CONDENSED CABLEGRAMS.

Manawatu Herald, 27 March 1900, Page 2

CONDENSED CABLEGRAMS.

The Transvaal.

PREPARING FOR REJOICING. Mr Schreiner, Premier of Cape Colony, who as a sop to the Afrikander Bond recently issued a proclamation repressing British jubilation in Cape Colony over British victories unless

authority was first obtained, has consented to declare a public holiday when Mafeking is relieved. PROGRESS OFTHE RELIEVING COLUMNS. Color el Plumer's advance to the relief ot Mafeking is being hampered by three train loads of supplies for the besieged. The artillery with Lord Methuen's relieving force at Fourteen Streams, to the south of Mafeking, drove the Boers in the direction of Christiania, to the notth-east. GENERAL CLEMENTS ADVANCING. Major-General Clements with three columns, including the Westralians and South Australians and Colonel Price's Second Victorian Mounted Rifles, are advancing from Northern Cape Colony (Norval's Pont) to Bloemfonlein via Philippolis and Fauresmith. STEYN'S REPLY. President Steyn's accusatory reply to the protest of Field-Marshal Lord Roberts against the misuse of the white flag and the use of explosive bullets is attributed to President Kruger. The newspapers stigmatise the message as an appalling piece of effrontery which completes the Boers' own undoing. NORTH OF THE ORANGE RIVER. Major-General Brabant's forces have reached Rouxville and Zastron, about thirty miles north of Aliwal North, in the Free State. Lieutenant -General Gatacre's detachment at Springfield captured Transvaalers who were with the rebels and also secured loads of ammunition and guns. A handful of rebels who quitted the locality prior to its capture are report - i ed to have passed the Jamesburg Drift j in the direction of the Etarip river. Other groups are reinforcing them. RELATIONS OF THE TWO REPUBLICS. The correspondent of " The Times " at Bloemfontein states that President Kruger issued a proclamation on the 21st inst. annexing the Free State to the Transvaal. President Steyn, however, published a counter-proclamation, declaring that the Free State was still intact, In a message to Lord Roberts, President Steyn asserted (according to the " Daily Mail ") that the Government of the country was unchanged and that he was commandeering as usual. The " Daily News " states that the Presidents meet at Kroonstad to discuss the situation. The feeling between the two Republics is very bitter. General Buller has engaged six hun- j dred stretcher-bearers, preparatory to making an advance. The " Daily Chronicle " States that General Warren's division is embarking at Durban for East London. MEDIATION DECLINED. All the Powers have replied negatively to the overtures of Presidents Kruger and Steyn for mediation. COLONIAL SUPPORT. The'; Times" says that Australian opinion of a South African settlement ought to have a specially wholesome influence on American opinion. The question of Australian troops freeing the Imperial troops impressed both the Continental and British newspipers, but it considers the contingency of complications is remote, and unlikelier still in the presence of pronouncements such as that of Mr Seddon'. COLONIAL OFFICERS. The " Times " bespeaks the Empire's heartiest approval of the decision of the Imperial Government offering commissions in the Imperial Army for colonials. It says that this is another step towards the far-reaching plan of welding British might. NEW ZEALAND'S SHARE. The Governor has- forwarded to the Premier the following cablegram which he received from the Secretary of "State forthe Colonies on Thursday : — The Secretary of State for War offers ten Royal Artillery and twenty infantry commissions for gentleman selected by you, after consultation with the Imperial officer commanding the local forces. Candidates must be British subjects, of good character between the ages of twenty and thirty years, unmarried, and passed by a medical board as fit for service according to the regulations of 1899, paragraph 1, appendix 1. Send names of nominees, with certificate of birth stating the branch for which they are recommended, and in case of Royal Artillery, whether field or garrison artillery is preferred. The preference of the candidate will be considered as far as possible. MISCELLANEOUS. The " Morning Post " states that Messrs Wessels, Wolmarans, and Fischer, the Boer peace missioners now on a visit to Europe, are taking j to Russia for safety documents implicating President Steyn and members of the Afrikander Bond in Cape Colony. The rebellion around Prieska, Carnarvon, Griquatown and Campbell, has been crushed. Major Cradock's New Zealand troopers were engaged in these districts. The Queen paid a visit to the wounded soldiers from the Cape at Woolwich, carrying flowers for them. Amodgst the number was Private King, of the Conn aught Rangers, who was shot thirteen times in the firing line at the battle of Colenso. PRESIDENT STEYN. It is affirmed that a committee of burghers at Kroonstad has assumed the reins of government and deposed President Steyn. BOER MOVEMENTS. Lieutenant-General French, who is operating to the east of Bloemfontein, has received a heliograph message from Maseru, about thirty-five miles to the south-east of Thabanchu, stating that 4000 Boers, evidently those driven out ot Colesberg, are trekkiDg towards ,Ladybrand. This

