CONDENSED CABLEGRAMS.
■ «» ~-v — The Transvaal. NEAR LADYSMITH, Information has reached here that a battery of .artillery with; destructive effect shelled the Boer trenches on the plain near Mount luhlawe, south of the Tugela rivjßr. :• . . • The enemy, "who^e horses atarapedea were forced to quit their position. News from the front states that on Friday last a strong British reconnaissance was made from Chieveley! toward? the Tugela river.
It was found impossible, however, to draw the Boers from their strongholds in the vicinity of Inhlawe Mountain. General Buller is carrying out a lot of effective scouting, and has no fewer than eighty-three guns engaged in shelling the Boers' positions. NEAR COLESBERG. The latest news with regard to General French' 3 movements in Northern Cape Colony contains information of an incident in which some of the New Zealand mounted infantry figuered prominently* It appears that twenty-five of the troopers, who were occupying an exposed position on a kopje in ihe neighbourhood of Colesberg, drew upon themselves a sudden fire from a number of Boers who were concealed in a hill across a flat. Seeing the dangerous position of the men, Major Robin, with a picket, hastened to their relief, covering about a mile of ground under a heavy fire. The troopers were at length safely rescued, but had to retire amid a perfect hail of bullets, their movements being covered by two British guns'. When General French's column was at Rensburg a few day's ago a detachment of New South Wales Lancers, under Major Lee, was sent to check the looting of a commissariat train, which had been wrecked in order to prevent it falling into the hands of the enemy. The Lancers were exposed to a heavy shell and musketry fire for some hours. They took shelter, however, and returned the Boer fire. Two of the men were slightly wounded, and five of their horses were killed. The Boers had three of their number killed and several wounded. The needed reinforcements have been sent to General French, who holds a good position, handy to the laager which the Boers have formed outside Colesberg. Further Intermittent fighting has taken place around'the town, in which the New Zealand Mounted Infantry, under Major Robin, have borne their share. Lieut.-General Gatacre is steadily at work pressing the Boers back from the points of vantage they had gained in the norte-east part of Cape Colony. Since their victory over the British at Stormberg, the Boers have been in occupation of Molteno, the town on the eastern railway line from which the British moved to the scene of the disaster, and also the town of Cypeergat, six miles south of Molteno. Within the last few days General Gatacre has succeeded in dislodging them from both these towns, and they are now retaeating northward, in the direction of Stormberg. Captain Montmorency has evacuated the town of Dordrecht, about thirty miles to the east of Stormberg, on the railway line running towards Aliwal North. . Information has been received from Northern Cape Colony of further fighting between the invading Free State and Transvaal troops and General French's column near Colesberg. It appears that with a view of reopening communication by means of Botha's Drift, one thousand Boera at- I tacked the left flank of the British position, three miles north of the town at 5 o'clock on Thursday morning. An engagement soon developed, in the course of which a squadron of Inniskilling Dragoons charged clean through the enemy, killing seven of their number. The Boers then ascended a small kopje, from which they opened a rifle fire on the Imperial troops. Two companies of the Berkshire Regiment (49 Foot) and half a battalion of the Suffolk Regiment (12th Foot) replied to the enemy's fire and four guns of the horse artillery shelled the enemy's position, driving the commando into cover. The Boers had meanwhile poured a heavy fire from two Maxims and two Vickers's quick-firers into the Tenth Hussars and Horse Artillery, who were threatening their right flank. The British infantry, however, kept up a sustained fusilade. At 9 o'clock the mounted troops left their horses, and charging the enemy killed fifty of them, and wounded many others besides capturing nineteen. Major C. B. Harvey, of the Tenth Hussars (Prince of Wales's Own Royal), was killed and Major H. Alexander, of the same regiment, was wounded. The