The Transvaal.

Manawatu Herald, 27 November 1900, Page 2

The Transvaal.

MR KRUGER. Mr Kruger received an enthusiastic reception at Marseilles, but there were no anti- British cries. : He declared on landing that "he had often had occasion to fight against barbarous tribes, but the British were worse barbarians than any others. They had armed Kaffirs, and were leaving women and children roofless and without bread. He asserted that the Republics would never surrender with the loss of independence, and implied that no Boer — man, woman or child — would be left alive. DE WET. The Maseru natives report that General Christian De Wet, with 1000 men, got through the British lines between Alexandria and Warringham's, and went to Dewetsdorp forty-five south-east of Bloemfontein. Nine natives were shot in the vicinity on suspicion of acting as informants. SURPRISE OF AN OUTPOST. A British outpost consisting of a number of men belonging to the Bufts, stationed south-west of Balmoral, was recently suprised by a Boer force. Six men were killed in the engagement which ensued, five wounded, and 31 captured. The post was afterwards re-occupied by the British who captured four Boers in addition to five found wounded. A BRUSH WITH THE ENEMY. The British on Sunday shelled the Boers out of a hill at Baberspan into the plains, whece the Lancers several times charged them. The enemy, who were pursued for miles, suffered badly. Commandant Brand was wounded. The British casualties were few. AN AFRIKANDER'S WARNING. Mr Theophilus Schreiner (brother of the ex- Premier of Cape Colony), has warned Great Britain against a premature withdrawal of troops from South Africa. THE EXPULSION OF UNDESIRALBES. Count Richtofen, the German Minister of Foreign Affairs, speaking in the Reichstag, explained that the expulsion by Great Britain of undersirable; from the Transvaal was in accordance with international law. Great Britain he said, in reply to a cominunicntion trom Germany, had promised to compensate any Germans who should be expelled without due cause. The Minister added that many claims had been presented, but they were exaggerated and in: tenable. LORD KITCHENER. The " Standard " announces that Lord Kitchener will be promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-General forthwith, and receives a higher grade when Lord Roberts returns to England. A VICTORIA CROSS HERO. Lieut. Guy Wylie, of the Tasmanian Mounted Infantry, has been awarded the Victoria Cross for conspicuous bravery at Warm Baths, during the recent fighting north of Pretoria. MILITARY OPERATIONS. The garrison at Bronkliorst Spruit, thirty miles east of Pretoria, repulsed an attack by the enemy the first shell fired wounding thirteen of the latter. A force of 200 Royal Fusiliers, splendidly entrenched near the Wilge River, repulsed, after eight hours' j fighting, a body of 800 Boers. The latter's casualties numbered 100. With regard to the recent surprise and capture of an outpost of Buffs near Balmoral, it is said that the main 1 body of the Buffs fought for six hours k and killed sixty of the enemy, who '

were under Commandant Prehrbus, mostly with shells. The Buffs captured earlier in the fight were released. The British loss was six killed and eleven wounded. MISCELLANEOUS. On arriving in Ceylon, General Olivier, the noted Free State leader, who was captured at Lindley, was entertained at lunch by Colonel Sir Joseph West Ridgeway, Governor of the island. Dr Hnrnabrook, a South Australian, Who distinguished himself at the battle of Dundee by capturing, singlehanded, a number of prisoners, has been retained as an adviser to the Cape Government in connection with the plague, on the strength of experience gained in India. News has been received that Lieut.General Baden- Powell, who has been suffering from enteric fever, is ingLord Roberts was somewhat bruised by his recent accident. He cables : — '• Am doing work, and hope to be about soon." A British column under MajorGeneral Boyes is clearing the country between Vrede and Harnsmith, in the east of Orange River Colony. Twentythree Boers have been killed. THE HARLECH CASTLE. The transport Harlech Castle, with returning Australians and New Zealand troops on , board, arrived at Albany on November 25. GENERAL BULLER. The Freedom of the City of Exeter has been presented to General Buller, accompanied by a sword of honour presented by the county. MR KRUGER'S TOUR. The Mayor of Marseilles and many deputations presented numerous addresses to Mr Kruger. Dr Leyds represented the ex- President at a banquet. Owing to the absence of notification from Great Britain respecting the annexation of the Republics, the French Government has decided to receive Mr Kruger as a sovereign travelling incog* nito. President .Loubet will exchange visits with him if desired. Mr Kruger has started for Paris, where the Boer Committee has placarded the city, urging that a warm welcome shall be accorded him. In his farewell speech at Marseilles, the ex- President expressed a hop** that the sympathy of the French people would be followed by acts. ■ The authorities at Lyons took a prominent part in a great demonstration to welcome ex- President Kruger. At Dijon, where he slept, enormous crowds accorded the ex- President an ' overwhelming ovation. The Mayor, in welcoming him, sympathised with Mr Kruger in the sadness of his mournful journey, and with the Boers in their ill fated heroism. The town was decorated and illuminated. It is noticeable that, since President Loubet's decision to receive Mr Kruger, the enthusiasm has heighted as the latter advanced northwards. American papers which had previously been pro-Boer in their sympathies now advise Mr Kruger to adi rait his defeat. The coolness of the British press is commended. The leading French newspapers declare that intervention is impossible, and that all wars, especially mercenary and guerilla conflicts, are barbarous. These journals also commisserate with the sufferings of those who have already surrendered and have sworn neutrality.