FURTHER REINFORCEMENTS.

Manawatu Herald, 2 November 1899, Page 2

FURTHER REINFORCEMENTS.

The Royal Dragoons have left London for South Africa.

The Boer commandos, which wera watching the Basutoa, have gine to the front, believing that the British will prevent a. native attack.

The GeSa river id fljocL'd, thus impeding the Boar adyanoe southwards.

A number of Australians are serving with the imperial Light Horse.

The British, at Bbodea* Drift have returned to Fort Tali, on the aorth m frontier -of the Transvaal.

The subterfuge of displaying tho white flag prevented the artiltery tecimaung the retreating Boers at G encoe.

Active hostilities against Lidy-anv-th were begun at an early hour on Monday, the Boers shelling the rown from their fourty-p.iunder guns. The British artillery returnc d he fire, and quickly silenced the t-nemy's battery. Further information from the British headquarters at Lady smith show, that in order to chock the idvance of the enemy, who bad been ilowly closing around the garrison, General Sir George White, the com-oiander-in-chief, on Sunday night despatched a force, consisting of a mountain battery of artillery » a detachment of Irish Fusiliers, and the Glocestershire Regiment, on to the hills, their object being to cleir the -?nemy from the left and southern flunks of the position. On Monday two brigade divisions of Royal Artillery and five infantry battalion^ supported by a cavalry force nnder Majov*G*neral French, were sent to attack the enemy at a point oi the road towards Elands baegt 0 , where the Boers had nounted a number of guns.

i The position was however, found :o have been evacuated, but the troop-* were attacked by many Boers who had several gun* with them, lo the ensuing combat they were forced back some miles to their angers, 'the British returning unmolested to their cantonments. The Imperial losses were from 80 to 100 wounded, but the enemy's is supposed to have been much greater. Towards the close of the engage meat a naval brigade arrived on the •oene, and with their quick firere •ilenced the Boers' 40-pounder at he fif h round. This incident leads Sir George White to hope that ih? naval guns will permanently dominate the enemy's best artillery, which they have been using in the bombardment of the town at a range of six thousand yards. Meanwhile the cavalry regiments held a ridge paralled to Colonel Grim wood 'a position, and were thus able to render valuable assistance, rloing practically as good service as infantry. The Fifth Lancers were employed, but in vain, in an attempt :;> draw the entmy into Jie open. Eventually Colonel Hamilton rein- j forced Colonel Grimwood's brigade, I and the guns changing their front, kept down the enemy's fire. At nine o'clock the enemy having brought up fresh gune, developed j he attack still more, and Colonel Grirawood at last retired his brigade from the ridge, which he bud held for five hours.

The fighting was of a general character, there being twelve thousand British troops engaged.