NEWS OF THE WAR.

Waikato Argus, Volume VIII, Issue 544, 10 January 1900, Page 2

NEWS OF THE WAR.

ATTACK ON LADYSMITH TRENCHES THRICE TAKEN AND RETAKEN. DEYONBHIRES USE THE BAYONET EFFECTIVELY. VALUABLE SERVICE BY MAJOR PARK AND lAN HAMILTON. A TRYING TIME AT WAGON HILL. (Received January 9, 10.25 p.m.) London, January 8. The widespread suspense over the attack on Ladysmith was relieved late this afternoon by the war office publish ing a heliograph message from General White stating that “ The attack lasted seventeen hours, and was pushed with the greatest courage and energy. Some of our entrenchments on Wagon hill were thrice taken and retaken. The enemy held one point throughout, but at dusk, during heavy rain and storm, were ejected most gallantly at the end of the bayonet by the Devonshire regiment. Major Cecil W. Park, who was leading, and lan Hamilton rendered valuable service at Wagon Hill. The troops had a very trying time and behaved excellently, and are elated at the services they have rendered the Queen.

THE AGENT-GENERAL’S CABLE. REVISED VERSION. THE ATTACK UPON LADYSMITH. ENEMY REPULSED WITH SERIOUS LOSS. GALLANT WORK IN THE TRENCHES. (BY telegraph—press association). Wellington, Last Night. The following; is the correct version of the Agent-General’s received this Morning: “General White is hard pressed, owing to the repeated attacks of the enemy's forces which were everywhere repulsed with serious loss, greatly in excess of the British loss. Some trenches were taken by the enemy three times and retaken. LATEST DETAILS. FURTHER PARTICULARS OF LADYSMITH. BOERS USE ELECTRIC ALARM WIRES. THE QUEEN CONGRATULATES WHITE AND THE TROOPS. (Received January 10,9.30 a.m.). Durban, January 9, General Joubert held a great council of war before attacking Ladysmith. The Boers, as a protective measure, laid electric alarm wires across the roads near Ladysmith.. London, January 9. The Queen has congratulated General -White apd the troops on the result of the Ladysmith fighting. Correspondents reporting from Ladysmith on Tuesday state that there is no anxiety about the town holding out. Capetown, January 9. The Boers are being reinforced from the neighbourhood of Golesberg. The activity of the Queensland and Canadian troops in the vicinity of Belmont caused the enemy to abandon a largo belt country across the Free State border. The Boers tired upon the Free Staters who surrendered when General French occupied Arundel. Pretoria reports statu that the Free ) Staters are preparing lo unit Bloemfon- I teiu, many going the Pretoria. PULLER’S INACTIVITY. INCOMPLETE TRANSPORT AND LACK OF CONCENTRATION. A HANDSOME DONATION' MR BALFOUR’S OPINION. THE GRASPAN ENGAGEMENT. (Received Jan. 10, 12,20 a.m.). London, January 9, Btiller’s inactivity is attributed to incomplete transport and lack of concentration. Ihe Wcrnheirbeit Company, of South African Diamond merchants, has donated £50,000 towards equipping the Impsrial Yeomanry. The Hon A. J. Balfour, speaking at Manchester, pleaded that the Jameson

Raid prevented Britain insisting upon stopping Boers arming. The unanimity of the Empire in the face of war, which was deliberately precipitated, was worth many army corps. The Government took such steps as the information in their possession war* ranted.

Earlier vigorous preparations for war would have been the cause of division and censure.

The present crisis spelled consolidation of the Empire, and cementing citizenship on a permanent foundation.

(Received January 10,1.20 a.m). Mhlbocune, January 9. The Age special, in describing a visit to the Graspan battlefield, sayslt is difficult tc realise how the British could cross the open basin leading to the kopjes, which were held by Boers, and more difficult still to conceive how any men, worth calling fighters, should abandon such positions, short of an attack by bayonet.”

