The Transvaal.

Manawatu Herald, 28 July 1900, Page 2

The Transvaal.

MOVEMENTS OF DE WET.

After seven hours' engagement, Major-General Rundle succeeded in expelling the Boers from their positions in the mountains around Rooikrantz. It transpires that General De Wet's commando, in its flight after the engagement at Palmiefontein with Mijor-Genpral Broadwood, doubled back during the night through Paardeskraal. DISPERSAL OF THE BOERS. Lieutenant-General Lord Methuen, in his operations in the Rustenburg district, sixty miles west of Pretoria, has completely dispersed a Boer commando seven miles south-west of the town, and inflicted severe loss upon it. By this operation the town of Rustenburg, which was under pressure from the enemy, has been relieved. The columns commanded by Lieut.Generals Methuen and Baden- Powell have effected a junction. FEMALE REFUGEES. Mesdames Kruger (wife of the President), Botha (wife of General Louis Botha) and Meyer (wife of a noted Boer leader), and six hundred women and children, who were ordered to leave Pretoria, have reached Barberton. SECRET SERVICE PAYMENTS. Documents have been fjued at Pretoria which prove that large bribes were recently paid by the Transvaal Government to prominent foreigners. LORD ROBERTS. Lieutenant-General lan Hamilton's occupation of Rustfontein, about forty miles east of Pretoria, forced the Boers to abandon a strong position fronting Lieutenant-General PoleCarew,' at Elands river, who was operating in the centre of a general advance movement. The mounted infantry and cavalry divisions under Lieutenant-General French and Major-General Huttbn are making a wide detour to the right, driving the Boers before them, and capturing many. Lord Roberts cables the War Office that his troops occupied Bronkorst Spruit forty miles east of Pretoria, on Tuesday. BOERS MOVING ON LYDENBURG. The Boers have evacuated all their positions in the Middleburg district, on the Delagoa Bay railway line, and have moved northward and eastward toward 9 Lydenburg, whither President Kruger is proceeding. Some of the burghers and farmers state that the mercenary troops who are fighting with the Transvaalers alone insist on the prosecution of the war. ANOTHER RAILWAY RAID. The Boers have again swept down on the railway line running through Orange River Colony, as news has been received that two hundred Welsh

Fusiliers and a supply train have been captured by one of De Wet's commandoes at Roodeval.

COMMUNICATIONS RESTORED

Lord Roberts reports that the telegraph and railway lines damaged by the Boers have been restored.

BOER TREACHERY.

Last Saturday night a force of Boers crossed the Joh?nnesburg-Klerksdorp railway (which runs south-west of the Rand goldfield) in an endeavour to junction with another commando about the point of union on the Vaal and Rhenostor rivers.

A British force went in pursuit, and in the course of the chase another instance occurred of the abuse made by the Boers of the uniforms of which they have despoiled British .prisoners. Three* Australian troopers were beckoned to by men clad in khaki, whom they naturally took to be their own comrades. When they approached the Australians were shot by their pretended Britishers.