The Transvaal.

Manawatu Herald, 18 January 1900, Page 2

The Transvaal.

NEW ZEALANDEES IN ACTION. Field-Marshal Lord Roberts, the □ommander-in-Chief in South Africa, jabled to the War Office on Sunday ;hat General French had failed in an ittempt to outflank the Boers holding the country to the east of Colesserg. The situation is otherwise mchanged. The New Zealand Mounted Inlaatry frustrated m attempt by the

Boers to seize a position at Rensburg, which, if taken, would have broken the lines of communication. A few of th 9 New Zealanders were slightly wounded. T-he British soldiers are said to greatly admire thd quickness shown by the Australasian troops in mastering the lie of any country they may be iii, ».n<i also their capacity for individual fighting. During Major- General Babington's reconnaissance the Queenslanders surprised a dozen Boers who were i dining at a farm. The men escaped, but the Queens* landers appropriated their dinner. SCOUTING IN T"HEI FKEiE STATE. Information from Modder river states that Major ' General Babington and ColonerFilcher, with the Ninth and Twelfth r Lancers^ McLeish's Horse, tha Victorian Mounted Infantry and the Queensland Mounted Rifles (under Major P. Ricardo), accompanied by New South Wales ambulances, made an extensive reconnaissance, covering three days, into the Orange Free State. The force penetrated twenty-five miles into the enemy's country, which was found to be rich and open. A few homesteads at which Boers had encamped were destroyed > During the march the Queenglanders, with two guns, were sent to dislodge a force which waß holding a kopje* Before opening fire, however, the attacking party found that the supposed enemy were Victorian's, whose hats resembled those worn by Boers. GENERAL WARREN ADVANCES. It is reported that Major-General Sir Charles Warren left Frere on Friday last with a strong column, moving in an easterly direction. It is siigposed that the object of this movement is to attack the Boers who have been isolated on Inhlawe mountain, to the- eastward of Colenso,, THE HOTCHKISS GUN BATTERY. Major A. Oarthew-Yorstoun, of the First Battalion of the Royal Highlanders ("Black Watch") has been appointed to the command of the New Zealand Hotchkiss battery. NEAR LADYSMITH. No information has been made public as to General Sir Redvers Buller's attempt to reach Ladysmith by a flanking movement in the country to the west of Colenso since it was announced that his army had crossed the Little Tugela #t Springfield, advanced to the main branch of the Tugela in the vicinity of Zwartskop, and seized Potgieter's Drift. It is known that all news is being withheld by the War Office and its transmission to the newspapers checked by the censors, as some important operations are pending, which it is considered that publicity would prejudice. A correspondent of " The Times " reports that the Boers are removing to a new position south of Ladysmith. Advices from several sources state that the strong position which the enemy has for sometime held on Grobler's Kloof (mountain pass), to the north-west of Colenso, has been abandoned. Owing to no official news having been received from General Buller since the 11th inst., profound anxiety is felt as to his operations. Unofficial intelligence, which conflicts with the censored messages, states that Sir Charles Warren, with a force of eleven thousand men, has occupied a strong position on the north bank of the Tugela. It is further reported that the Boers have evacuated Colenso and their river side entrenchments. From this it is surmised that General Joubert found it impossible to any longer hold his extensive lines and feared that the retreat of his troops would be cut off. It is further supported that the Boers are reconcentra'ting in a new position, or have moved further up the river, with the hope of crushing General Buller before General Warren can assist. MAFEKING. Mafeking was reported to be safe on the 9th inst. The bombardment of the town has been recommenced by the enemy. < NEW SOUTH WALES RELIEF. A detachment of sixty New South Wales Mounted Rifles and one hundred . and twenty of Captain Remington's Corps on the 12th inst. drove the Griqualand West rebels from Prilka Drift. The British troops crossed the river and chased the rebels from kopje to kopje until night, thus preventiug them joining a Boer commando in the neighbourhood. Much of the enemy's ammunition and forage were captured. The colonials, by their free and irregular methods of fighting, completely nonplussed the rebels. WAR CORRESPONDENTS. Information has been received from Natal that Mr Mitchell, the war correspondent of the " Standard" died at Ladysmith from typhoid fever. Mr Ferrand, the correspondent of the "Morning Post," was killed during the assault made by the Boers oa Ladygmjth on Saturday* the 16th

mat, BRIDGE FOR tfEE TUGELA. A new bridge to span the Tugela river is being built in England. It will be ready in three weeks, and will be shipped in sections. AT RENSBURG. In connection with the repulse of a Boer commando at Rensburg, in the Cplesberg distriot, it appears that the Boers formed a camp some three miles from the town, but some British fifteer- pounder guns were dragged to the top of Cole's Kop, a hill close to the town, and the firing of a ftw sbelh from these quickly compilled their withdrawal. IN THE FREE STATE. An expedition under MajorGeneral E. Wood, 0.8. — one of the colonels who has been given the local rank of Major- General on taking command of brigades for the present War— has occupied Zoutspar Drift. The eveqt marks a change in the tide of war, in that it is the first post captured within the enemy's country, the British Army having hitherto been occupied, in all districts where it has operated, in pushing back the enemy through colonial territory. REINFORCEMENTS. The second battalions of the Grenadier and Coldatream Guards, and the 10th and 26th Field Batteries of the? Royal Artillery, are being mobilised for South African servics. India is sending the guns aod equipment for three heavy field batteries and also native muleteers. Three thousand Spanish soldiers now retired from the service of their country have offered to take service under the British. MISCELLANEOUS. Boer spies dressed as Highlanders have been found reconnoitring the British position to the North of Modder River. An attorney named Vermootin has been arrested on a charge of treason. His offence consisted in inducing Britishers at Dordrecht, in the north-east part of Cape Cjlony, to sign an agreement of neutrality on behalf of the Free, State.