THE ADVANCE ON PRETORIA.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 95, 8 May 1900, Page 3

THE ADVANCE ON PRETORIA.

A RAPID MOVEMENT INTENDED. HOW THE BRITISH FORCES ABE DISPOSED. | CASUALTIES AT HAUTNEK. [Br Elbotrio Telbgkaph.—Copybiqht.] (PBB PRESS ASSOCIATION.) (Received 7, 9.5 am.) London, May 6. There is a strong impression in official circles at Capetown that Lord Roberts will advance rapidly upon Pretoria. Of the British generals who have been particularly active during the last week, General Brabant has a column near Dewetsdorp, General Bundle commands Thaba N'chu, while General French is busily engaged operating at the front. Lord Roberts wired on Saturday from the Vet River that after shelling them for three hours General Hutton's mounted force turned the enemy's right flank and dashingly forced the passage of the river in the face of heavy shell and musketry fire. The Haut&ek casualties include the following:—Killed: Trooper P. Smith; wounded, Troopers Lewis, Mayell, and Tweedie, all of New South Wales. Of those wounded at Thaba N'chu, Lieut. limey's wound in the head is a serious one. Private Cou&hlan, of Warrnambool, is a prisoner, with his leg broken. Private James Fahey, of the New Zealand Mounted Infantry, was also dangerously wounded. The Boers are busy fortifying and provisioning at their new capital, Lydenburg, north-east of Pretoria. THE OCCUPATION OF BRANDFOBT. A DESPERATE FIGHT. MAGNIFICENT PLACING OF BRITISH TROOPS. (Received 8, 1.27 ajn.) London, May 7. Lord Roberts, from a kopje at Karee, he&ographed his instructions for the co-ordination of the British movements. Four thousand Boers held a strong line of defences. Generals Bruce and Hamilton followed a line of kopjes to the east, while General Tucker advanced nearer to the line of communication. General Pole-Oarew moved to the centre. General Hufcton, with the Colonial Division, made a wide detour, arriving unexpectedly to the east of Brandfort, and seized the unoccupied kopjes. They opened with a raking fire from the 9th Field Battery, driving the Boers on the plains towards the hills overlooking the town. Several shells were placed magnificently in the midst of the enemy. Rimington's Guides seized the hill, when the enemy evacuated the towu, General Maxwell meanwhile forcing ji the position eastwards. -k The whole Boer section streamed north, nearly losing their convoy and guns. Tho commandant of the town, returning to destroy the telegraph instruments, was captured. Reuter's correspondent states that the Irish-American Brigade were in a state of rest, and refused to fight, and 4 merely manned the kopjes near the town.