THE BOER WAR.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 162, 20 July 1901, Page 2

THE BOER WAR.

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright

London, July 18. Tho number of blockhouses is being steadily increased. There are one thousand refugees in camp at Potchefstroom. Small numbers aro daily surrendering in West and Northern Transvaal, the

Ivatfir river district, and tho Orange Colonv.

Olivo Schreiner fiC accordod the utmost freedom at Hanover, where martial law exists.

A sharp skirmish occurred near Aliwal North on Sunday. Seven of the Ist Coilnaughts were killed and 20 wounded. Lord Kitchener has reached Elandsfoutein, returning from tho Cape, and reports that Captain Charles Botha, son of Philip Botha, and Lieutenant Human, field-cornet, have been killed in the Orange Colony. Colonel Featherston-llaugh rescued 13 Boers on parole whom tho Boers held prisoners because they refused to break their pledges. Rebels named Bladsceu and Kloff have boon court-martialled at Dordrecht and Steynsbarg and found guilty of treason and attempted murder.

PLOT TO SEIZE A WARSHIP. FRUSTRATED BY A BOER. CULPRITS ARE iSTED. By Telegraph—P.ess Association—Copyright London, July 19. Private Norman Low, of the Now Zealand Mounteds, has boon severely wounded at Wolverhock. While the troopship Armenia was conveying 900 Boer prisoners to Bermuda, two German and French officers amongst them plotted to seize tho ship and compel the officers to navigate to an American port. A Boev informed the authorities, and the foreigners were arrested. j CAPTURED LETTERS. j CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN 1 BOER LEADERS. i ! THE ILLUSIONS.

By Telegraph-I’ress Association-Copyright London, July 19. Letters of importance were found in Steyn’s baggage. Reitz, writing to Stcyn on May 10th, stated that the Transvaal Government, and Botha, Viljoen, and Smutz considered it advisable to ask his permission to communicate with Kruger, owing to tho continual surrenders. Another big light, ho stated, was impossible, owing to exhaustion of ammunition, and tho difficulty of feeding commandos. Tito Government was becoming weaker and disorganised ; it was therefore necessary to obtain a definite assurance from tho Europoan deputation regarding the prospects of intervention. It was, he added, impossible to continue to drift. The time had como to take the final step. Stcyn replied on May 15th that tho letter had come to him as a great blow. He felt deeply hurt at their deciding without consulting him. Dospito tho reverses, they had not yet, he said, como to an extremity. If the officers considered the Orango burghers would still resist, they ought to continuo to rely on God. When the two small Republics declared war on mighty England they trusted God and foreign intervention. “Late Europoan papers,” lie adds, 11 convinced mo of early beneficial European complications. The deputation in Europe would not allow us to struggle on if intervention were hopeless. If wo wish to remain a nation, now is the time to struggle. Milner and Kitchener are unable to pull together. Milner has gone home because ho is not allowed a free hand.”