CONDENSED CABLEGRAMS.

Manawatu Herald, 7 October 1899, Page 2

CONDENSED CABLEGRAMS.

The Transvaal.

Theßoera are insulting and maltreating refugees, and compelling them to uncover during the singing of the Transvaal Volksleid, or National Hymn. Charlestown, on the Natal frontier which was deserted by its inh ibitants, has now been looted by natfves.

The first of the transports despatched from India has arrived at

Durban. O.i board ir, h trip 2lst FimM Bitt^ry of thp Riy-il Anillery, t lv wta'i'im-d it . Bmgolorp,

Orange F'e« State troops ba?p closed ib° B I'lin-Bitha P-is*, b-" tWH^n ;h r > Fry S a e and B isutolnnd.

A d^tKchm^nr. of Free Stat^ \rtillHrv h proceeding in the direc ion of Kmb^rley.

Th' T Hn-vtai Govprnmen 1 ; haR -u-iz d £500 000 in gold which was in tran it. I he Vo ! k*raid his ft^pnrnpd. Fivt> ihou and Eirop an* left Johannesburg on Saturday and Bunday. A.3 President Itruger is unable to work the gold mines or to protect the mines, the Mining Commissioners have advise Britishers engaged in the industry to leave the Republic immediately. The telegraphic and mail services from Natal to the Transvaal, have been suspended. The British Government has ordered four and a half million pounds of tinned meat from the Louisville Packing ■ Company. Similar orders have been placed i < Chicago and Cincinnati. The Transvaal Yolksraad has been prorogued by the President. In a speech at the ceremony President Kniger declared that in rase the present trouble should eventuate in war, the Boers had nothing to fear. The Almighty was arbiter in the matter, and would render the bullets of the enemy harmless, as He did at the time of th° Jjme^on raid.

M"Seh*lk Bnfger, another lead ing Boer, predicted that the British soldiers would fall before the Transva<vt armies like the walls of Jericho Ml before the Israelites at their invasion of Canaan*

The Transvaal authorities are expelling the British subjects who hav>> up to the present remained in Johannesburg. Persona of all age are huddled together in open railway trucks in a cold and starving condi ion.

Tbe second transport laden with British troops from India has arrived at Durban.

Tbe 21.i1; Field Battery of the Rival Artillery which arrived yesterday ha* gone to the frost. Tbe Pieraier of Oape Colony (Mr Scbretn^r) was asked to sanction the format ion of a military To wo Guard at Kimberley, the diamondfield town, which is considered to be in imminent danger of attack by Boers. To tbe dismay of the inhabitant?, Mr Schreiner refused to give the rt-quisita atrhority. fbtmupon Sir Alfred Milner, H'gh Cnmmis ( 'ioner of British South Africa to k action over the head of iha G jvemment and authorised the <n oiment of tba eorpg. Sr-rong jpdoubts are being erected ar. K mberley, and it is considered that they will be impregnable if manned by an adequate force. The action of the Premier in aU lowing tha Orange Free S'ate to retain rolling stock that belongs to he O»pe Coiony has been th*» subje«t. of dnbate in the Cape Hhuse of Assembly. As the result a resolution has bi-en passed ordering Mr S-hivin*r to secure the re urn :>f the wiggons and c^rringps in question. Somo of tba Free State burgherp ire showing impatience to invade British territory. Th j Or-mg* Fi'ee S f a l e Govpru m .-•«■■. ha 1 ? lent a portion of its artilleiy .1 h*' Tran^vanl It is affirmed in Capetown that there are only 12,000 Boers at the front. The warlike reports which are current are attributed to Dr Leyds. Many Free Staters, it is believed here, will decline to fight against Great Britain.

Sir George White, who has just arrived to take command of the forces in Natal, is confident that he will be able 10 maintain the defensive.

It is expected that the Imperial Parliament will, at the coming special session, vote ten millions sterling towards the cost of the operations in South Africa.

The British third-class cruiser Magicienne, 3950 toes, has been ordered to Delagoa Bay. An Italian cruiser is leaving for the same destination.

The London " Daily Telegraph " states that General Joubert has acknowledged that the issue of war will be whether the British or the Boers shall rule in the Transvaal.

The same paper states that General Joubert will invade Natal to-day or tomorrow with 15,000 men. According to the Telegraph's correspondent the Transvaal army is an undisciplined, guerilla mob. The Standard's correspondent says that the Boers are ready to advance on Charlestown, but that it is unlikely that they will move until the final proposals of the British Government are disclosed.

The reinforcements for South Africa from India have been increased.

A " Daily News" despatch says that a body of Imperial troops and Natal Carabineers "has advanced towards Van Reenan's Pass; also that the Boers threaten Dundee and Newcastle, which they are hourly expected to attack.

Sir Michael Hicks-Beach, Chancellor of the Exchequer, has sanctioned an expenditure of three millions for war purposes.