The Transvaal.

Manawatu Herald, 30 October 1900, Page 2

The Transvaal.

GOOD ADVICE DECLINED. Three confidential despatches have been officially published at The Hague. On May 30th, 1899, Mr \V. H. de Beaufort, Minister for Foreign Affairs, warned Mr Kruger of the danger of a violent solution of the troubles then existing in the Transvaal. As , a faithful triend he counselled the utmost conciliation and moderation, adding that Germany fully concurred in such a course. Mr Kruger replied that he had always been conciliatory.,, and did not desire wp;, but was unable to sacrifice indepiiicr nee. • liS. (siVQtired granting the suffr ige, but would not tolerate Englishmen remaining- Britishers and voting. On August 4th, Mr'Be;iuf."»rt- urged Mr Kruger not to peremptorily refuse the International Commission, to which the President replied that the Commission was not an International one, but Anglo-Transvaal. On August 15th, Mr Beaufort telegraphed that Germany entirely concurred in the inadvisability of declining the proposal. He was convinced that any appeal to a Great Power at such a a critical moment would be barren and dangerous to the Republic. Mr Kruger replied that the proposal would lead to . very direct internal interference with the Transvaal, and tn c tt he uid not intend to appeal to a Great Power. COLESBERG. A Boer commando is raiding the Colesberg and Orange River districts. DEATH OF DE VILLIERS. Commandant de Villiers, a noted Free Stater, has died of wounds received some months ago in the fighting near Ladybrand.' MR SCHREINER. Mr Schreiner has resigned his. seat in the Legislative Assembly because his constituents . have censured his attitude over the High Treason Bill. The Progressive and Africander Bond members regard the retirement of the ex- Premier with indifference. TIDINGS OF DE WET. A force under Major-General Burton scattered General De Wet's c immando at Frederickstad, inflicting heavy loss and capturing prisoners. The Royal Scots and Welsh Fusiliers showed distinguished gallantry. Thirteen of then were killed and twentyeight woilnded. The enemy abandoned twenty-four dead and nineteen wounded. Twenty six were captured. Three Boers who fired treacherously after having held up their hands were court martialled and shot. j CAPTURE OF BRITISH CAVALRY. Forty three British cavalry, chiefly Scots Greys, Hussars and Dragoons, were captured outside Philippolis in an engagement on the 22nd inst. There is great indignation in Capetown at the Free Staters having destroyed a section of the railway north of Norval's Pont. The capture was the the result of an amh;ish. The B-<ers held Philippolis for several d -vs. They were then expelled witti" loss by Nesbitc's Horse and Yeomanry. RAIDERS FROM NATAL. A number of Nat.il rebels exploded a culvert and raided and burned Waschbank station. They tried to burn the new buildings, but on the arrival of an armed force the marauders disappeared into the hills around Glencoe. CAMPAIGNING IN THE WEST. Troops under Lord Methuen, Colonel Douglas and Colonel the Earl of Errol are disloding and scattering the Boers in the vicinity of Zeerust. Forty-nine of the enemy and twenty waggons were captured. !

Three hundred Boers made an unsuccessful attack on Jacobsdal, near Modder River. The garrison, consisting of Capetown Volunteers and Highlanders made an obstinate resistance. Fourteen British were killed and twenty wounded. The assailants were oathbreakers. AN UNWELCOME VISITOR. The Belgian Government threatens to expel Mr Kruger it he prolongs ins sojourn at Brussels. BRITAIN AND THE REPUBLICS. It is stated by the " Standard " that the annexation of the South African Republics will soon be announced to the Powers. Six thousand troops of all arms participated •at Pretoria in the ceremony of proclaming the annexation ot the Republic. The scene was an impressive one. The Basuto chiefs who were present tendered the Governor expressions of loyalty to the Queen. LORD ROBERTS'S RETURN. It is officially announced that Lord Roberts will sail for England on the 15th November, and assnmo the position of Comm.inder-in-Chief of the Army in December. STEYN'S LATEST CAPITAL. Ex- President Steyn has returned to Orange River Colony from the Transvaal, and is reported to be at Fourtesburg, which he has proclaimed his capital. COLONIAL TROOPS. Seven hundred Australian troops have quitted Pretoria, and will embark at Capetown for Australia shortly. A hearty farewell to the men is being prepared. Captain Aytoun's force captured two field cornets and a number of waggons at Pienaar's river, a station on the river north of Pretoaia. MISCELLANEOUS. Major-General French's troops had constant skirmishes between Bethel and Heidelburg, Colonel Hunt's Yeomanry captured thirty-five Boers and many cattle. Sixty five prisoners were captured in three days by Major-General Paget's force. In the march from Carolina to Bethel Major-General French's force was fighting and snipping daily. The women combatants at Jagersfontein, in Orange River Colony, where a night attack was recently made on the British garrison, are being removed to Cape Colony for punishment. Colesberg has been garrisoned. Lieutenant Aldridge, of the Orange River Colony Police, and ten men from Rouxville, worked along the Basutoland frontier, and then galloped over a hill into the town of Zastron, where they captured the Landdrost and nine Boers, and released two Britishers.