NEWS BY THE MAIL.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2166, 3 February 1881, Page 3

NEWS BY THE MAIL.

REBELLION IN THE TRANSVAAL. The following telegrams, extracted from the “Cape Argus,” supply particulars of the massacre of the detachment of the 91th Regiment by the rebellious Boers DEFEAT OF A BBITIBIX DETACHMENT. “ Maritrburg, December 27th—An official telegram from Colonel Belluirs states that 250 of the 94th were attacked on the march from lieydenburg, 37 miles from Pretoria, by several hundred Boors ; 120 soldiers were killed and wounded, and the rest were prisoners. Lieut. Harrison was killed, Lieut.Oolonel Anstrathor, Captain Nairn, and Lieut. M'Swinney were badly wounded, and Commissary Carter is missing. Other accounts indicate treachery on the part of the Boars. The correspondent of the " Witness ” says that the Boers came up with a flag of truce when the waggons of our soldiers were stuck in a vlei, and demanded that the soldiers should lay down their arms. Upon receiving a refusal, the Boers fired on the soldiers before they bad time to arm. An attack upon Standerton is expected at any moment. Utrecht is said to be threatened by Wakekrstroom. Utreoht is defenceless, and its inhabitants are nut to bo depended upon. An official communication from Colonel Lanyon to the Governor bore states that at eleven at night on the 16th a messenger arrived from the Boers, bringing their ultimatum and an accompanying letter. The letter was signed by Kruger, Pretorious, two .Joaberts, Messrs Jorise and Bok. They demand that the government established by them shall be placed in a position to assume the administration. They still express a desire for an amicable arrangement, but only on the condition set forth by their Volksraad, They say they will only appeal to arms in ■elf-defence.• and if it came to this, they ■hould only struggle for the sanctity of the treaties made by Her Majesty the Queen, but broken by her officers. This letter is dated the 16tb. The total Boer force in the field is estimated by the administrator at about 4000."

The following is another account of the preceding affair, forwarded from Kimberley on December 31st:—“The story of Boer treachery in the affair with the 94th Regiment is exploded hero. Messrs Williams, Heathern, and Kenwood rode here from Pretoria in six days with despatches, passing through all the Boor pickets, who no doubt supposed them to bo friendly to them. The waggon-conductor, Egcrton, states that on the 20th, at twenty minutes past I p.m., bo was riding alongside the colonel, fifty yards ahead of the column, to select a camping ground about one and a half miles from Bronker’a Spruit (thirty-eight milee from Pretoria), when the baud ceased playing. On turning round to ascertain the reason they saw 150 Baers on the left of the road in formation, ten paces between each horseman, and all mounted. The Boers were about 500 yards from the column, and on the left flank. The colonel galloped back and gave the word to halt. The rear waggons and men then closed up.” Egerton continues : —“ I saw a flag of truce approaching, and rode to meet it. The messenger gave me a sealed despatch, which I handed to the colonel. There was only one man with it. He was unarmed. The letter was in English. The colonel read it out to mo. The purport was as follows :—The Republic having been proclaimed at Heidelberg, and the Dutch people being determined to maintain it, any movements of the English troops were prejudicial to their interest, and if the colonel advanced beyond the Spruit, they should consider it a declaration of war, and he must be responsible for the consequences. The messenger said verbally that two minutes were allowed for the colonel’s decision. He (colonel) replied that his orders were to march to Pretoria, and ho should go there. Each party galloped back to his own force, and no sooner had the Boer reached his party than they commenced firing. The troops were extended in skirmishing order in front of the waggons, at about four paces interval. The firing lasted twenty minutes. The ofiloars all fell in the first ten minutes. The Boers wore behind trees on rising ground above our men, who were lying down on the grass. The fire of the Boers was directed on the officers, oxen, and ammunition waggons, the latter being denoted by a red flag. The ammunition was in the first waggon, and the band and prisoners(P) were getting out the reserve ammunition. All the officers were wounded. Between thirty and forty men were killed, and seventy or eighty wounded. The doctor told me that in killed and wounded he had about 120. When Colonel Anstruther saw that all the officers were shot, and the men falling fast, and that there woe no chance, ho told them to throw up their hats and waive their handkerchiefs as a signal for surrender. There wore thirtyfour waggons and carts in all. The men with waggons had not time to get up and join the main body. The roar guard were then prieoners. At the very commencement the Boers galloped up and took them prisoners. The convoy extended about half a mile, and the rear guard was in rear of all. They wore about twenty strong. Mr Garter, of the commissariat and transport staff, supposed to be with the rear guard, was missing when I left. I saw his horse. The band were at the time of attack playing the last piece they were to play on marob, as they were to join the ranks on getting to camp. The Boers took off the arms and ammunition and the three waggons.

The remainder were standing there when l left. "The Boers formed a circle round the regiment.