last-named place is about thirty mites to tbe north-east ofThabanchu. Boer commandoes are massing and entrenching themselves at Kroonstad in the Free State, whither they fell back after destroying the three principal railway bridges between the town and Bloemtontein. Th 2 Boers in Natal have sent their women and children back to the Transvaal. Deserteis reports that the commandoes intend to retreat with their guns and stores via Lang's Nek. BOERS ISOLATED. A force of 500 Boers are entrenched at Fauresmith, in the south-western portion of the Free State about sixty miles from the Orange river, and about forty miles from General Gatacre's position at Springfontein. A battle is considered , to be imminent at Maseru with the Boer commandoes who are trekking northwards from Colesberg. SIEGE OF MAFEKING. A reconnaissance at Fourteen Streams on the 21st inst. by a portion of Lord Methuen's force on its way to the relief of Mafeking resulted in an artillery duel which lasted the whole morning. Eventually the Boerg guns were silenced. Fourteen Streams is 176 miles south of Mafeking. " The Times " states that Colonel Plumer, who is marching to the relief of Mafeking from the north, made a reconnaissance to Ramathlabama, some seventeen miles from Mafeking. He afterwards, however, retired during the night to Crocodile Pools on the railway over sixty miles north of Mafeking. His hospital has been removed to Gaberone's, a few miles further north. Lord Methuen has secured an important crossing east of Fourteen Streams, at New Pont, and is in readiness to make an advance. Reinforcements are now being hurried forward to this point with a view of crossing the river and outflanking the enemy. There are indications that the garrison at Mafeking can hold out for three weeks. GENERAL JOUBERT. General Joubert has resumed supreme command of the Boer army and is now at Kroonstad. ARREST OF REBELS Many arrests of suspected rebels have been made in Natal, and trials now proceeding at Ladysmith. COLONIAL TROOPS. The steamer Australasian, with a detachment ot New South Wales Lancers on board, has arrived at Capetow s n. The' Australian regiment at Norval's Pont, on the Orange river, is starting on a sixteen days' march northwards via Bloemfontein. COLONIAL CASUALTIES. It is announced that the following Australians have died of enteric fever ; — Trooper Cummer, Queensland Mounted Rifles; Private Budd, New South Wales Mounted Infantry ; Private Harrison, New South Wales medical corps. GENERAL WOODGATE It is announced by the War Office that General C. R. P. Woodgate, who commanded the British troops ip the assault on Spionkop and was on that occasion severely wounded in the head by a bursting shell, has succumbed to his injuries. STEYN'S STATISTICS. President Steyn has addressed the burghers at Kroonstad, where they are massing to oppose the advance of the British forces. In the course of his remarks he said the Boers losses in the war had been 800, and the British loss 64,000. ' Also, that the British would be unable to continue the war much longer. DISARMING. The Free Staters are surrendering many inferior weapons, and there is an impression that they are concealing their up-to-date Mauser rifles. Cape rebels are disarming slowly, and it is believed that they are hiding their rifles. THIRD CONTINGENT. The troop of New Zealand Roughriders who have arrived at Durban under Major Jowsey in the Knight Templar are proceeding to Capetown, where they will join Major-General Sir Frederick Carrington's new force for the protection of Rhodesia. The London " Daily News " fixes the date of the meeting between Presidents Kruger and Steyn to discuss the situation as 4th April. Preparations are being made in Pretoria for a two years' siege. Boer women are demanding that British prisoners be shot. A sentry at Capetown shot a Boer prisoner of war who was attempting to escape.