CONDENSED CABLEGRAMS.

Manawatu Herald, 11 February 1902, Page 2

CONDENSED CABLEGRAMS.

The Transvaal.

SPEECH BY LORD SALISBURY.

The Marquis of Salisbury, speaking at the Junior Constitutional Club, said he was utterly unable to imagine the precise object of the Dutch Government in opening the recent negotiations. Possibly the British pro-Boers were at the bottom of the mystery. The struggle had reached a stage, continued his Lordship, when the suggestions of the intellect ought to carry more weight than those of the emotions. The Government would welcome with delight any peace recognising the King’s rights and providing for the security of the Empire. It must consider the loyalists in South Africa, and obtaining a peace strengthening the devotion of all the colonies, which was growing every year, RECRUITS FOR THE BOERS. Seventy Europeans recently joined peneral Botha. They went throngh Zululand, taking a new heliograph with them. BOTHA’S COMMANDO. Colonel Rawiinson’s mounted column captured thirty men of General Botha’s commando. PEACE NEGOTIATIONS. Mr Balfour states that Lord Kit-

chener has been asked to communicate to the Boer leaders Dr Kuyper’s and Lord Juansdowne’s Notes. BRITISH LOSSES. The British losses by death in the war to end of January, including deaths from disease, total 965 officers and 24,340 men. THE KRUGER CLIQUE. The Kruger clique is incensed at Dr Kuyper’s fruitless intervention. GREAT BRITAIN’S DEMANDS. Lord Salisbury’s speech has convinced Germany that Great Britain, does not intend to abate her demands in South Africa, ADMISSIONS FROM THE ENEMY. The " National Zeitung ’’ says it is apparent from Commandant Smuts’s letter that the so-called English barbarities were sometimes regarded by the Boers as military necessities, thus showing the impropriety of characterising British soldiers as murderers and farm-burners. Commandant Smuts also confirmed the allegation that the British were forced to established concentration camps. NEW ZEALANDERS IN A HOT AFFAIR. Details of the fighting at Liebenbergsvlei show that a hundred and twenty of the Seventh New Zealanders, in pursuing the guns and convoy, charged the Boer rearguard. Sixty men, who were strongly posted, then galloped to the head of the con* voy. The enemy simultaneously collided with three of Colonel Garratt’s sections, which had previously been posted ahead. The Boers were chased for eight milts in a westerly direction. The only casualties were one New Zealander killed and two wounded. While capturing the guns the New Zealanders repulsed a bold attempt by Commandant Meares to recapture a pompom depot three miles off. Meares was hotly pursued, and' quitted the cart in which he was riding, and escaped on horseback, a small guard of his men delaying pursuit. It was De Wet, not Meares, who escaped on horseback from the fight at Liebenbergsvlel. DEATHS OF NEW ZEALANDERS. Privates F. E. Pahl (Nelson) and F. Goode (Riverton, Otago), of the Sixth New Zealand Contingent, have died of enteric. Privates T. S. Hickens and F. G. Brown (Tauranga), of the Seventh New Zealanders, have died of wounds. BOERS AND MR KRUGER. Servage and Locks, two Boer officers who have been sent to Mr Kruger, were interviewed on landing at Marseilles. They said the Boers have implicit confidence in Mr Kruger. He haconlyto pronounce the word, and if he bids them to submit they will obey. TALK OF PEACE OVERTURES* Mr Chamberlain stated that Lord Milner would be associated with Lord Kitchener in considering if any overtures for peace should be entertained. A COMMANDANT CAPTURED. A scout captured Commandant Marais near Laing’s Burg. MISCELLANEOUS. Details of the Liebenbergsvlei affair show that six squadrons of the South African Light Horse and a squadron of Yeomanry captured a convoy of seven hundred cattle, dispersed seventy Boers. } and captured Mr Steyn’s remount depot, and twenty of his splendid horses. At the same time, Calonel Garratt’s Seventh New Zealanders and Sixth Queensland Bushmen defeated Commandant Means’s commando, 300 strong, with a 15pounder and two pompoms. The Boer Government’s headquarters are now at Steenkampsberg. It is reported that the raids on De Wet’s numerous stores of grain are a worse blow to the Boer than the blockhouses. The absence of food prevents prolonged concentration of the enemy. M. de Blowitx, Paris correspondent of "The Time,” says the opinion is gaining ground on the Continent from Dr Knyper’s Note that he will be glad to rid Holland of the Boer delegates whose agitation is disquieting. Sir Jobs Cockburn, Agent General for South Australia, in a letter to " The Times ” on the remount scandal showed the unparalleled advantage of establishing remount depots in Australia, as advocated by Sir Langdon Bonython, of Adelaide. The National Scouts ia the Middel* burg district have captured an additional twenty Boers, including Cornet Gomos. t

The capture by Colonel Kekewleh of Albert’* commando, numbering a bun* dred and thirty-one, was due to_ a night march. The pompom and rifle fire caused a stampede among the Boers’ horses. The commando was completely surprised and made scarcely any resistance. The protest of Andres Croaje, brother of the general, against the prolongatioa of the war, and announcing the formation of a burgher corps, has annoyed General Do la Rey, who replied curtly.