The Transvaal.

Manawatu Herald, 15 May 1900, Page 2

The Transvaal.

FURTHER SUCCESS

Lord Roberts, telegraphing to the War Office on Thursday from his headquarters north of the Zand river, says that the enemy was then in full retreat. The cavalry and horse artillery were pursuing the flying commandoes along three different roads. FEELING AMONG THE FREE STATERS. The Transvaal Volksraad has authorised the Government to adopt peace decisions according to circumstances. There is a concensus of opinion in Natal and Cape Colony that the Boers are collapsing, and will crave for peace at the earliest moment. Telegrams have arrived' showing that the * Free Staters, without President Steyn's approval, held a meeting recently and passed resolutions favouring submission. STOPPING BOER SUPPLIES. A new Governor has lately beeninstalled by the Portuguese at Delagoa Bay. This official is treating all corned beef, clothing and boots destined for the Transvaal as contraband of war.

Twelve thousand cases of supplies remain in bond at Delagoa Bay, owing to the contraband decree. The Boer plans for defending and supplying the garrison at Lydenburg, to the north of Pretoria, are thus hampered.

STRENGTH OF THE FORCES.

Lord Roberts has thirty thousand men with him in his present opertations.

General Boiler is in command of a similar number in Natal. This force is now begining to move.

THE RAND MINES.

The "Standard" states that the European Powers have warned the Transvaal' Government that if Johannesburg mines are destroyed Britain will be requested to exact personal compensation from the Boer authorities, beginning with the President and the high officials. The latest information from Johannesburg show that only a few of the Rand mines are working. The remainder, including the Simmer and Jack Ferreira, are flooded. EASTERN BORDER NEWS. Lieut. -General Rundle's division is guarding the portion of the eastern Frpe State situated between Winburg and the frontier town of Ladybrand. The Boers in. that part of the country have removed their headquarters from Ladybrand to Clocolan, a town situated about twenty miles further to the north-east — along the Basutoland border. The enemy also occupy a strong position at McQuatting's Nek. MAFEKING. Reports have been received that Boer forces are massing to the north of Mafeking, for the purpose of resisting the advance of Colonel Plumer's Rhodesian force to the assistance of the town. Lord Roberts wired to the Secretary of State for War on Thursday night : — " I have had a most cheery telegram from Colonel Baden- Powell." AFTER THE WAR. Speaking in the House of Commons, the Hon J. Chamberlain (Secretary of State for the Colonies) stated that the

Natal loyalists would be compensated for their losses out of the indemnity hereafter to be exacted from the enemy. MISCELLANEOUS. Many of the foreign mercenaries, who have been serving with the Boer forces are quitting the Transvaal in disgust. A party of New Zealand scouts finding a quantity of arms and ammunition stored in a farmhouse at Smithfield (in the southern part of the Free State) burneJ the building and removed a span of oxen and a waggon. MAFEKING. ! Advices received by way of Pretoria state that the Mafeking relief column, three thousand strong, with field guns, advancing along the railway line by forced marches day and night, passed , Vryburg (ninety-six miles south of the beleaguered town) on Wednesday last, with a Boer commando harassing the rear. GENERAL BULLER. While portion of General Buller's force was advancing on Helpmakaar, on the lower slopes of the Biggarsberg ranges, to the north-east of Ladysmith, a smart skirmish took place with the enemy's outposts. BRITAIN AND THE REPUBLICS. During a speech at Birmingham the Hon. J. Chamberlain (Secretary of State for the Colonies) said the Boer Republics would, after the war, be administered like a Crown Colony, or one of the Indian native dependencies. Whenever it was considered safe, they would be introduced within the circle of self-governing colonies. The loyalists, said Mr Chamberlain, would not find themselves in a worse position than those who looted their houses and denied their homes. KRUG^R IN A RAGE. President Kruger made an impassioned speech during a. sitting of the Volksraad.

He appealed to God to strengthen the right, and declared he possessed documentary proof that a devilish conspiracy tb annihilate the Republics existed in 1896. Great Britain, said the President, was a vindictive, voracious foe — the Boers' everlasting enemy.

