Africa

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 115, 8 October 1914, Page 5

Africa

> THE NAMAQUALAND DISASTER. ' DETAILS OF THE FIGHTING. GERMAN RUSE SUCCEEDS, Received 7, 11.45 p.m. London, October 8. Reater'g correspondent with the Nainaqualand expedition give details of the fighting leading to the surrender. Tw» squadrons of the first South Afri' can Mounted Rifles, a. section of the : Transvaal Artillery, and the advance guard occupied a waterhole and approached, through a narrow defile. The Germans apparently retired, but when the party outspanned at night, 2000 Germans, with ten guns, attacked from the surrounding kopjes and seized the defile. The fight was continued the following, morning, every Transvaal gunner being killed or wounded. Meanwhile the main force made desperate efforts at rescue by tho advance of tw» squadrons, which suffered heavy casualties from the machine-guns in attempting to force a second entrance to the valley. By noon the British ammunition was exhausted, and the party destroyed the guns while the riflemen kept down the "enemy's fire. Then they hoisted the 'white flag. The German commander complimented thq South Africans on their gallantry and accuracy of gunfire. They treated the prisoner* well, and buried the British dead with the honors of war/ A FORMIDABLE ENEMY. OUTPOSTS WELL EQUIPPED. COUNTRY DIFFICULT FOR OPERATIONS. Received 7, 5.25 p.m. i Capetown, October 6. 1 The South African forces are entering t the campaign against admirably-trained and equipped troops.

The number of Germans iB estimated at ten thousand, composed of mounted infantry, artillery, and a camel corps of SM well supplied with machine-guns. Prisoners state that there are <6 gu:i batteries, and that many of the police posts are virtually blockhouses, manned b/ ex-artillerymen and dotted about the country. The military and reserves arc armed with Mausers and one-edged bayonets like saws. The stations aTe connected by telephone, tclegTaph, and wireless. The territory is k difficult one in which to conduct operations, several of tike defensive stations being of great strength.

iTRUNGTII OP GERMAN FORCES,

COALING ARRANGEMENTS.

Capetown, October 6.

A Cape Times correspondent states that the Germans in South-west Africa hav® 10,000 well-trained troopß, 08 guns and many machine-guns. A large number of blockhouses are manned by artillerymen with a couple of machine-guns. The German cruiser Eber left the Cape before the outbreak of war. A letter addressed to her commander was intercepted. It contained instructions, dated June 14, revealing a complete system for coaling the German navy in the event of the outbreak of war, through secret agents in Capetown, New York, and Chicago. It was arranged that Colliers Aould leave Table Bay, ostensibly for England, and meet tha warships at an agreed rendezvous. "I'M GLAD I EMPLOYED THE NZ. EXPRESS COMPANY t# move my furniture. Look at it now! Tou would never think it had teen out of this room. It makes all the difference when tie work is dona carefully. The me* seat knew their work. I'm * delighted.* Hundreds of clients write to gus thia way.—The NJS. Express Company "(Ltd.). i .. . '' - t