The Transvaal.

Manawatu Herald, 11 December 1900, Page 2

The Transvaal.

STRENGTH OF THE ENEMY. The "Standard" says that the Boers claim to still have twenty thousand fighting men, who are largely participating in concerted movements southward. COMMANDEERING WAGGONS. Lord Kitchener has stopped paying burghers hire fcr waggons until reisstance has ceased. THE AFRIKANDER BOND. Four hundred Afrikander Bond delegates, with many Dutch clergy and members of Parliament, will attend the Congress to be held at Worcester 109 niiles from Capetown. Detachments ot Canadian artillery, and Australians, with two Maxims, and the New South Wales Lancers are encampered on the slopes around the town, A cricket match between the Australians and a local team has been postponed, the former not being allowed to enter the town. The Dutch residents are incensed at the British precautions, especially at guns commanding the meeting-place of the forthcoming congress. DE WET. Failing to force the Comassie bridge over the Orange River, where British troops were posted, General De Wet u'ckked to the north-east. He abandoned five hundred horses and many waggons during the march. He is now hard pressed on all sides. AFRIKANDER BOND CONGRESS, The annual Congress of the Afrikander Bond is being held at Worcester, Cape Colony. Mr J. De Villiers, brother of Sir J. H. De Villiers, Chief Justice of Cape Colony, presided, and delivered a temperate speech, but Mr D. Voss, who recently formed one df the Afrikander deputation to England, abused the English Liberals for their pusillanimous policy. . Some . violent speeches were delivered, and resolutions in favour of maintaining the independence of the Boer Republics were voted by acclamation. There were 7000 delegates present, and it is claimed that the Congress represents 120,000 burghers. Mr Cronwright Schreiner aroused a passion of fury and resentment by repeating wild charges against the British troops, and heaping virulent abuse on Sir Alfred Milner. Most of the speakers repudiated the idea of an Afrikander rebellion. DEFENCE OF ALIWAL NORTH. With a view to providing for defence beyond that afforded by a town guard a. hundred stroug, huudreds of loyalists of all classes at Aliwal North gladly responded to the invitation to take up arms. The prisoners (400), taken at Dewetsdorp have been released, with the exception of the officers. De Wet's force is laagered close to Aliwal North. General De Wet moved east and north-east from Odendal, on the Orange river, twenty miles west of Aliwal North. Major-General Knox, whose troops were following, captured a Krupp gun and a waggon of ammunition. Major-General Hector Macdonald is 1 in command at Aliwal North. ANNEXATION. Lord Salisbury's declaration in the House of Commons that the war in South Africa would be vigorously prosecuted to the end is interpreted on the Continent as 3, final ultimatum that Gteat Britain will not accept arbitration.