Later on the President was accused of corruption in connection with certain mining proposals submitted to the Volksraad, and quitted the Chamber in a passion. The State-Attorney, Mr Smuts, protested against President Kruger's attempts to brow-beat the Assembly. BOER PRISONERS. Preparations are being made, at j Dijitalwa, in Ceylon, for the reception I of six thousand Boer prisoners. THE FREE STATE CAPITAL. The town of Hindley, forty-five miles east of Kroonstad, on the railway connecting Harrismith with Kroonstad, has been chosen as the new seat of Government in the Free State. THE RAND MINES. A proposal was submitted to the Transvaal Volksraad by President Kruger tor the sale of the underground rights of the Witwatersrand mines — everything below the machinery — for £ 1200 per claim. The Volksraad, however, by it, to g, rejected the scheme. It is stated that the proposal was made with the view of selling to a number of German firms whose representatives are supporting the Transvaal Government in its financial difficulties. BOERS IN THE EAST. President Steyri is reported to have ten thousand men in tt^ district to the north-east of Thabanchu. It is expected' that his cattle will be captured. The Boers are again attempting to occupy Thabanchu, from which they were recently expelled^fey the advance of the various British columns. Lieutenant-General Rundle's division and the South African division under Brigfcdier-General Brabant are strenuously resisting the new movement. TROOPER HADFIELD. A cable message has been received from Sir Alfred Milner, Governor of Cape Colony, stating that Corporal A. C. Hadfield, of the New Zealand Hotchkiss Battery, is seriously ill at Capetown with enteric fever. LORD ROBERTS'S ADVANCE. A further despatch from Lord Roberts/ telegraphed from Reitspruit, i eight miles north of the Zand river, states that he had a successful day on Thursday, his troops driving the enemy from point to point. The cavalry and mounted infantry have now reached the Ventersburg r >ad railway station, thirty miles south' of Kroonstad; next to the. eastward is Lieutenant-General Tiicker's division, which is at Deelfontein, in the right rear of the mounted troops, seven miles south-east of Ventersburg road, while Lieutenant-General Hamilton's column is still further east, at Ventersburg town, some nine miles from the railway line. .

Further particulars of the advance of the cavalry and mounted infantry of Lieutenant-General French and Major-Geperal Hutton (the colonial division), show that these forces, after a series of artillery duels with the enemy, crossed the Zand at a place known as Vermenlene Kraal, and thence worked north-east, following in general the course of the railway line. They were continuously opposed by three thousand of the enemy, who fought whenever the natural features, of the country permited then to make a stand.

The Hamilton division has forced its way northward in the face of a stubborn resistance ftom the portion of the Boer forces under the immediate command of General Louis Botha, the new commander-in-chief.

The British infantry, in the course of its advance, carried some kopjes with great gallantry by means of bayonet charges, in which the Sussex and East Lancashire regiments were especially conspicuous.

In another despatch, Lord Roberts states that betore their retreat northward from the Zand river the enemy occupied a position extending over twenty miles, " Our lines," proceeds

his Lordship, " were necessarily longer than theirs. I am hopeful that our men have not suffered much."

HOW THE BOERS RETREATED,

During the fighting on the Zand river General Louis Botha had six

V-vnand men under his command, wi> h twelve guns. Eight commandants ware also present, including General De Wet and Delarey.

On the previous night thousands of the enemy trekked with the guns and their families towards Kroonstad under cover of a clever rearguard action.

This engagement lasted the whole of the following day, the convoy getting the waggons near to Kroonstftd by dust.

The correspondent of" The Times " states that the enemy held an impossible position partially covering the - Zand river.

The artillery of Major-General Tucker's division shelled them out of. their main positions, which had been rifflsmked bv Major-General PoleCare w's cavalry. The mounted troops gallantly pursued the retiring commandoes, but were checked by the strong rearguard until reinforcements reached them.

Ventersburg, thirty-five miles s^uth of Kroonstad, is now occupied by the Household Cavalry.

CAPTURE OF KROONSTAD.

The following official announcement has been made by the Wajr Office :— Lord Roberts 1 entered Kroonstad on Saturday unopposed. President Steyn fled on the previous night, having vainly endeavoured to persuade the burghers to continue fighting. Later information shows that the refusal of the burghers to fight at Kroonstad resulted in a great quarrel between the Free Staters and the Trans* vaalers. ,