CONDENSED CABLEGRAMS.

Manawatu Herald, 26 April 1900, Page 2

CONDENSED CABLEGRAMS.

The Transvaal. LORD ROBERTS. The " Standard's " correspondent wires that Lord Roberts's advance is delayed through the necessity of clearing the enemy from his flanks and rear. The Field Marshal is accumulating stores at the front, lest the lines of communication with Cape Colony should become interrupted. The army when it moves from Bloemfontein will consist of seventy thousand men, lully equipped. NATAL. The fighting in Natal to the northeast of Ladysmith, which was reported a few days ago, is still in progress. The latest reports speaks of an artillery duel at Elands Laagte, the scene of one of the very earliest of British victories, between the vanguard of General Buller's army and that of the Boer troops fighting under General Botha. The guns on both sides were still delivering shells as late as Saturday, but accounts received give no specifice information as to the result. On Saturday the Boers crossed southwards from Elands Laagte over the Sunday's river bridge, but the British with heavier guns drove them off. GENERAL WARREN. Lieutenant-General Sir Charles Warren has passed through Durban en route for East London, on his way to Bechuanaland, where he assumes a civil post. I WEPENER. The Boer army in front of Wepener has been reinforced by the addition of a body of men from Thabanchu, thirtyfive miles to the north-west. News has been received that Briga-dier-General Brabant, commander of the column of South African troops which is advancing from Aliwal North foi the relict of Wepener, is to-day engaged in a battle within twenty miles of the invested town. A telegram from Colonel Dalgety, the British commander in Wepener, states that the garrison is well and hopetul . On Saturday the Boers brought five guns into action, and threw three hundred shells into the town, little harm, however, being done. The siege is being kept up by two thousand of the enemy, seven thousand of their number having gone to Boesmankop to oppose the advance of relieving forces. Colonel Dalgety's men have to remain in the trenches day and night. BOER CANNON. The Boers are reported to have sixty nine guns mounted at Kroonstad to the north of Bloemfontein, where the enemy have been entrenching themselves for some weeks. They are also reported to have seven French guns at Pretoria,

BUSHMEN AT WORK. Major-General lan Hamilton is successfully employing Australian Bushmen in scouring the country to purchase remounts and securing those found on unoccupied farms. On Saturday they brought into camp 160 horse and 12 mules. MISCELLANEOUS. Sir Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett, M.P. tor the Ecclesfield Division of Sheffield has visited the kraal of the Queen nf Swaziland, and urged her not to permit defeated Boers to occupy caves in the mountain fastnesses of her country. The prolonged inactivity of the British forces has had the result of making the enemy venturesome. Disguised in khaki uniforms, several Boers have explored the camp of the South Africa Light Horse at Ladysmith. Two thousand horses are in Basutoland awaiting transport to the British camps. Lord Roberts has taken steps to reopen and develop largely the trade of the Free State, with a view of increasing the Customs receipts. A thousand Portuguese troops guard the frontier of the Transvaal and Portuguese East Africa. DEWETSDROP. Further accounts of the engagement in which Lieutenant-General Rundle has been involved in at Dewetsdorp, forty miles east by south from Bloemfontein, show that the two brigades of the general's command (the Eighth Division} were divided in the earlier part of the operations. Under General Rundle's personal command a column that included the Seventeenth Brigade, with two batteries of artillery, traversed a roadless country for three days, amid heavy rain. When the enemy were encountered they were found to have taken up a position athwart the road to the westward of Dewetsdorp. The mounted force under the command of Major-General Brabazon by flanking tactics succeeded in driving off the Boers, thus clearing the plateau. The Yeomanry then seized a hill, and with the support of the infantry, held it, despite a bombardment of five of the enemy's guns. On Saturday General Rundle entrenched bis position. That day the separated Sixteenth Brigade arrived on the scene. An artillery duel continued throughout the day, but no results are stated in the advices received. General Rundle has reported that thirty-five men of the Worcester Regiment attached to his column, who were on outpost duty in the dark are missing. Lieut.-General Pole-Carew, with the Eleventh Division, and Lieut.-General French with two brigades of cavalry, have been sent to assist General Rundle who was moving to the assistance of Colonel Dalgety at Wepener. The relief forces have fought their way to Karriefontein with a loss of three killed and nineteen wounded. Eleven of the Dragoon Guards are, however, missing. General Pole-Carew's troops seized Liewkop, on the extreme left of the Boers' extended position, having previously outflanked the enemy on the right and left. The Boers, however, evacuated Liewkop in the night, and now hold another position across the British line of advance. REBELS PUNISHED. The rebels who were captured by Colonel Pilcher's force at Sunnyside were tried at the criminal sessions j at Capetown on April 23, and found guilty ot high treason. It was urged by the prisoners that many of their witnessed were unprocurable at Capetown. To this counsel for the Crown replied-' 4 Because they were fighting with the Boers." Three of the prisoners were sentenced to five years' imprisonment. The others, including three youths, were sent to goal for periods varying from six months to a year. BOER ROMANCES. An official statement lately issued to the Boers stated that their armies had recently captured thirty thousand British troops, and that two and a half million Russians were invading India. These various statements were evidently issued to stimulate the Boer troops to persevere in their opposition to the British. In an appeal to his burghers President Steyn implores them to persist in their resistance pending the efforts of Mr Fischer, the delegate now in Europe to obtain foreign intervention. Mr Steyn threatens the confiscation of the property of any Free Staters who refuse to take up arms, and also announces that all who refuse to fight will be shot if captured. The Boers now investing Wepener are jubilant over a message received from President Steyn. in which he announces that foreign intervention is certain. LORD METHUEN. A commando near Frankfort has threatened a portion of Lord Methuen's force. Ten commandoes armed with Long Toms are reported to the north of Klerksdory and Potchefstroom. BRABANT'S COLUMN. Some particulars of the engagement fought by Brigadier-General Brabant's engagement within twenty miles of Wepener are to hand. They show that the general's command consisted of half a mounted division, and that he came upon the enemy at Boesmanskop, where they had taken up a strong position, defended by several guns. At latest accounts the fighting was still in progress, both artillery cannonade and rifle fire being briskly kept up. By a combined flanking movement to General Brabant's and General Hart's force, the enemy were forced to retire. General Brabant is now within eight miles of Wepener. THE SECOND CONTINGENT. The Premier on Tuesday morning

received a cablegram from Major Cradock, of the second contingent, from Victoria road, 420 miles from Capetown. Major Cradock intimates that he had returned with his force from Kenhardt, in north-west Capo Colony, having accomplished a 500 mile march. Dysentery is mentioned as being prevalent among the men. Major Cradock says that the contingent is proceeding to Bloemfontein at once leaving forty-four cases behind. No. 522, Private T. G. Anderson, is . named as being bad. The officers are v well.' BLOEMFONTEIN. Lieut. -General Pole-Carew, with the second battalion of the South Wales Borderers, is operating at Sannas Post, about thirty miles .due east of Bloemfontein an J twenty miles north of Dewetsdorp.