THE WAR.

Kaikoura Star, Volume XIX, Issue 2053, 30 March 1900, Page 3

THE WAR.

The Impending Battle. BRITISH HOPES. LONDON, March 26 Military authorities hope the Boers will fiyht at Kroonstad, as the position is not naturally strong and the plains beyond render pursuit easy. Ambushed Officers. WELL TREATED BY BOERS. Party of officers who were ambusbed by Boers near Modder river were out on a foraging expedition. They met a withering rifle fire at short range from small ambush on a kopje. Upon seeing their fire was successful, Boers left ambush and rendered every service to wounded men, washing and dressing their wounds. They sent news of the disaster to the British camp, and the 3 wounded men were transferred to Bloemfontein. They are progressing favourably. Methuen’s Column. PREPARING FOR RAPID ADVANCE TO MAFEKING. LONDON, March 27 Methuen is completing transport arrangements and gathering stores at Fourteen Streams with view of making rapid and effective advance. News from Mafeking. THE GARRISON STILL ALIVE. Baden Powell on 13th captured one of the enemy’s entrenchments, killing 12 men. Roberts Acting Cautiously. MAKING SURE OF HIS POSITION , Assured loyalty of Free Staters who ■ have surrendered and absolute security ' of his rear communications are pre- j requisites to Roberts advance from , Bloemfontein in direction of Kroonstad ■ and Transvaal. Boers in the West. A force of 400 Boers occupies j Paapkuil, 40 miles N.W. of Kimberley. ) They are recruiting from rebels in i Herbert district. Boer Losses. ESTIMATE BY “TIMES'’ ALSO OF FORCES. LONDON, March 27 • 7'wnes states that, according to a moderate and trustworthy estimate, | Boers have had 2000 killed in action, I and their total casualties, exclusive of ■ several thousand Free Staters who ! have returned to their farms, amount > to 15,000. Henceforth the Republic will not muster above 30,000 men. Boers Down-hearted. Many Transvaalers doubt utility of making further resistance to British. Illness of Boer Prisoners. CAPETOWN, March 27 One hundred Boer prisoners at Simonstown are suffering from typhoid fever. Troop Train Capsized. A troop train was overturned at embankment on Victoria road owing to subsidence of railway line. Nine soldiers injured. There were many miraculous escapes. Queer Farm Material. A large quantity of shrapnel and machine gun ammunition has been found on farms nt Springfontein, in Southern portion of Free State.

Queen’s Visit to Ireland. LONDON, March 27 Q een starts on visit to Dublin next Moi. day. Channel squadron will precede Her Majesty’s yacht across Irish Sea.