CONDENSED CABLEGRAMS.

Manawatu Herald, 4 January 1900, Page 2

CONDENSED CABLEGRAMS.

+ The Transvaal. WANT OF ORGANISATION. The great delay that has taken place in arraiging adequate transport equipments considerably hampers the mobility of the colums uuder Sir Redvers Buller and Lord Methuen, in Natal and on the western frontier respectively, It now appears that sufficient waggons and mules to furnish the first army corps with two days' supplies from the base can only be got ready for service by the middle of January. In addition to this, the second line of equipment for furnishing the army corps with supplies for three days is practically unprovided for. Unless factlities can be obtained locally, it is feared that great difficulty will be experienced in providing transport equipments for the later divisions of the army which have arrived, and for the volunteer regiments. The " Daily Mail " in commenting

upon the want of organisation displayed by the authorities, declare? that the reluctance of Sir Michael ( Hicks-Beach, Chancellor of the Exchequer, to provide money before th« actual declaration of war is responsible for the delay in transports. "The Times" attacks the War Office for having neglected to keep 111 army supplied with the most moderi guns. The English authorities have declined to purchase American trans port waggons, fearing that such actioi would rsise international objections The newspapers urge that contract: for the supply of waggons should bi let to colonial firms. SUCCESSFTTT, QOPTTE FROM LADYSMITH. It is reported that a body of troop 1 made a sortie from Ladysmith on Friday last, and carrying a neigh bouring hill at the point of th« bayonet, captured one of the enemy* guns. The bombardment of the town ha still been proceeding. On Wednes day last an exploding shell, throw from one of the enemy's guns, killed Captain Dalzell (Captain A. F. Dalzell, of the Devonshire Regiment) -and wounded seven lieutenants who were in a mess tent. The rising of the Tugela river has isolated a commander of 400 Boers on Inblawe Mountain and one or two other hills. Inhlawe is on the south side of the stream, a few miles east of Colenso. DEFECTION OF THE PRESIDENT'S BROTHER. It is reported that President Steyn's brother Matt, with eight hundred men, has quitted the command of the Free State troops. He told the President, prior to taking this step, that the latter was authorised to intervene between England and the Transvaal exclusively in the interest of peace. Commandant Steyn always repudiates his brothers action in siding ' with the Transvaal and urged npon him the danger that existed of the confiscation of Free State territory by Great Britain. MISCELLANEOUS. President Kruger has rejected, without thanks, an offer made by Sir James Sievwright, formerly Premier of Cape Colony, to supply an ambulance to the Boer forces. The President explained that he did not accept gifts from the enemy. The Transvaal Government now levies a tax on the output of private goldmines, and on the probable output of mines which have suspended work, amounting. to 30 per cent. Colonel Sir Howard Vincent, M.P. for Sheffield, commands the infantry force raised by the Lord Mayor of London. Twelve thousand pounds has been subscribed towards the war fund in India. The members of the Third 'Bengal Cavalry a mixed native regiment, have subscribed a day's pay to the fund. The capture of the steamer Bundesrath is calmly commented upon in Germany. The Indwe railway line, which the Boers destroyed when they seized Dordrecht, has been restored. The colonial troops have been ordered to wear helmets, owing to the prest headgear causing them to be mistaken at Arundel for the enemy. The last portion of the British siege train has left Capetown for the front. A force of twelve hundred railway I pioneers has been enrolled at the Capp „ mostly made up of ex-Johannesbur . i mechanics. I The Queensland and" Victorian troops took part in a hot engagement at c mnvside, twenty miles nortb-we-' of Belmont. -BRITISH OCCUPY COLESBERG. I A force of reconnoitring cavalry j from Sir William Gatacre's column, after a six hours' engagement with th Boers north of Dordrecht, retire^ when the Boers were reinforced b> artillery. General French reports the invading section of the Free State troops who had entrenched themselves at Randsberg have not withdrawn northwards to Colesberg. The enemy feared that the British cavalry would cut their lines of communication. Reports from the northern part of Cape Colony state that on Sunday General French made a rapid night march from Arundel, the infantry companies riding in waggons in order to travel with greater speed. At dawn on Monday morning the enemy were found stretching over six miles of country on the hills around Colesberg. The British column soon moved into action, the infantry, supported by ten guns, opened a feint attack on the front, the artillery fire doing much execution, and silencing the enemy's guns. Meanwhile the cavalry and light artillery, operating on the right, turned the burghers' flank. This movement surprised and dismayed the enemy, who fearing that their retreat would be cut off, fled eastward. General French's column then marched on and occupied Colesberg. A detachment of New South Wales troops and New Zealand mounted infantry (under Major Robin) took part in the engagement. . A PLUCKY STAND. During Sir William Gatacre's reconnaissance towards Dordrecht, forty of Captain Montmorency's scouts were intercepted by the enemy. They took refuge in a donga (or dry water-course) and resisted the repeated attacks of eight hundred Boers. Eventually a hundred and fifteen mounted rifles with foqr guns relieved them in the morning, the Boers retreating before the new arrivals. The party of scouts had two men wounded and all their horses shot. The Boers lost thirty-eight killed and wounded. KIMBERLEY. Lieut.-Colonel Kekewich, commander of the garrison at Kimberley, has sent a heliograph message from the beleaguered town, conveyiDg New