total British casualties were small. Eventually the enemy withdrew to Colesberg, and are still in strength to the south-east. The New South Wales Lancers participated in the fight, and by their dash and wileness helped to disconcert the Boers. During the engagement around Colesberg on Monday morning the Boer casualties included fifty killed, A detachment of the Household Cavalry (Royal Dragoons, Inniskilling Dragoons and Scots Greys) with the 20th Battery of field artillery and the Ist Sussex Regiment (35th Foot) will temporarily reinforce General French's column. The plain to the northwards of Golesberg is at present clear of the enemy, and the mounted troops to the south can now move^more freely. Information has just reached Capetown that General French, in force, assaulted the Boers around Colesberg yesterday. A body of the enemy with two guns was discovered five miles to the northward of the town". Lieut.-Colonel Pilcher, of the Northumberland Fusiliers, who commanded the expedition to Sunnyside and the subsequent temporary occupation of the the town of Douglas has brought back with him to Belmont a list of the disloyal families of Douglas. Many of them were represented by sons in the fighting at Sunnyside. General Buller, as yet Commander-in-Chief in South Africa, has complimented Colonel Pilcher on the gallant part taken by the Queensland troops in the Sunnyside operations, All the prisoners captured by Lieut.Colonel Pilcher in his expeditions north-west are colonists rebelling against the British Crown. '
The British success at Douglas iiiiii 1 j checked the disloyalty showia ■Mjjjj Griqualand West, in which the Uirpif is^ituated. ' v ;->j|iM MAFEKING. _ : ; ;| | ; A report has been received /ft(jn| i\* Colonel Baden-Powell with refer«tw|j! ] to the sortie made by the garrison «|| i | December 26th, som^ particular* ; f|iij which, from a Boer source, mmm recently published, it being t^JHI stated that Lord Edward Cecil fjflll Lord Henry Cavendish Bentinck iyit!||!j wounded. , ■,;'.. '|ji \\ The report states that the satlill I was made from an armoured trai^ju jj-j l>eing necessary to push back il|{| enemy's cordon to the northwawjlji | they having been gradually dra<#|| j closer and closer. ill It seems, however, that by soraili j means the Boers were forewai|u|[ of the garrison's intentions, |iii|j|j doubled their forces near the tally | way line during the night. i;* j s| The train was run out in due coori || and the British displayed great gaJjUjipt | try. In the face of a withering j|| they endeavoured to carry a^Orojiji which was really in an impregnaljlty i| position. ':''<■- ■ The loss to the garrison tht-ou|ftj | this sortie was eighteen killed,, In|[ U eluding Captain Vernon Sandfonl, «s J twenty-three wounded^ if! is No mention is, however, madte ;lj|j f Colonel Baden-Powell's report of J|" 1 two distinguished officers whon:i||S| in jj: Boers asserted had been wounded f !! REINFORCEMENTS. |[j Five thousand men of the Seventh! Army Division (which will be untof the command of Major-General Tucker) have sailed for South Africa The enthusiasm over the enltstiMijij ii of the Yeomanry in England 1 ! d service in South Africa continues ityp abated. , |> The Imperial Volunteer corps raJim in the city will include a battery <jil four Vickera's i2i-inch guns maitiiwil] by the Honourable Artillery Ompwrh the oldest volunteer company England. ' Field-Marshal Lord Roberta tj^j new Commander-in-Chief in S<si|il Africa, lately asked that a number c additional officers on special servid||| sen* to the Cape. j|: ! Mr William Waldorf Astor mi /5000 towards the equipment .mm I Imperial Volunteer Regiment tm& | by the Lord Mayor. I I Lord Iveagh has signified his wtym tion to equip a field hospital of 3rl|jj(irsurgeons and nurses for service ;| pi South Africa. j i The composite regiment of HotUM : hold Cavalry which lately left Ejg!laia|! has arrived at Capetown, ra psijj sent to reinforce Lieut. -Genial Lltifrji ; Methuen at the Modder camp. ■ ; A mounted infantry corps UjbUli formed in Ireland to join Lord GS*& ! l| i am's New Yeomanry Force. ||
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Manawatu Herald, 9 January 1900, Page 2
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1,371CONDENSED CABLEGRAMS. Manawatu Herald, 9 January 1900, Page 2
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