The Transvaal.
METHUEN CLOSE UP,
The latest information concerning the operations that are being carried out to check the movements of General Christian De Wet's commando, show that since his engagement with MajorGeneral Smith-Dorrien's troops at Wolverdiend the Boer leader has crossed the Klerksdorp-Johannesburg line of railway and marched westward towards Ventersdorp, thirty miles from the scene of the last fight.
On Sunday the Boers' rearguard was again overtaken, this time by Lord Methuen, who captured a gun and effectively shelled the main convoy. During that night De Wet exploded three ammunition waggons, and abandoned thirty exhausted horses and some additional ammunition. Sixty British prisoners escaped from his laager and joined Lord Kitchener's division, which had reached a point eight miles eastward of Ventersdorp. It appears that ex- President Steyn is kept under surveillance in the Boer camp. It transpires that in the hope of intercepting De Wet, Lieut.-General Hamilton marched his force from Rustenburg to Blaaubank, a point which now turns out to be forty-five miles eastward of the Boer Commandant's present position. j A body of troops, under MajorGeneral Mahon, who has been with Lord Roberta's forces around Middleburg, on the Delagoa Bay railway, Js
pushing westward to join the other commanders in pursuit of De Wet. CARRINGTON'S REBUFF. Additional particulars have been received of the engagements fought by General Carrington's troops with General De La Rey's commando after the latter had captured Colonel Hoare's garrison at Elands river. On the sth inst. General Carrington with 600 New South Wales Bushmen and six guns, advanced to within two miles of Colonel Hoare's camp, but found it impossible to dislodge the Boers, who held 3 strongly entrenched position, his force being too small to attempt flanking operations. The Boers tried to envelope the British force on both flanks, and it was only by the colonials displaying great steadiness and the artillery fire being effective that a serious situation was prevented. General Carrington then retired to Groot Marico, but discovered that Boers barred the road to Zeerust. The. enemy captured a small convoy at Kleinfontein, but the colonials repulsed a determined attack, and regained Zeerust on the 7th. The casualties were twelve wounded and seventeen missing. Most of the latter, however, turned up later on. The Bushmen showed great coolness in this their first fight, scouting and skirmishing admirably. BOERS MARCHING ON MAFEKING.
Commandant Grobelaar, who has been co-operating with General De La Rey around Rustenburg and Elands river, is marching on Mafekirig, whither General Carrington retired on the 7th inst.
Before evacuating Rustenburg, which the Boers have now re-occupied, Lieu-tenant-General Baden-Powell destroyed the fortifications which he had thrown up while invested by De La Key. Colonel Hoare's column at Elands river, which was supposed to have been captured on the 6th inst., was, it now appears, still resisting on Friday last, though the Boer shell fire was terrific.
Two squadrons of Victorian Mounted Infantry, under Colonel Baker, relieved a British patrol which had been surrounded near Mafeking by a strong body of Boers. The Victorians had two casualties.
After traversing the worst stretch of road. General Carrington has been ordered to return forthwith to Zeerust.
General lan Hamilton (who wa? last heard of at Blaaubank, on the Johan-nesburg-Klerksdorp railway), has been instructed to proceed to the assistance of Colonel Hoare. The latter's casualties number 67. THE PRETORIA PLOT. Two of the ring-leaders in the re-cently-discovered plot against Lord Roberts wore the uniforms of British officers.
INSIDE THE BOER LINES. Mr Bennett Burleigh, war correspondent of the London " Daily Telegraph," pushed on ahead of Lord Roberts's troops to Belfast, a town on the Delagoa railway, some twentyseven miles east of Middleburg, and had an interview with CommandantGeneral Louis Botha and Commandant Viljoen. According to Mr Burleigh's report there are eight thousand Boers strongly posted on the hills at Bothamly, north of Belfast. The force has plenty of guns, but has been demoralised by the rapidity of Lord Roberts's movements. The burghers are indulging in wholesale looting. LOSSES OF THE ENEMY. Official papers of the Transvaal Government show that seven thousand Transvaalers were lost in the operations between January and June. Of these one thousand were killed. INDUCEMNTS TO SETTLERS. The farms in Rhodesia offered by British South African Company as an inducement to Australasians to settle are each 3000 acres in extent. The colonials are offered £24 per annum as a retainer for military service. PROMOTION. The Premier received a cablegram yesterday from Lieutenant-Colonel Sommerville, of the fifth contingent, dated Mafeking, 15th August, slating that the members of the contingent are all well.
The message adds that Lieutenant Seddon has been offered, and has accepted, a position on Lord Roberts's staff. He is now at Mafeking, but will proceed to Pretoria shortly.
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Manawatu Herald, 18 August 1900, Page 2
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792The Transvaal. Manawatu Herald, 18 August 1900, Page 2
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