The Transvaal.

Manawatu Herald, 31 May 1900, Page 2

The Transvaal.

INVASION OF THE TRANS-

VAAL.

Lord Roberta's troops have crossed the Vaal river at Viljoen's Drift, where the main line of railway spans the stream, and are now at Verheeniging Station, on the northern bank.

Lord Roberta's steady march and enveloping movements are proving irresistible. All of his troops are on fall rations, the commissariat arrangements being > admirable. . On Friday Major-General Broadwood's division crossed the Vaal and held Wonderfontein Drift, being followed on Saturday by MajorGeneral lan Hamilton's forces. Lieut -General French's cavalry has secured an excellent flanking position and invaded the Republic via Lindeque's Drift. The Boers have left the Vaal, and are now concentrating at Klip Revewberg, near Johanneiburg.

The Times states that the rapid change in disposition by the forces along Lord Roberts's front and the seizure of the Vaal drifts at un-

expected poTnts, totally disconcerted the enemy. Four thousand burghers vainly awaited the appearance of MajorGeneral Hamilton's mounted infantry at a drift to the north-west of Heilbron.

While Lieut. -General French's cavalry was crossing at Lindeque's Drift a force of artillery under Colonel Henry shelled the enemy's rearguard railway train, nearly saving the railway bridge, only the northernmost span of whioh was destroyed by the enemy. Many Free Staters refused to enter the Transvaal when the Boers retreated northwards over the Vaal. Lord Roberts telegraphs to the War Office that the vanguard of his army just crossed the "Vaal in time to prevent the destruction of the collieries on the northern bank of the river. LORD METHUEN'S COLUMN. There are indications that Lord Methuen has invaded the south-west of the Transvaal by Shoeman's Drift. SURRENDER DISCUSSED. Reuter's correspondent states that the Boer military commandants have assembled to discuss the question of surrender. The majority of the burghers view a siege of Pretoria with disfavour. EASTERN BORDER. Major-General Rundle's . troops have occupied Senekal, to the northeast of Winburg, unopposed. On Thursday last Brigadier-General Brabant entered Ficksburg, on the Basutoland border, north-east of Ladybrand, having previously captured 150 Boers and ten waggons. ■ The enemy who attacked the town on Saturday, were repulsed. RHODESIA. Martial law has been proclaimed in Rhodesia. POSITION OF THE ENEMY. Information has been received that the Boer front runs from Lang's Nek along the Relalasberg mountains parallel with the Buffalo river as far as Vryheid. THE RAND MINES. Mr Klinke, Transvaal State Mining Engineer, who opposed Boer interference with the Johannesburg mines, has been removed from office Mr W. J. Munnik, hitherto State Mining Inspector and Assistant Engineer, succeeds him. TIRED OF THE WAR. A Free State Magistrate named Louis Koch has surrendered to General Buller in North Natal. He has informed the General that all the burghers in the Harrismith district (formerly the terminus of the railway through the Drakensbergs from Lady smith), and those about Vrede (the town in the north-east I part of the Free State to which the seat of Government was last removed) have returned to their farms. LORD ROBERTS' ADVANCE. Lord Roberts has reached Vereeniging, a town just over the Vaal River. PREVENTING DESTRUCTION OF MINES. Lord Roberts states that the casualties of the British in preventing the destruction of the collieries on the Vaal River by the Boers, only numbered four. PRAlsfe FOR THE RHODESIA COLUMN. Lord Roberts praises the incredible rapidity of the marching of Sir Frederick Carrington's contingent to Mafeking. PASSES TO THE TRANSVAAL. The Boers bold Muller's and Botha's passes on the Transvaal frontier. The British have blocked Van Reenan's Pass. A STRATEGIC MOVE V Delagoa Bay reports that the British have cut the Pretqria-Heilde-berg railway, a branch line through the Transvaal to Natal. 80/ERS LAST STAND. , Reports from Pretoria j»y the Boers are determined to risk IfVWCy* thing on a last stand at the Gatrand mountains north of Pochefstroom, 15 miles from Vereeniging, where 300 Kaffirs are entrenching. WHITE FLAG TREACHERY. Details of the engagement at Boshof last month, in which Sergeant Patrick Campbell (husband of the well-known actress of that name) met his death, show that Campbell was killed while advancing to receive the surrender of a party of Boers. Lord Chesham, who was in command of the Imperial Yeomanry, to which the sergeant belonged, threatened to shoot every Boer unless the abuser of the white flag surrendered. The demand was complied with, and the murderer was subsequently shot? The Boer who shot Trooper Smythe at Donkerpoort was afterwards captured. He was court-martialled at Clocolan and shot.