The Transvaal.

Manawatu Herald, 20 February 1900, Page 2

The Transvaal.

GENERAL BULLER. General Buller's army, lately withdrawn from the Tugela river district, has moved from Frere, at which place it emerged on the railway line, to Chieveley, six miles further north. KIMBERLEY. Kimberley has been relieved. Lord Roberts reached Jacobsal and Major-General French Kimberley on Thursday. Despatches to the War Office do not mention whether Major-General French encountered any opposition getting to Kimberley. It is also unknown whether the Boer lines of retreat are actually severed. There were indications on Wednesday that the Boers were withdrawing from Magersfontein, leaving 10,000. Lord Roberts' entire force consisted of 50,000, including Major-General French's mounted corps of 6,000. Agent General cables : — " Major-General French completely dispersed the enemy from the south side of Kimberley, and is going to occupy their ground. Their laager, stores, and ammunition were captured. Kimberley, is cheerful and well. The casualties numbered about 20. ZULULAND. Advices has been received that Magistrate Addison's column has reached Isandlwana, in Zululand, having retired from Ngutu in order to avoid a strong Boer division.

On several occasions tbe small force were nearly surrounded by the enemy. Hon. Mr Chamberlain has stated the Natal Government will not be responsible for the Zulus maintaining I peace since the Boer invasion of native territory belonging to Cape Colony. The invaded natives would be encouraged and assisted to defend their lands. Mr Balfour stated that if the tacit compact, that the war should Be limited to whites, were infringed, Britain would re consider her decision respecting the employment of natives, Sikhs and Goorkas. The column despatched to Zululand was for the protection of Eshowe. NEAR COLESBURG, The British have retired from Rensburg to Arundel. The enemy has re-occupied Twibosch hills. The Inniskilling Dragoons stopped their further advance southwards, and charged the enemy, inflicting great loss. GENERAL FRENCH. Later particulars from the front show that General French's splendid advance completely surprised the enemy at Roudesval Drift, where large numbers of cattle and two thousand sheep were captured. The column, covered seventy-five miles in four days, encumbered by a supply train, and fought two engagements. On arrival in the vicinity of Kimberley it was found that the Boers had evacuated Alexandersfontein, and that a detachment of troops from the beleaguered town was occupying the position. General French has cabled to the War Office that he had completely dispersed the enemy to the southward of the town, and had captured a laager containing stores and ammunition. His casualties numbered twenty wounded. Kimberley, says the general, was cheerful and well. Mounted troops have been posted at various positions in his rear. His cavalry is scouring the country to the north of the town. CAPTURE. OF JACOBSDAL. The army responded magnificently to Lord Robert's movement, which involved heavy marching. The obstacles in the way were those attendant on maintaining a water supply and transport difficulties. Several skirmishes with the enemy preceeded tbe occupation of Jacbsdal, the British artillery fire inflicting losses on the retiring commandoes. The town was held by the Boers until General Kelly- Kenny's brigade outflanked them and drove them out with heavy loss, across the Modder river, Many prisoners were taken Operating in another direction, General Tucker's division drove the Boers across the Reit river, east of Koffkrontein, Major-General Sir H. E. Colville, with the gth Division, following up the On the entry of the British droops into Jacobsdal the place was found to be full of wounded, including a number of Britishers from as far south as Rensburg. Lord Roberts was much gratified at the admirable hospital arrangements made by a German ambulance corps and Drs Katener and Hildebrand. The greatest kindness has been shown to our wounded, who are treated equally as well as the Boers. Lord Roberts summoned Sir Willian McCormac, • President of the Royal College of Surgeons, from Natal prior to the advance to the relief of Kimberley. Lord Roberts has complimented the regiment of volunteers recently raised by the Lord Mayor of London for their gallantry at jacobsdal. WATCHING THE CONVOYS. At latest advices General KellyKenny's troops were pursuing a large convoy in the direction of Bloemfontein. It appears that a large force of Boers, with ten guns, who were coming northwards to reinforce General Cronje, intercepted a convoy of two hundred waggons near the Reit river, which was captured after a hot fight. The British casualties numbered thirty. On the 16th inst. General KellyKenny captured seventy-eight of the enemy's waggons, laden with stores, Mausers and shells. BOERS QUITTING MAGERSFONTEIN. Lord Roberts has telegraphed that he has good reason to believe that Magersfontein has been abandoned by the enemy, and that the Boers are endeavouring to escape. CRONJE AT BAY. Advices has been received that during his retreat from Magersfontein General Cronje outspanned and formed a laager in consequence of his oxen teams becoming fatigued. The artillery under general KellyKenny was at latest engaged in shelling the Boer position. The heat is intense, and the horses of the British troops are suffering severely. RECEPTION OF THE NEWS. The news of the relief of Kimberley was enthusiastically received at Capetown and at Durban and Pietermaritzburg. In the streets patriotic songs were sung by crowds of people who gave Sir Alfred Milner a perfect ovation on his appearance in public. The unpopular members of the Schreiner Ministry were hooted. The Queen and nation are pleased at the success- which has attended the relief force. Thankful crowds which had gathered around the War Office and the members of the Stock Exchange all made demonstrations of delight. WELL-EARNED PROMOTIONS. Both General French and Lieut.Colonel Kekewich, who has been in charge of the Kimberley garrison during the siege, have been promoted being given the respective ranks of major-general and colonel. The inhabitants of Kimberley frantically welcomed French's column on its entry into the town.

ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS. The corps of volunteer electrical enginesrs, of which Major Rookes E. B. Crompton, late lieutenant of the 57th Foot (First Battalion of the Middlesex Rifles) in command, and Lord Kelvin, the distinguished scientist, honorary colonel, has been J|g| incorporated in the army, and is IflP about to be sent to South Africa. It will take to the front two tractionengine trams, searchlight apparatus and telegraph cyclists. NEAR LADYSMITH. The latest advices as to the situation ■«. at Ladysmith state that the bombard- ; ment is becoming brisker than of late. Lieut.-General the Hon. N. G. Lyttelton, who has hitherto commanded one of the brigades engaged* in Natal, has succeeded to the command of the division lately headed by Lieut.-General Clery, Who had been invalided home. A message received by Reuter's Agency states that the Boers claim to v . have killed thirteen British Lancers'! ' at Springfield, the town on the Little Tugela river, Natal, besides wounding five and capturing nine. Concerning the doings of the Boers in the Tugela district, information has been received that on Sunday last they were approaching Potgieter's Drift, one of the points at which the British army crossed the river for the late unsuccessful flanking movement, y., and that they were . constructing ■- trenches and other defences in the neighbourhood. • The flying column which was lately despatched by General Buller to Zululand was intended for the protection ot Eshowe, the town in the south-east part of the province, at which refugees from more distant magisterial stations lately arrived. Captain Percy Scott, of H.M.S. Terrible, through whose ingenuity it was that the 4.7 m guns were mounted that have proved so valuable in keeping down the fire of the enemy's siege guns at Ladysmith, has now mounted a six-inch wire gun for use in General Buller's army. .; ZULUS TO BE ENCOURAGED AT DEFENCE. INDIAN TROOPS MAY BE EMPLOYED. Advices has been received that Magistrate Addison's column has reached Isandlwana, Zululand, having retired from Ngutu, in order to avoid a strong Boer division. On several occasions the small force was nearly surrounded by the enemy. The right Hon. J. Chamberlain, Secretary of State for the Colonies, has announced that the Natal Govefl|« ment cannot be responsible for -vie Zulus maintaining peace since the Boer invasion of native territory belonging to Cape Colony. The ; invaded natives would be encouraged and assisted to defend their lands. The Right Hon. A. J. Balfcw, First Lord of the Treasury, statec^toat if the tacit compact that the warshomd lie limited to whites were infringed Britian would reconsider her decision respecting the employment of South African natives, and also of Sikhs and Goorkhas from India. t*JJ ' BRITISH WITHDRAWAL TO ARUNDEL. The British forces along the Free State railway have further retired from Rensburg to Arupdel, their old camp of December last. < ; Tbe enemy have thus been enabled to re-occupy the Taalboschlaagte hills around which a great deal of skirmishing took place sone weeks ago. ,