Commandant P. G. Joubert gave leave for the men to take what rations they pleased, and pitch tents for the wounded, and work the water carta. Joubert gave mo permission to come in for doctors and ambulances, but allowed mo to carry no weapon, and he would not give me a horse. I took the colors of the 94th Begiment with me, which some of the men tore off the poles and gave to mo. I held them round my waist, under my coat. Joubert asked for the guns and colors. I told them there were no guns, and not being in the 94th I did not know where the colors were, I said I believed the colors wore secreted under Mrs For, who was wounded. I had ridden through the bush from where the attack was made ten minutes before the column reached the spot, and saw nothing. The Boers were hidden from view in a valley on the distant side of the rising ground from which they fired. When I first saw them they wore galloping at full speed towards the crest of the rising ground, I estimate that about 300 Boors attacked the head of the column. 1 only saw one dead and five wounded on their side. I don’t think there were any more. I believe the Boors were concealed in a farmhouse behind the trees—willows and poplars and when they saw the mounted Infantry returning from their reconnoitring, _ they galloped or. up the valley before-mentioned. The 94th men fought remarkably well, but their fire did not seem to take effect. They did not seem to find the range. All the officers were down. On my way I was challenged several times, but they let me go on hearing that I had a pass. The reason 1 was so long on my way was that I was wounded, and kept off the road, so that Z might not bo taken with the colors.”

THE STATE OF IBELAND. The “Tablet” has the following from its Boman correspondent regarding the views expressed by the Pope to the Irish prelates on their visit to Borne, regarding the state of affairs in Ireland:—“lreland, they said, wos at no period of her history more loyal than at present to Borne, nor were the Irish ever more attentive in the discharge of their religious and Christian duties. Leo XIII. then asked concerning the land agitation in Ireland, and expressed his hope that no crimes would be committed by the people. The prelates remarked that very few crimes had been committed in Ireland, and that moat of the crimes which had been perpetrated were not traceable to agrarian causes. Agitation was the usual method employed under the British Constitution to obtain redress of grievances. By agitation the great measures of Catholio emancipation, the abolition of tithes, the Bo* form Bill, the corn laws, &o. had been effected, 1 and they earnestly hoped by agitation to obtain from the British Parliament in its next session the passing of a land bill which would give security in their holdings to Irish tenants, and also give satisfaction to all parties interested in the settlement of the land question. To these declarations of thebishops bis Holiness listened attentively, and, after asking information in detail on several points, said, with much solemnity : “ There are two things which, in regard to this agitation in Ireland, weigh upon my mind as all-important. The first is the conservation of the Catholic faith in Ireland, but on this point I confess I feel the less anxiety when I reflect on the marvellous way iu which the Catholio faith has hitherto been maintained in your country. The past is a pledge for the future, and I am convinced that the Irish faith will never falter. The second is the union between the priests and the people, io as to exclude all revolutionary principles. As long as the Catholio priests and bishops continue to lead the people, I have no fear that socialistic or communistic notions will take root in Ireland, and I therefore charge upon you to do your utmost to keep out principles which lead to violence and evil, and to preserve union among yourselves as prelates, and harmony between the people and the priests.” The bishops replied that there was at present no question of revolution in Ireland, and that they sought for nothing save what could be obtained by legal and constitutional means. They wished {to force on the British Government the necessity of making a substantial change in the relations between landlords and tenants, relations which have been for centuries productive of disasters and discontent. The priests and the people were acting together in full accord, and were determined by constitutional agitation to obtain redress of their wrongs. The Pope expressed his full approval of the sentiments of the bishops, and iis desire to see them again before they left Borne.

THE “BRUSH” ELECTRIC LIGHT. A London paper says that an interesting exhibition of the “ Brush ” system of electric lighting, the patent for which is possessed by the Anglo-American Electric Light Company, was given a few evenings since at the Victoria Works, Vine street, York road, Lambeth, in the presence of a large number of gentlemen interested in the progress ef the new light. Under the system patented by Mr Brush it is claimed that any number from one to forty lights, each of 2000 candle power, or any number of lights from one to twelve, each of 6000 candle power, or a single light of no less than 50,000 candle power can bo produced from one of bis dynamo machines. It is set forth that the connecting wires may bo extended over circuits of many miles, and it is claimed that economy, constancy, and simplicity are secured at a less cost than by other systems. The exhibition afforded excellent illustrations of the use of this light for ocean-lighting purposes and as an illuminator in large factories and great open spaces. The vast workrooms were lighted by sixteen lights of 2000 candle power each, the whole worked by an engine of fourteen horsepower. The “ general purpose ” lamp was shown, and there was an almost perfect steadiness in the light supplied by each. The brilliancy, the steadiness, and the uniformity of the various lights were much admired, and gave the utmost satisfaction to the company witnessing the experiments. But the illustration which excited the greatest interest was that which exhibited the remarkable power of the system as an ocean illuminator. This experiment was carried out upon the roof of the premises, where a machine supplying a light equal to 30,000 candles was erected. It is claimed by the company that this is the largest light ever shown anywhere by this agency, and an amazingly powerful aad magnifies it blaze of light it was. Turned in the direction of the Strand, and concentrated and thrown forward by an immense reflector, the minutest detail of Somerset House, about threequarters of a mile distant, was brought out from the darkness into a light almost as bright as that of a clear day, and every object for a great distance in the line of light was rendered distinctly visible. The perfect handiness of the light was demonstrated by the ease with which it was turned at the will of the operator, and it was clearly shown that the light on board a ship could, in obedience to a simple impulse from the hand, be made to discover and to follow the swiftest and most devious movements of any kind of craft, great or small, at an immense distance. The reaching power of so great an illuminator as that shown on this occasion has not yet, wo believe, boea tested, but it is claimed by the patentee that on the ocean and on fairly clear nights it will discover objects at a much greater distance than ten miles.