THE BOER WAR.

Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 335, 8 February 1902, Page 2

THE BOER WAR.

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright London, Feb. 6. Lord Salisbury, speaking at the Junior Constitutional Club, said he was utterly unable to imagine the precise object of tho Dutch Government. Possibly British proBoers wero at the bottom of the mystery. This struggle had coached a stage when the suggestions o. tellect ought to carry more weight than ibe emotions of tho Government. He would welcome with delight any recognisant of the King’s right of providing security for tho Etnpiro. They must consider the South African loyalists, and obtain a peaco strengthening the devotion of all the colonies, which were growing every year. Raids on DeWet's numerous stores of grain wero a worse blow than the blockhouses, as tho absence of food prevented a prolonged concentration of the enemy. Mr Bennett Burleigh, the Daily Telegraph correspondent, states that recently Lord Methuen’s force, marching on a dark night, and indifferently led, moved in a circle and succeeded in capturing their own convoys. Privates John Considino aud William Davis, of tho Seventh New Zealand Mounteds, have been wounded at Charlestown.

General Kekewich reports that the Scottish Horso, commanded by Major Leader, killed seven and captured one hundred and thirty-one of Dolarey’s commando, including Commandant Sard and FieldCornet Jan Der Plissses. The British casualties wore slight. Details of the Licbonbergsvlio engagement shows that six squadrons of South African Light Horse and a squadron of Yeomanry captured a convoy, which included 700 cattle. They dispersed 70 Boers, and captured Stoyn’s remount depot, with 20 of his splendid horses. At the same time Colonel Garrett’s Seventh New Zealanders aud tho Sixth Queensland Bushmen defeated Cominandaut Mean’s commando, 300 strong, with 15-poundors and pom-poms. Tho Boor Government's headquarters are now at Steonkamptsburg. Sir John Cockburn, in a letter to tho Times, says the remount scandal showod the unparalleled advantage of establishing the remount depots in Australia advocated by Sir Langdon Bouython, of Adelaide. Botha degraded Tobias Smuts for burning Bremersdorp. Smuts retorted that Christian Botha had similarly oflonded, and went unpunished. Moreover, Louis Botha ordered Boor women to be driven into tho concentration camps against their will. M. do Blowitz, tho Times’ Paris correspondent, says tho opinion is gaining ground from Dr Kuyper’s note that ho would bo glad to rid Holland of tho Boer delegates, whose agitation is disquieting. Seventy Europeans recently joinod Botha, coming through Zululand and bringing a new heliograph. Major Rowlinson’s Mounteds captured thirty of Botha’s commando. Mr Balfour states that Lord Kitchener has been asked to communicate Dr Kuyper’s and Lord Lansdowne’s notes to tho Boer leaders. TERRIBLE LOSS OF LIFE. By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright London, Feb. 7. The total British losses in tho war to the end of January, including deaths by diseases, was 965 officers and 24,3 40 men.