BULLER’S CONTRACT.

Te Aroha News, Volume XVI, Issue 222052, 17 February 1900, Page 2

BULLER’S CONTRACT.

A BOER VERSION OF THE position;.

(Per Mbana at Auckland,: THursday).San Francmco, Jim. 24. The situation in. South Africa continues most disquieting. : It is believed? in L.ndon that military au’hasti- sare urging General Bullertb move forward, despite inadequate preparation, because one victory is greatly needed x to cheer the Bri.ish_public,; and forr f political>reasons. Bulfbr’s armyis saidi to- have seoured positions at ; three* points on. the Tugela,. but’ Generali Boiler’s own report shows the difficulty of holding the ground gained, and the? impossibility of advancing.. Speculation is rife in London,.and 1 the general trend of opinion appears?, not to be optimistic;- - * M-litary critics in England and Europe* declare General-Buller has undertaken* a-task quite as severe as the one’first attempted in the attack at Cd!eni|fe'. The Boer forces offer such strong’ra--sistnnee, it may tnkedaya, if not weeks’ to cover the twenty mib s now sttetc.hr ihg between: the British > army, atidi Ladysmith. The Boers have mahy * advantages, , but-Buller ep- ears to'frv ' using: great caution > and now kn*>w<s - the enemy’s peculiar methods-of- war-'-fare better, than at the firs*. -

News from Afrikanders is not plentiful, but the following; despatch comesfrom Aden under date January 20th.. “An American' passenger by the steamer- Konig from; the Transvaal makes thef elbowing statement-regard-ing the war. The total losses in* the entire war in killed, wounded, and? g prisoners, including.recent battles doosfl not exceed 800, and than h’llf theBoers are now under arms,. The Government* have 1 notr yeti required the - services off all the burghers.. The ■ Boers have ammunition-for three yearsand Pretoria is provisioned! for one** year. All the Boer victories have been, won- by forces greatly inferior to theBritish ib numbers. The Boer plan i* purely defensive,.and ; £hey are confident they can maintain lie Transvaal! borders against any number of British, troops that can be sent against them.’*’

LATEST London, February 15.' Lord Roberts telegraphing fronu Dokil drift states-tßafc General French: with three Brigades of Cavalry horse - Artillery and mounted infantry, including several 1 Colonial contingents,, started on the 13th to seize a crossingon the Mbdder river, distance 25 from--Methuen’s main- position. Heforced a passnge at Klief drift, and occupied the hilts north of the river..

The British captured three laagerswith suppliess. T 1 e Gordons, Brigade and 1 Hh*sarsseized Yald drift, and another drift ina westerley direction,, capturing, two*

laagers. Lord Rbhortß described the operations as brilliant.. They were carried' out in; excessive heat and a blinding dust" storm..

Owi> g to the rapidity of the movement the Boers offered but slight opposition and the Brittsh losses were small. The Sixth Division reached Watervial drift north of the Reit river on the 13th,. advancing to the support <ff the - cavalry.. The seventh division proceeding forward on the: M4ht Four officers- and fifty three men. liave been prostrated by the heat. It is believed that Lord Roberts has 45,500 troops,, and the presence 'of General Kelly Kenny’s division was a complete surprise to the Bbers. The positions held out Commandant Cronjecmmunications with Bloemfonte : n, isolate Jacob sdal and threaten Fanzesmith. '•