Year greetings and thanks: for Hijj, |S ], •*»cent encouraging message from tfoti; | Queen. ' ! j.j | , , DEATH OF TROOPER BRAD* ill lil FORD. Ml l f ■.)■' J :: i ! " [ , His Excellency the Governor has|i|| |i elegraghed ■to the Premier stating jj ; ; < ; hat Trooper Bradford, of the New! .!{, ; 'V( Zealand Mounted Infantry, who wall !|;| .vounded and taken prisoner m «•, i ■ I recent skirmish with the Boers alijtl i jjlj Vrundel, in Northern Cape Colony!:;] 1 l||l lied at Bloemfontein (the capital of thisjl ] i i; '-««* State) of meningitis on Decerabfii; jj; ! !||i 2 9 th> ■'Mill! i; ijjj NEAR LADYSMITH. _.' y«\ Ki'i The Boer forces have thrown up |j • | "resh fortifications at many p initlJ | from Colenso to Springfield. " ;i!j L;; The line of railway running between ! |; ■■j;'i "olenso and Ladysmilh has been JeS~ i I royed by the enemy. i,ij It is reported that the headquarteirii! ji . if General Joubert are esconsced Mjj; he hills toward Springfield. Jt is bef, || ; ieved that the heavy siege gun tibfldjH^j vas posted on Isimbulwana mo unil|b /''l'l; ias been taken in that direction. -i[ The Boers besieging the town fiijjl^.,, ; ||! into Ladysmith shells loaded with |i 1 1 plum pudding and also conveying th«i | ; Compliments of the season to tt«| ! ;|| besieged. '''•: \-\\f MAFEKING. ;; | 'A Mafeking was " all well " on the «t;tj ■ | i December although riddled mth fi bullets. Everybody keeps «r(jlWl!f |! shelter like rats in a hole. . i| The Boers sent a waggon loaded; -\\ with dynamite down the railway toll ] explode at Mafeking, but fortunately ! : itwentoflftoo soon. Every buildiiag ; { ; however, was violently shaken. j ! ! !; Two companies of the Northampton] ; Regiment entrenched at the Enali.it !| hi j| siding, near the Modder river, wens i i attacked by a thoasand Boers -with' : one field gun. The attack was'i i gallantly resisted for several hours!,; ; when the Twelfth Lancers and Sc:»ir i ' | forth Highlanders were sent to reinr'i j| force them, whereunon the Boers fled, j j The Modder nver has beflii,; |] temporarily bridged thus materially! " ' benefiting the troops. ; ■ In connection with the sortie from j Kimbericy on the 25th November, the [ 1 ! enemy were completely routed, and ■ j | the whole of their supply of artillery:; 1 ;.;! "< ammunition, gunpowder, gun linlm* i I waggon, and spare oxen were captured, ■!! j ; Major Turner then attacked a ridgii j ' | where four redoubts were arranged. I ! | Three were captured after severe |i ! fighting, but the enemy, receiving rein* ! i j forcements, made a desperate stand by j j fhe fourth. In leading the men against: I j; | (he last work Major Turner was shot'lii' through the head and killed Mi tit©;!! oi if spot. This was the hottest p?"bf tbe||; It engagement, and as it was-tvident ii that the fourth redoubt could only be j^ captured by a larger force with th(i| j point of the bayonet the British with. .j| 1 drew. ■ . ■'iii 1 N The losses were 22 killed a3 ■ 1 1 wounded, and two of the lattji have ii j since died. The Boer?^sßrwltena- 1 ciously to cover, and their iflßkatfi . j,, ■ unknown. . >*~ ,1 | BOERS ENTRENCHED FOR 16 1 MILES. j The Boers occupy strong -positional; | from the ' Upper Tugela to Acton j j Homes. They have formed a, iHmOiM,; camp near Springfield. The enemyl'tj |i j ' entrenched positions have a total front:.! i | of sixteen miles. ' I ! THE LATEST DODGE. ;:; European adventurers are entering'! Delagoa Bay in the guise of agents o| ! \ t the Red Cross Organisation. \ ; iji THE RENSBURG CASUALTrESjJj ' General French's casualties at I^IIBHihIII virg tntilled three killed and s^ji|H||i vounded. ; fl[|n||{S