CONDENSED CABLEGRAMS.

Manawatu Herald, 20 March 1902, Page 2

CONDENSED CABLEGRAMS.

The Transvaal. METHUEN’S REVERSE. Lord Methuen reports that in the engagement at Tweebosch, the rearscreen of mounted infantry in his own column was rushed down and overwhelmed. The ox and mule convoys were then a mile a part. While they were closing up without disorder, the rearscreen, which was reinforced by all the available mounted infantry and a section of the 48th Battery, maintained the position for an hour. Meanwhile two hundred infantry were being disposed so as to resist an attempt to outflanked the left of the rearguard. , . . , i'ne Boers pressed the attack hard. The mounted men attempting to fall back, the infantry got completely out of hand, carrying with them in their rout the bulk of the remaining inounteds.

Two guns of the 38th Battery were left unprotected, but continued in action until everyone except Lieutenant T. P. W. Nesham was hit. When called upon to surrender, he refused, and was killed. Lord Methuen himself, with two hundred men of the Northumberland Fusiliers and two hundred guns of the 4th Battery, though isolated, fought on for three hours.

, A hundred of the Loyal North Regiment with forty Cape Police, occupied a kraal near the waggons, repelling repeated attacks. When Lord Methuen was wounded the casualties were becoming exceedingly heavy, and the ammunition was almost expended. The Northumberland Fusiliers accordingly surrendered at half past nine. The party in the kraal resisted until ten o’clock, when two guns and pom : poms rendered their position untenable. Most of the Boers were clad in khaki many wearing British badges of rank, and they were hot distinguishable from British soldiers even at close quarters. Lord Methuen’s report states that the infantry and artillery fought well. A few parties of Imperial Yeomanry and Cape Police continued to resistafter the panic had swept the bulk of the mounted men oft the field. The Daily Mail states that Lord Methuen was about to ride a distance to rally the mounted men when he received his wound. The bullet killed his horse. General De la Rey sent Lord Methuen to Klerksdorp under the care of his nephew. General Shalk Burger bitterly opposed the step, and sent a party of burghers, who brought Lord Methuen back. General De la Rey, however, persisted in liberating the prisoner and overbore opposition. The Standard," in describing the capture of Lord Methuen, states that the Boers formed up in five lines and g»Hoped straight at the rearguard. They were first sighted four miles away. The Imperial Yeomanry and Ashburnham’s Horse opened fire at fourteen hundred yards. The Boers replied heavily while charging with splendid courage. Their wings tried to encircle the rearguard. The Diamond Fields Horse and. Scouts helped to check the charge until the Boers, heedless of the hot fire, made a desperate rush fairly stampeding the mounted men, who fled in a blind panic. Although now unprotected, the Artillery fired coolly and steadily until they were all shot. Meanwhile the infantry and a section of the 4th Battery on the right flank kept the Boers at a distance of six hundred yards. The Boers finally dismounted and laid down. Lord Methuen, failing to collect the mounted.men, rode back to the guns. Encouraging the gunners with voice

and gesture, he was a conspicuous targer for the concentrated Boer fire, and his horse was hit iu three places. One by one the gunners shelled the kraal, surrender became inevitable. INTERRUPTED OPERATIONS. The recent loss of two convoys in the north-west of Cape Colony is delaying operations against Commandant Maritz. STEYN AND DE WET. Mr Steyn and General De Wet are at Parys, twenty-four miles west of Wolvehoek. ATTITUDE OF THE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT. Signor Prinatti, the Italian Minister for Foreign Affairs, refused to intervene in South Africa. He emphasised the cordial relations of Italy and Great Britain, and flattering referred to Mr Chamberlain's action in regard to the Malta language difficulty. REINFORCEMENTS. Within a month ten thousand troops will leave England for South Africa. STATEMENT BY LORD ROBERTS. Lord Roberts has written to one of his correspondents stating that there is not the slightest canse for uneasiness in regard to South Africa, nor any reason to suppose that the war will be prolonged by recent events. Latest. NATAL INVADERS RETURNING. The Boers who. invaded Natal have recroasod the Drakensberg ranges. BRITISH MARKSMENSHIP. Ben Viljoen considers the British artillery now fires fifty times better than at the beginning of the war. COMMONWEALTH CONTINGENT. ; The transport Custodian, with further detachments of the Commonwealth Contingent, has arrived at Durban.