CONDENSED CABLEGRAMS.

Manawatu Herald, 4 September 1900, Page 2

CONDENSED CABLEGRAMS.

The Transvaal. GENERAL DE WET. The Boer prisoners captured by Lieut-General Baden- Powell to the northward of Pretoria, report that General Christian De Wet, the famous Boer raiding leader, is dead. NEWS FROM THE WEST. The troops under LieutenantGeneral Sir Frederick Carrington have been engaged in skirmishing between Zeerust and Mafeking. A cyclone passed over Matekmg and did enormous damage. The encampments were levelled by the wind, i and patients had to be removed from the tent hospital in torrents of rain.

OPERATIONS IN THE EAST. President Kruger and all his officials have reached Nellspruit, on the Delagoa Bay railway, 50 miles east of Machadodorp. Boer commandoes are laagering to the north ot the railway between the Crocodile river and Nellspruit. It is reported at Delagoa Bay that British troops have occupied WatervalBoven. CLEARING OUT. Mr Ersmith, a member of the Transvaal Voldsraad, and many burghers are sailing from Delagoa Bay for Europe. Seventeen boxes of bar gold have arrived at Delagoa Bay from Watervalonder. RELEASE OF BRITISH PRISONERS. The Boers have released all the British prisoners hitherto kept at Nooitgedacht. They are marching to Waterval-onder, on the Delagoa Bay railway line. BRITISH LOSSES, The total British losses in the war to date amount to 40,571. MISCELLANEOUS. Lord Methuen has reached Mafeking. The Boer raiders in Natal have recrossed the Buffalo river, having failed to interrupt the British communications. The Elands river garrison, which Lord Kitceener» relieved, marched to Mafeking, as all its horses had been shot. The troops were besieged twelve days, during which the Boer artillery surrounded the camp, while sniping was incessant. OPERATIONS AGAINST BOTHA, It has been found that the Delagoa Bay railway, along which the British forces are advancing, is intact as far as Watenral-onder. Most of the Boers who has been opposing the Buitish advance eastward are retreating on Barberton, the goldnelds district south of the railway, and taking their guns with them. General Buller and LieutenantGeneral French, after a rearguard action, expelled the Boers from the high hills overlooking Helvetia, the place ten miles north-east Machadodorp to which they were on Thursday reported to have retreated. Major-General Lord Dundonald's cavalry column supplemented by the Strathcona Horse (the Canadian regiment raised by Lord Strathcona, High Commissioner for the Dominion of Canada in London), is nearing Nooitgedacht, which is deserted except for the prisoners. HELP BEING SENT TO MAFEKING. News has been received that Lieu.Colonel Kekewich, with the North Lanchashire Regiment, is hastening to Mafeking. CLEVER CAPTURE OF BOERS Further particulars have been received of the recent Boer attack on Winburg, in Orange River Colony. It appears that during the fighting eight Cape Volunteers sqrtied and took possession of a donga at the rear of the enemy. Whsn the Boers retired up the donga twenty-eight of them were captured, among them being Olivier and his three sons. Observing two hundred more Boers approaching the Volunteers fired with great rapidity, killing six of their opponents. The rest of the commando fled, and the prisoners were retured to camp. The incident was a miniature of what occurred at Sannas Post, where De Wet ambushed Broadwood's brigade.