THE WAR.

Waikato Argus, Volume VII, Issue 526, 14 December 1899, Page 3

THE WAR.

REVERSE AT STORMBERG,

672 BRITISH CAPTURED. NEW ZEAL ANDERS IN ACTION. FREE STATERS DESERTING. [UNITKD PRESS ASSOCIATION.] (BY ELKCTRIC TELEGRAPH. COPYRIGHT). Capetown, December 11 General Gataore with 3000 men, including the 2ud Northumberlunds, 2nd Irish Rifles and 800 mounted infantry, the 74th und 77th batteries of artillery, marched on Saturday night from Moltern with a view to surprising 2500 Boers at Stormberg. When within two miles of Stormberg they encountered the enemy, who opened a suddou firo on the front and right flank. Tho British sought cover behind a kopje, but were still within range, and shifted thence, the batteries covering the retreat. Boer reinforcements uppeared, und the Northumberlands und Irish Rifles were sout to intercept them, but tbey suffered a heavy fire from machine guns. The enemy was under-estimated, and occupied an impregnable posision, which the infantry were unable to assail, while the enemy's two 40 pounders harassed the retreat. The Northumberlands and Irish behaved spleudidly, but it is feared their losses are heavy, there being 290 Irish and 306 Nothumberlands missing. General Gatacre telegraphs his regret at the serious reverse. Ho was misled as to the enemy's position by guides. He found them on impracticable ground. December 11. When General Gatacre's force was surprised near Stormberg the infantry bebavsd as coolly as if on parade. After three hours' desperate fighting against 6000 Boers, they succeeded in carrying an almost impregnable position, but only to find it untenable, the location being commanded by a fort and rifle fire from three direction?. During the retirement the incessant shelling caused some disorder. The British artillery worked splendidly, and averted a great disaster. Molteno was regained after 30 hours' hard work. It is feared the missing men have been captured. The Boers are entrenched in a semicircular hilly position across the railway line to Jagersfoutein on the east and Spytfontein on the west, the former being the strongest position. The lyddite shelling on Saturday unmasked 12 guns, all of which were silenced within an hour at a range of 7000 yards. Much friction exists between President Steyn and General Cronje, and many Free Staters are deserting the latter's forces. Mafeking reported all well on November 30. A hundred-pounder of the enemy has been silenced. The New South Walea contingent with the New Zealanders in the centre, and the Dragoons on the flank, occupied Arundel, in Northern Cape Colony. They were under lire for five hours, but came through scathless. The New South Wales force only had one horse killed. The artillery and a battalion of Scots reinforce Steerkßtrom. Two thousand Boers, near Colesburg, are breaking railway communication. The Australians, while scouting, captured a troop of horses. The New Zealanders presented the Boers from seizing a kopje, killing three. Durban. December 11. The, British had four killed and 17 wounded in surprising the Boer camp at Lombardskop. General White has sent General Buller by pigeon plans of the Boer position. December 12. Pretoria announces that 672 British were captured at Stormberg. The Colenso commando, with six guns, is under the command of German officers, who are inspiring General Schalkburgor in the conduct ef the Ladysmith siege. London, December 12. Great Britain, at the instance of the Boers through the Netherlands Government, has agreed to furnish lists and to state the condition of the Boor prisoners, and expects the courtesy to be reciprocated by the Boers. THE QUEENSLAND TROOPS. Sydney, December 12. The Cornwall, with the Queensland troops, arrived at Port Elizabeth on Sunday. Only two horses out of 285 were lost. THE RETURNED LANCERS. Sydney, December 12. A military inquiry regarding the action of the 31 Lancers who returned has been held. The report states that, with the exception of eight, satisfactory explanations were furnished, but as the eight had committed no breach of military regulations their action was nothing more than an error of judgment. Two troopers were dismissed for insubordination during the voyage.

THE LATEST.

