The Transvaal.

Manawatu Herald, 16 December 1899, Page 2

The Transvaal.

LORD METHUEN'S ADVANCE.

The artillery, duel commenced on Saturday between Lord Methuen's army on the western frontier and Commandant Cronje's troops was continued on Monday. On that day six howitzers enfiladed the enemy's trenches with lyddite shells, the explosion of these deadly missiles raising clouds of ironstone dust, which was visible ten miles off.

The bluejackets have christened the naval gun " Joe Chamberlain." The eremy eastern flank at Magersfontein in their only stronghold at present. Spyfontein is but weakly held. The Boers evidently fear a sortie from the rear by the Kimberley garrison.

Lord Methuen's column has been still further reinforced by five squadrons of Inniskillings and a howitzer battery. BAD NEWS. DEFEAT OF LORD METHUEN. Lord Methuen, who since the battle of Modder river has had his army of eight thousand men further reinforced by artillery, infantry and cavalry, recommenced hostilities with Commandant Cronje's troops on Sunday, who, for the last fortnight have been occupying the country around Sholtz Nek, eleven miles south of Kimberley. The enemy have entrenched themselves on hilly ground in a semicircular position right across the railway line, their eastern flank on Magersfontein and their western stronghold being at Spyfontein. Major-General Lord Methuen, has telegraphed brief particulars to the War Office, from which it appears that the fighting was of a desperate character, the British being eventually compelled to retire. He states that he shelled a strong position held by the Boers on a long high kopje from four o'clock untill dusk on Saturday.

All that night it rained hard, and at daylight the Highland Brigade moved out to attack the kopje.

The attack was properly timed, says the General, but was a failure.

The Higlanders' right and rear was protected by the Guards Brigade — the Third Grenadier Guards, the First Coldstream Guards and the First Scots Guards.

The attack on the Boer position to the left was delivered by cavalry and mounted infantry batteries being in the centre of the Brigade.

The kopje and trenches were shelled by protecting howitzers from daybreak. At one o'clock in the afternoon the First Battalion of the Gordon Highlanders were sent to support the Highland Brigade, who were suffering severely. Notwithstanding the dreadful fire poured upon them the troops held their ground facing the enemy's entrenchments until dusk, when they were withdrawn.

The position of the battle extended for fully six miles towards the Modder river.

Telegraphing at 5 a.m. on Tuesday, Lord Methuen says : — " Holding my position and entrenching my troops. Faced at least 12,000 of the enemy. Our loss

was great." The British general also telegraphs that Major-General Andrew Gilbert Wauchope, C.B. commanding the Third Brigade was killed during the battle.

It has been hoped that simultaneously with the British attack on Commandant Cronje's army that an attack on the rear would have been made by Lieut.-Colonel Kekewich from Kimberley, but no assistance was forthcoming from that direction.

Further information received from the seat of war shows that Lord Methuen retired eight miles to the Modder river on Tuesday morning. Commandant Cronje's forces then advanced and the Boers at latest occupying the trenches used by the British army prior to the battle. The General wiring again from Modder to the War Office with reference to this proceeding says : — " I retired in perfect order here where our forces are in security. I gathered from the prisoners captured

and from information imparted by the Boers to the members of our ambulances that their losses were terrible, some of their corps being annihilated. The enemy were most kind to our wounded." The Marquis of Winchester, a major in the Coldstream Guards, was among the officers killed. A train containing 293 wounded soldiers including 27 officers, has arrived at the Orange river, having been sent south from the scene of Monday's battle. THE LONDON TIMES. The "Times" states that the repulse by Lord Methuen's army has been the most serious feature of the war. So seriods is the! position of the shattered army now at Modddr 1 river that General Methuen may possibly retire fo the Orange river— a distance of about fifty five miles— in order to restore his regiments. The " Times " further demands in view of the recent occurrence and the general position of the British Army in South Africa that 30,000 reinforcements should be sent out, and that the whole of the available reserves in Great Britain should be called out* It is further urged that the militia and volunteers should be at once utilised and " further troops from Canada, and the other colonies must be ■ sought, and their services accepted." LADYSMITH. A general advance df tHe Ladysrnith relieving army undei Sir C. F. Clery has commenced towards Colenso. TRANSVAALERS AND FREE STATERS. In connection with the statement that friction had arisen between President Steyn of the Orange Free State and Commandant Cronje, it is now further reported that the Transvaal section of the troops now opposing General Methuen are dominating the Free State section.

Commandant Cronje, who has Com* mandant Prinsloo (Free State) associated with him in the direction of the operations on the western frontier near Kimberley, has ordered that any Free State troops who may attempt to desert, or may discontinue their fire on the British shall be shot. MAFEKING^ As a precautionary measure, the defenders of Mafeking have had their rations reduced by \\b meat and £lb bread per day. The column of Rhodesian Horse which is advancing upon Mafeking from the north under Colonel Plumer has been heard of as having reached Gaberones, eighty miles north of the beleaguered town, on the 2nd instant, and found that the Boers had evacuated the place. As he goes southward, Colonel Plumer is repairing the damage done by the Boers to the railway in the early stages of the war. A GREAT LOSS. The British loss totalled 833 killed and wounded, including 703 belonging to the Highland Brigade. There were 69 casualties amongst the officers. 11,000 MEN TO ARRIVE AT CAPETOWN. A fifth division of 11,000 men under Lieut.-General Sir Charles Warren arrives at Capetown within ten days. The military experts admire the Australian troops, but state they would be more usetul if all were mounted. The transport steamer Denton Grange with thirteen traction engines, 142 ambulance waggons and other vans, 170 waggons and a quantity of forage has gone ashore at Las Palmas. DISLOYALISTS SENTENCED. Four Natal Dutchmen were sentenced to five years' imprisonment on charges of disloyalty.