CONDENSED CABLEGRAMS.

Manawatu Herald, 6 February 1900, Page 2

CONDENSED CABLEGRAMS.

The Transvaal. INVASION OF THE FREE STATE IMMINENT. Interest is now centering largely upon the northern parts of Cape Colony, where the three columns under-Lieutenant-Generals Kelly-Kenny,. Gatacre and French are operating, with the evident intention of pressing forward at an early date across the southern boundary of the Free State. The display of British power is having a salutary influence upon the settlers in what was until lately one of the most disaffected parts of the colony. At Thebus — the station on the east-and-west railway, which was occupied by General Gatacre a few days ago, thus facilitating his communication witb General Kejly-Kenny'^ forces — the reassured loyalists farmer are now forming new corps of the colonial forces. General Kelly Kenny's engineershave completed the rebuilding of ar important railway bridge in his district which the Boers had destroyed. TOWARDS LADYSMITH. The cavalry under Major-General Lord Dnndonald has reconnoitied Hongerspoort without molestation (Hongerspoor may perhaps meat: Onderbrock.) J An incident of the fighting on Spionkop was the shooting by the British, a - a traitor, of a corporal of one of th Natal Irregulars, who was caught i:. the act of shaking hands with at acquaintance in the enemy's lines. The troops nnder General Buller i* Natal are being served with double rations. It is announced that General Joibert, the Boer Commander-in-Chief, is at present in the Upper Tugela district. This is taken as an indication that he expects a renewal of the attack in that region. It is announced by the Morninp Leader that General Buller has begun a* fresh movement with the object of turning the enemy's position on Grobler's Kloof and at Onderbrock. GETTING TO, THE ENEMY'S REAR. News has been received that a British flyingcolumn has reached Northern Zululand. The corps consists of experienced colonial scouts, and will probably attempt to harass the enemy's lines of communication above Ladysmith. There is a Boer commando, a thousand strong, with three guns, posted at Vryheid, in the southeastern part of the Transvaal, some miles north of the Zululand border. LORD ROBERTS. Field-Marshal Lord Roberts is actively engaged in organising the forces for the more active operations which his advent as Commander-in-Chief is to | signalise.

Addressing the first section ofthe volunteer marksmen raised by the Lord Mayor of London, which has just reached Cape Town, Lord Roberts said he hoped the advent of the corps would coincide with a turn in the tide of British fortunes in the campaign. Of the two new regiments of colonial light borse which are being formed, tn be named after the Commander-in-Chief and his chief of staff respectively, i three squadrons ofthe Kitchefief Light HoT9e are already prepared to take the field. General French has arrived at Cape Town from Northern Cape Colony t» confer with Field-Marshal Lord Roberts. Advices from the Cape urge the immediate despatch of reinforcements. LORD METHUEN'S ARMY. There ara ind : c itions that the Sixth ! ',dt.'\px^\ (v(_»l'.v-Kr T>T,,,, V S*? , **?T ,,, th (G*?T,eiAi ivuudi'^ wiii reinrorce Lord Metarden's army at Modder River. This accession of force would bring the strength of the army on the western frontier to sixty thousand. ■.. Lord Methuen is also to be reinforced with nlore guns. VICTORIA CROSS AWARDS. The Victoria Cross has beefl conferred upon the late Hon F. Roberts a lieutenant of the King's Royal Rifles f/ot coflspicloua bravery in attempting to' rescue Colonel Long' 9 guns at the battle of Colenso. [Lieutenant Roberts, the only son of Field- Marshal Lord Roberts, wa.severely wounded during the engagement, and subsequently succumbed to bis wounds.] . Tho decoration has also beer bestowed upofl Captain W. N. Congreve, of the Rifle Brigade (Princ Consort's Own), Captain H. D. Reed and Corporal Nurse, of the 66iu Battery, for signal bravery in assist!:*^ the guns at the same engagement. GOST OF* THE WAR. It is afldduriced by •• The Time^ " that the Supplementary Estimat . -, to be submitted to the House of Cora mons will provide for an approgriatio., j df j£aio,ooo,ooo to cover war operations Until April. THE BRITISH ARMY. It is stated in the " Daily Mail " that the Government proposes to strengther the British army by the addition o. fifteen new battalions of infantry— about 15,000 men. MAFEKING. Tbe Queen has been greatly touches by the receipt pf a message from tb«. - Mayor' of Mafeking', sent on January 27th', the hundredth diy ofthe siegThe Mayor stated in his message that the inhabitants of the town wer. resolved upon maintaining hei Majesty's supremacy. The Agent- General cables- Kimberley pronounced safe. Mafeking pronounced safe on 20th January."