondaal, and his subsequent shooting, after lingering 11 days, show that l)e Wet and Fronoman were guilty of a brutal murder, which disgusted tho burghers moro than anything else their leaders did. * BOER ENVOYS CONFER IN HOLLAND. KRUGER PERTURBED. BRITISH CABINET SUDDENLY CONVENED. FOODSTUFFS FOR PRETORIA. EXPECTED SURRENDER OF BOTHA. By Telograph—Press Association—CopyrightRocoivod 10.42 p.m., March 14. London, Maroh 14. Kruger, Leyds, and other Boer envoys, have conferred at Utroclit over some news which has much upset Kruger. Tho British Oabinot was suddenly convened yesterday. It is believed that tho Oabinot discussed tho question of Botha’s surrender. An announcement in roforonco to tho mattor is expected to-day. Groat quantities of food aro being forwarded from Dolagoa Bay to Pretoria. It is boliovod to bo for Boers who surrender. NATAL MAIL TRAIN ATTACKED. FIFTEEN PASSENGERS WOUNDED. THREE OTHER TRAINS BLOWN UP. Maritzburg, February 9. News lias been received of tho holding up of the Natal-Transviml mail train between the Vaal and Grcylingstad stations by about 300 Boors, on Wednesday morning. The train was riddled by bullets. Tho escort, consisting of an officer and seven men, returned the firo till the ammunition was spent, and then surrendered.

It appears that the train was attacked whilst proceeding up an inclino. Two feet of rails had been broken up by tho Boors, in the hope that tho train would bo derailed. The engino jumped the gap and thou came to a standstill. Large parties of Boors had stationed themselves about half-a-milc away, for llic purpose of screening another band, who occupiod a position behind a slight ridgo situated ‘2soyds from the line. Immediately tho Boers saw tlioir efforts at derailment had failed, they opened fire. The small escort replied to tho fusilado, and for twenty minutes kept the enemy at bay with well-directed volleys. Tho p. • sengers in tho meantime sought shelter as best thoy could. Seeing that further resistance would bo futile, the officer ordered the whito Hag to bo hoisted.

Tho Boers thereupon rapidly surrounded tho train, and demanded the immediate surrender of the luggage, threatening instant death if their ilomarids wore not observed. The order was complied with, and within a few minutes they had ransacked every artiole of value, even robbing two nurses of £2l.

Tho heavy fire had attracted tho attention of an outpost stationed about four miles from tho scene of the disaster. A 15-pounder was thereforo brought into action, but the missiles fell short of their destination, although having the effect of scaring the enemy away southwards.

Fifteen passengers, including 10 civilians, were wounded. Of the two nurses, the only two ladies on board the train, one was shot through tho hat, and thq other through tlie skirt of her dress. The engine was somewhat damaged, but not Sufficiently to prevent the continuance of tho journey to Heidelberg.

Under the circumstances, it was not thought advisable that the down train should proceed tho same evening ; its journey, therefore, was resumed at dawn on Thursday, an escort being provided beyond its own 25 men, in tho shape of an armoured train containing about 25 men. The Vaal was safely reached, no Boers having been seen. Here another delay was caused, it transpiring that a further serious accident had occurred between the Vaal and Vlaklaagtc. The armoured train went ahead to the scone of the disaster, which lay midway between the two stations. Three hours later tho armoured train returned with tho information that three trains had been derailed by dynamite explosions. The Boers had laid eight charges on the track. Tho passenger train for Natal was the first victim, passing six of the charges without effect, but exploding the last two, and then capsizing. A goods train in its wake came to grief over another couple of charges, whilst a construction train met with a like fate over the remaining mines. All the trains turned over upon their sides, and the permanent way was destroyed. Fortunately there was no loss of life, two men only receiving injuries, ono of them being tho fireman of tho front train, who was hurt seriously about tho knees whilst jumping from his engine when it was in the midst of its somersault; the second man was cut about the head. A small party of Boers was ensconced at a farmhouse about 2000yds from the scene. An ineffectual fire was maintained by them, but the range fortunately proved too great for them to inflict injury. No one was hit. The enemy’s fire was returned by an escort of eight men, the exchange lasting about two hours. The construction train then made deviation of the line, and steamed back to the Vaal. The arrival of the armored train resulted, in the decampment of the Boers. After waiting eignt hours, the down train proceeded on its way, the passengershaving literally dodged death on the entire journey from the Rand,