SORTIE FROM LADTSMITH. ENROLMENT OF VOLUNTEERS. NUMBER OF BRITISH LOSSES, JUBILATION ON THE CONTINENT Received Dec. 12, 9.20 a.m.). Dubban, December 12. A sortie was made from Ladysmith on Friday towards Bulwana hill, where the enemy had a big gun. The Boers were compelled to retire. Capetown, December 12. The Royal Scots Greys have arrived in Capetown. The horses of the regiment havo been dyed a khakee colour to minimise their chances of being shot. London, December 11. Eail "Wemyss Colonel of the London Seottish Voluuteers who took prominent interest in the volunteer movement, is enrolling volunteers as a re--Ber?e of half a million men. In the course of a speech Earl Grey likenod the burgher principle in tho South African Republic to the volunteer system in England and expressed the opinion that the general adoption of the volunteer system would be a

guarantee against an invasion of tho United Kingdom. (Received December 13, 3.20 p.m.) Capetown, December 12. The total British losses during the war have been 566 killed, 2027 wounded, and 1977 missing. Durban, December 12. Cavalry, under Major Methuen, drove 500 Boers across tho Tugela River at Colenso. London, December 12. The shipment of the 6th Division for South Africa is being hurried. The Austrians ridiculo Col. Gat« acre's reckless tactics. The continental press sounds a chorus of jubilation. NEWS BY THE MAIL. THE FIGHTING IN NATAL. Hobart, December 12. News by the Delphic states that at the battle of Ladysmith on Novei.iber 9 the Boer losses were very h avy. They brought a mortar into action, but the accurate firing of tho British quickly silenced it. At noon the enemy returned in force and put the mortar in uction agam, but a couple of shells thrown into the midst of the advancing Boers scattered them right and left. The next important movement occurred on the 14th, when a recouuoitriDg party met the enemy on the Colenso Road and inflicted heavy loss with shells. Trooper Schraun, of the Natal Mounted Rifles, was killed by a shell while asleep in his tent. The bombardment of Ladysmith continues daily. Two native runners, who left late on the 15th, report that the Boers' shells were btill ineffective. Early on the morning of the 18th the Boers were seen advancing on Estcourt The British troops quietly moved out to meet them, and a shell was sent umong*t the Boers, killing several, and the remainder galloped off without firing a shot. An armoured train left Estcourt at five o'clock on November 13th, and went as far as Clmveley, only seeing between 200 md 300 Boers. On returning a perfect cliower of °hot and shell burst over the train with i»u accuracy which showed the range had been marked off in advance. All stood to arms, but 500 yards further on a truck toppled over, knocking the naval gun out of action. The enemy concentrated their big fire on the ill-fated train, the shells smashing into the trucks. The engine w&s struck twice, but was not disabled. The driver stuck to his post, though wounded. The men worked over an hour under a hot fire, removing the derailed truck. This done, the engine tender steamed backward. The Dublius and the volunteers, fighting an unequal battle, twice drove the enemy back, but the fierceness of the Boer rifle and big gun fire told agiinst the brave little party. •As the men were wounded their comrades put them on the tender, and 14 injured were bo brought in by r.rain. The Boer artillery fire was so severe that the telegraph wires and poles were torn down and the trucks hit again and again. (Received December 13, 9.45 a.m.) Hobart, December 13. At Chcvaly Winstone Churchill distinguished himself. With the gieatest coolness, while superintending the operation of getting the trucks free of the line, encouraging the men working, he walked about in the open, the bullets flying round him, telling the working party not to mind as their aim was bad. Just when the line was clear, Captain Wylie was shot in the thigh and dropped. Sergt. Todd, who also was injured in the hand, went to tho Captain's assistance and built a cover of stones as a pro* tection against the rifle fire. Just as ho was lying down, a shell burst right in front, scattering the stones in all directions. Some of the stones struck Todd on the hip, inflicting an ugly but not serious wound. The engine, which had in the meantime gone forward, was brought by Churchill to pick up as many of the wounded as could be found. Captain Wylie and Sergeant Todd were taken upon the teuder of the engine, which went some further distance, when Capt. Holdane and Churchill jumped off and joined the Dublin men, who were fighting their way back. The New South Wales Lancers decided to mount themselves on ponies instead of waiting the arrival of their own horses. These ponies had only been broken in, giving the troops a lively time.