The Transvaal.

Manawatu Herald, 8 March 1900, Page 2

The Transvaal.

LADYSMITH.

The report of Lieut-General Sir George White, commander" of the Ladysmith garrison, as to the arrival of relieving force in the town has been received at the War Office.

It states that while Lord Dundo-~ nald's cavalry column w.19 galloping towards the town on Wednesday at sunset) an outpost in the scrub on Wagon Hill suddenly challenged it, and a reply was received that it was the relieving army.

Then the tattered, pale, worn and almost bootless men of the outpost crowded round the advance guard of the cavalry, cheering feebly* and ©onducted Lord Dundonald to General White.

The rest of the garrison and civilians rushed to meet the relievers, and the sick and wounded crawled from their tents to cheer.

The scene was one of uncontrollable excitement.

The cavalry lost no time in jubilation but started m pursuit of the retiring enemy hoping to capture the big gun " Long Tom " which was removed from Isumbulwana the same day. General White, t addressing the citizens of Ladysmith in the semidarknes, lauded their heroic patience. " It hurt me terribly." he said, "to have to reduce the rations ; bnt, thank God, we kept the flag flying." Durban and Capetown were delirious with joy on receipt of the news of the

Lieut. Brassy, of the Ninth Lancers eon of Mr Albert Brassey and nephew of Lord Brassey, Governor of Victoria was killed during the advance of the Dundonald column.

There were only four days' full rations in Ladysmith when the town was relieved.

Scores of the tents abandoned by the Boers outside the town were tound to contain ample provisions, and even luxuries.

A well-directed fire from the, heavy naval guns prevented the enemy from removing their "Long Torn" until the last minute.

A pursuit by two thousand men of the Ladysmith garrison accelerated the starting from the Modder Spruit station of the last three trains loads of the departing enemy. The Boers abandoned large stores of ammunition. By destroying the railway bridge they prevented pursuit. Scouts report that there are now none of the enemy within ; thirty miles of Ladysmith. A list of the names of all the Natal Dutch who ftfe* serving with the Boers was discovered on Isumbulwana Hill. Lord Roberts, in a telegram to Lieutenant* General White, said ;— " Thank God that the nation's prayers have been answered. DORDRECHT. Major Maxwell, of the RoyaP Engineers, with a mixed force of eleven hundred men, made a rear attack on the Boers north of Dordrecht a lofty mountain in the face 6f heavy fire. Two Boer guns, however, continued firing all the afternoon. Several Cape riflemen endeavoured to reach the breastworks, but were repulsed, and lost four killed. REMOUNT HORSES. An Imperial remount officer has purchased altogether 4300 horses in New South Wales for South Africa, and about 2000 of them have already been forwarded. A CANADIAN OFFER. * The Imperial Government has accepted the offer of the Canadian Government to garrison Halifax with local troops in order to release the second battalion of the Prince of Wales's Leinster Regiment (Royal Canadians) for active service. COST OF THE WAR. Newspapers insist that the cost of the war must be made a first charge upon the revenues of 4he. allied Republics after their annexation by Great Britain. THE FREE STATE. Lord Roberts's recent pacificatory proclamation has had a good effect in the lower portion of the Orange Free State, but the norrthern districts are still warlike. BRABANT'S FORCE. Colonel Brabant marched in darkness to Labuschagne's Nek and occupied a strong position, including a fort customarily vacated by the Boers at night. Yesterday at dawn the enemy wert returning leisurely to the fort when Brabant's force fired upon them, bewildering them. Later on the Boers made a determined attempt to retake the position, but were repulsed. Colonel. Brabant was also able to occupy other points. The British had six killed and fifteen wounded. KRUGER WANTS PEACE. Dr Leyds declares that President Kruger wants peace, but will never sacrifice the independence of the allied Republics. The President is ready to submit to arbitration. A BOER PARTY SURPRISED. Two hundred Victorians and Tasmanians, under Captain Jenkins, of the Victorian Mounted Rifles, with two guns, while recongoitring from Colesberg in the direction of a waggon bridge over the Orange river, saw fifty Boers busy on the opposite bank. They dropped a shell amongst them causing their precipitate retreat towards a distant laager. Other shells were fired, and also burst among the Boers.

JAPAN. The Emperor of Japan has congratulated the Queen on the British victories in South. Africa*

"BOERS STILL LEAVING. Reuter's correspondent states that

the Boers evacuated Stormberg on Sunday night. Colonel Brabant was victorious over the Boers at Dordrecht, and is now pursuing them. Crocodile Pools, on the railway line north of Maieking, was evacuated by the Boers on the 28th February, when Colonel Plumer occupied the position. The Boer forces lately engrfgQß in besieging Ladysmith are recuperating on the Transvaal border, LORD ROBERTS. Lord Roberts Sixth and Seventh Divisions and a mounted force are south of the Modder river. The Ninth Division and a cavalry brigade are north of the river, where it is plain country, and where grass and water are abundant. Four thousand Boers are isolated on kopje9, surrounded by open level country, south of the river, and a smaller body near General French. General French has frustrated an attempt by a body ot Boers to trek t north-westward from his position. i A strong British force, including the Kimberley Light Horse, has marched northward from Kimberley. It is ex* pected that it will meet with resistance at Fourteen Streams, where the Boers have wrecked the railway bridge. Martial law has been proclaimed at Preieska, Britsstownan J Barkly West. BULLER'S LOSSES. Sir Redvers Buller has reported that from the 14th to the 97th February, during the advance on Ladysmith the casualties amongst his rank and file totalled 127 killed, 919 wounded and 57 missing. The chief losses were amongst the znd battalions of the following regiments. — East Surrey : 31 killed, 105 wounded. West Surrey: 7 killed and 108 wouuded. Royal Lancaster: 20 killed and 128 wounded. Devon : 5 killed and 76 wounded* West Yorkshire: 6 killed and I*B wounded. ' Royal Fusiliers : 2 killed and 57 wounded. The Ist Battalion South Lancashire Regiment, had xo killed and 8x wounded, and the Rifle Brigade xx killed and 79 wounded. AT MAFEKING. Advices from Mafeking dated the 19th February state that the besiegers were then using natives, Germans and renegade British to screen their own men. MISCELLANEOUS. President Kruger is at Bloemfontein, hitherto the Free State capital, and has issued a fervid appeal to thef burghers to put faith in God. Tht entrenchments at Pretoria are being extended. It is anticipated that General Joubert will have difficulty in concentrating 35,000 troops in the Free State. As against these Lord Roberts has 60, 000 men at his disposal, and is constantly receiving reinforcements, wWp General Buller In Natal has 40,000^ Major-General Clements now holds Achtertang, a position on the railway mid-way between Norval's Pont and Colesberg. The Boers are still in strong foroo} at Norval's Pont.

Some of the prisoners who surrendered with General Cronje at Koodoosrand . attempted to escape when being conveyed by rail to Capetown. Eleven hundred of the captives have been distributed among the war* ships in harbour. t;