DTHE LATEST.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XXXVI, Issue 6583, 28 December 1899, Page 2

DTHE LATEST.

Received December 28, at 9.5 a.m. BARBED WIRE TACTICS. Drams, December 27. Barbed wire has been placed across the bottom of the fords in the Tugela River. A USELESS CAPTURE. The guns captured by the Boers in the battle on the 16th December were thrown into the Tagela river. AFRAID TO REPLY. Capetown, December 27. The Boers at Modder river 3o notreply : to General Methuen's shells, fearing to disclose the positions of their guns. ■' THE COLONIALS. * * .London, December 27. , . ~ The , D(jilv,jQhfonicle correspondent ~ states that the Austrfijian infantry and Canadian riJtemen Are at Belmont. The" " I " Q Uoe^^ v ®tiKteliafantry'We ftt the. Orange'Rivo& ! H' • THE TW<) COMMANDERS. Lord Kitchener ; joined Lord Roberts aboard the Dunottar Castle at Gibraltar* ? " CONTRABAND OF WAR. The British cruiser Fort captured a cargo of stretchers and railway sleepers at Delagoa Bay intended for the Boers. Cajpbtown, December 27. ARRIVAL OF REINFORCEMENTS. The second battalion of the Middlesex and Royal Lancaster regiments have arrived at Capetown. Strong drafts of other regiments and thousands of mules are also arriving. The mules greatly facilitate transport. ' j JOUBERT HIMSELF AGAIN. General Joubert has again gone to the , front. KRUGER SUSPICIOUS. * . LJP re .Bi3sn^~JCtuger. is auspicious of JJntlßh.gpies in • SEDITIOUS MEitß^W Three members of the Cape AwWjbly are implicated on a nsharge of NICHOLSON'S NEK SURRENDER^, - I London, December 27. The Daily News states it was Colonel Adye, of General -White's staff, the . ' officer accompanying Carleton's Brigade who hoisted the white flag at Nicholson'* , Nek, not a subordinate officer, as pre- ' ! viously rsported. * : . A ORACK CORPS. Before leaving England, Lord Robert" obtained a promise thatthe 16th Lancers Umbolla and Tirah Field Force, Punjab, should be sebt to South Africa.

Twenty thousand have volunteered for tho Imperial Yeomanry regiment. """"W .' BATTLE OF GRASSPAN. Beoeived December 28, at 10 a.m. Sydhbt, December 28. > At tho Battle of Grasspan the enemy had the kopjes studded with trenches and the distances carefully marked t enable the artillery to find the range. At siliiifuelmijrmng tho artillery tlueT' began. The . enemy occupied a long range of kopjes where four oannon were posted mi o=oallfltit_poaition._Tb®-<' ' Boers had tho exact range, the 'shells '~~ - bursting right ov. » our men and shrapnel falling incessantly, but our men stuok gallantly to their guas and returned the fire with interest. After an hour the British guns were taken back a thousand yards, to give the enemy some difficulty to find the range. After three hours' severe work, as the enemy showed no signs of vacating theit stronghold, the infantry advanced and ' the Boers sent a scathing fire into them. The infantry replied and forced the - Xb *«my from the first position, and the ' cavalr>«h ar giiig, oaught a party of • Boers shelter. ■ The Lancers <oams up to the face of one kopje, but found it alive with the enemy and had to retreat. The Boers ooeupied almost each Bide, The engagement then booarae general, Along the face of tho kopjes a'fearful engagement took place. The Marines - bore the brunt' and rushed gallantly, : ' ' Offioer aftor officer fell,' but still our mcu, clambered ovor the boulders undaunted .' . ■ The Boers used their rifles with good effect, but nothing human could stop the ruijh of infantry deiaohments. • "All '' regiments helped tho Marines, and after " four, hovrs' figfiting the enemy were . to their last position. Howeyer, hey resumed fire from the eastern kopje, but were soon silenced;

A few thousand Boars lett oover and fled, but owing to their horsed being ex. hausted the Lancers were unable to follow. ; The artillery, however, poured shells into the retreating enemy. . BATTLE OF BELMONT. The battle of Belmont, two dayj previously, was characterised by n brilliant ' _r charge of the Soots Guards, who took the first position nftcr an hour's combat The Ooldstroams, Northuubcrlanda, 'and Northampton, exposed to . death. dealing fire from the Boers, at first held - their position nniiho. -i at a-great sacrifice. The Boerswcro outflanked and retired on their second position, whore another desperate conflict 'took place. $he naval gun drove them out and they retired ,0.1 thoir llftgeiV • . •' The Lanceri subsequently destroyed the Boora ammunition and rendered the guns useless. • v COLONIAL CONTINGENTS, , Sydney, December 28; The Government, with the consent of. the Imperial authorities, have accepted Major-General French's offer to*volunteer for the Transvaal. . . . Melbourne, December 27. ' 'V' 'Mr Percy Chemside.'has offered Id', J-fv re-establish the Werribee battery and expend £600 in equipping it, if. ihu _•/»_£ Government will'acoept it for the Trimsvaal. ■ Bjusbanb, Deoembor 28. John Ferguson, member of the Goun*. cil, has donated JEIOOO to the patriotio fund. Hobabt, Docember 28. Government has decided to offer a hundred mounted mon for the Transvaal if required. NEW ZEALAND CONTINGENT. (Per Press Association) Wellington, December 2d, It is found that 800 horses will be required for the contingent. This number lias not. yef . been made up and con-,' quently further contributions of. animals will be welcomed.' ■ * Owing to the severity of the regulations many good men are being rejected i i and the "conditions will probably be i A relaxed somewhat. / ■ ■