The Transvaal.

Manawatu Herald, 27 January 1900, Page 2

The Transvaal.

MISCELLANEOUS.

The subscriptions to the war fund* have been so liberal in England tha 1 the widow of every soldier who has fall in the campaign has received a pension of ten shillings per week. Two additional regiments of South African Light horse, named after Field* Marshal Lord Roberts and Lord Kitchener, are being raised at Capetown. The American hospital ship Maine, equipped through the instrumentality of Lady Churchill, has arrived at Durban. CAPTURE OF SPIONKOP. The War Office received a cable message from General Buller dated the evening of 33rd January. In it the General states that General Warren, who is in command of the left wing of the British army, is in I the same position as at the time oi the ; last despatch. The enemy is in front of him at a distance of 1406 yards. The Boers are to the west of Spionkop, and occupy a higher level than General Warren. Their position is approachable only by bare open slopes. The ridges occupied by General Warren are too steep to allow of guns being taken up, but howitzers and field artillery on a lower level are shelling the enemy from behind the infantry. "We have" (proceeds General Buller) "the advantage in position, for our guns search the Boer trenches, while the enemy's artillery does not occasion much loss. An attempt will be made to-night to seize Spionkop, which torms the enemy's left, facing Trichart's Drift, and divides it from the position facing Potgieter's Drift. Spionkop is a considerable hill, whence we could command all the enemy's entrenchments."

The Boers admit that their losses in the engagements of Saturday and Sunday are heavier than at the battle of Colenso.

A slight check received by Lieutenant General Warren in an attempt to turn a Boer position enabled the enemy to bring men, guns and supplies to their main position, and to complete their entrenchments on Spionkop. On Tuesday afternoon a kopje near Spionkop was successfully stormed by the British infantry after the place had been subjected to howitzer nre. The Boers in retreating across a ravine suffered severely from shrapnel and lyddite shells. The Boers around this position are under Commandant Botha. British troops are in readiness to follow up any successes that may be gained. Some of the enemy who were captured say that the cannonading from the artillery under Generals Warren and Clery was the fiercest they had encountered. •

General Buller has cabled to the War Office announcing that General Warren's troops surprised and captured Spionkop on Tuesday night. The enemy's artillery fire, was, however, severe all day on Wednesday, and the British had many casualties, including Colonel C. R. P. Woodgate, C.8., who was severely wounded. General Warren has intimated that he considers the present position of the enemy to be untenable.

A BALLOON SHELLED. The British have established an immense commissariat depot on the north side of the Tugela river, at Waggon Ford. The heat in the Tugela district, where our troops are now fighting their way is described as frightful. A military balloon which was being used for reconnoitring purposes in connection with Major-General Lyttelton's Brigade, on the British right wing, was struck by a Boer shell. The balloon closed automatically. A hundred of the British soldiers who were wounded at the battle of Colenso had sufficiently recovered to take part in Sunday's fighting. GENERAL GATACRE. General Sir William Gatacre & making a forward movement, and General French is aIBO reported to be going forward. On the Modder river the British troops keep the Boers at Magersfontein alert in their trenches. A TRAITOR SHOT. During the battle of Magersfontein. a man named Greener, who had been a sergeant-major of engineers at Aldershot, was captured fighting for the Boers, he having deserted from the British army. The man was brought down to Cape* town, and has since been courtmartialled and shot. It was this man who taugh the enemy how to construct military trenches. BRITISHERS SHOT. Information has reached here that a number of Englishmen who were granted passes to leave the Orange Free State at the outbreak of the war,

but rei.n'.ied behind, have been shot at Harrismith for refusing to fight against the British troops.

LORD METHUEN'.S ARMY. | During a r t ■•'•naissance made on Tuesday by part of Lord Methuen's force— which has been encamped for three or four weeks on the Mqdder river opposite the formidable Boer ; entrenchments at Magersfontein—a ( < lyddite shell exploded a Boer powdeia^ f magazine and silenced a big gun.

KIMBERLEY. Mechanics at Kimberley have can* structed a 28 pounder cannon which they have christened "Long Cecil." It has a range of eight thousand yards. ™,j I A brisk artillery duel is proceeding at Kimberley, Mr Cecil Rhodes fired the new gun, " Long Cecil," wtyh excellent results.

Six thousand men previously employed in the De Bears mines are acting as soldiers, receiving the same „ pay as before, and also their food. JOHANNESBURG. Reports from Johannesburg, whijub ;: until three months ago was a centra/ of great activity, state that cattle are grazing in the streets of the city. The stores of business men are, it is ; reported, being robbed wholesale. The Boers are still working a few of the principal mines, but are crashing only the richest portions of the ore : taken out. Another report states that a Dutch „,'. solicitor has induced Presided^"" Kruger to renew operations in all the Mines opened by Mr J. B. Robinson, the South African millionaire.