BATTLE OF COLENSO. FULL PARTICULARS OF THE FIGHT. MARVELLOUS ACCURACY OF NAVAL GUNNERS. ENEMY’S FIRE PERFECT TORNADO. STAMPEDE OP THE HORSES. GALLANT STAND OP ,jNAVAL BRIGADE. EVERY MAN SHOT DOWN. NO GUNEERS LEFT TO EXECUTE ORDER TO RETIRE. BOER LOSS ESTIMATED AT 2000. (Received January 9, 9.50 p.m.). Hobart, January 9. Files by the Aotea contains details of the battle of Colenso cn December 15th. For two the enemy allowed themselves to be fired on, and then they suddenly commenced belching out a stream of fire from all their entrenchments besides a fearful cannonade with all their quick-firing and seipe guns. _ The Naval Brigade shelled all the ridges north of the town with marvellous accuracy, and the artillery shelled the ridges on the Boers’ left flank,

The enemy retaliated by sending back a scathing fire which stampeded the horses, and one battery was almost decimated. The enemy’s rifle fire was most accurate, and at one stage of the battle was a perfect tornado. The infantry advanced under a hail of bullets, and it was wonderful how the men continued to advance in the face of such a fusilade. The Boers were all the lime under the best of cover. The rattle of firing was fearful, and there was a never ceasing rain of bullets, which dropped on the dry hard veldt, the dust rising as when rain drops in water. The naval men created a furore by engaging the enemy by themselves During the heavy rifle fire against the field artillery, nearly every man was shot down, and when the orderly arrived with instructions to retire, no gunners were left to execute the order. A pronounced feature of a fight was the marvellous rapidity with which the Boers moved their heavy guns from point to point. The British casualties were five officers and 163 men killed, and 6 officers and 634 men wounded. Twenty officers and 311 men who are missing were presumably taken prisoners. It is impossible to pet the Boers losses, but tiny are estimated at two thousand, the trenches being seen full of dead. „ BATTLE OF STOBMBERG. BRITISH AMBUSHED AFTER 24 HOURS’ MARCH. | THEY ENTER THE “VERY MOUTH OF HELL.” RETIRE AFTER THREE HOURS FIGHTING. BOER SHELLS DEFECTIVE. 700 OFFICERS AND MEN MISSING. BRITISH REACH MOLTENO THOROUGHLY EXHAUSTED. (Received January 9, 10.45 p.m. Hohaet, January 9. Details of the battle of Stoimberg show that the British troops, instead of reaching their destination at two o’c'ock on Sunday morning, were three miles from Rooi Poop when dawn broke, the men having been marching fur 24 hours without a stop.

While skirting Rooi Poop a hail of bullets was suddenly showered into the ranks from the ambushed enemy. The British artillery almost immediately took up their position on a kopje, and poured volley after volley into the enemy’s stronghold. Guaore and Allen were amongst the thickest and hottest of the firing, directing the men in order to get them out of the very mouth of hell. The Boers tried to sandwich our artillery, buu the Irish Rifles got the Maxim guns to work and sent showe after shower of bullets into the enemy, keeping them at bay.

This magnificent bravery undoubtedly saved the disaster from the gravest consequences

After three hours of fighting General Gatacre, seeing the strength of the enemy’s position and their superiority in numbers, resolved to accept the situation and effect a retirement, fighting his way back to Molteno. The Hoers poured shell after shell into the retiring line, but fortunately the greater number of the slulls proved faulty, and did not burst, causing little or no damage.

The roll call showed seven hundred officers and men missing, though it is reasonably supposed that the great majority w ere taken prisoners. One company of the Royal Irish had no one but a solitary lance corporal left as officer.

The troops returned to Molteno, thoroughly exhausted, nearly forty eight hours having elapsed sines they left, THE SUFFOLK REGIMENT IN- . CIDENT, BRITISH LOSS 100. NEW ZEALAND CONTINGENT NOT CONCERNED. (by telegraph.—press association). Wellington, This Day, The Agent - General cables; The Suffolk regiment, under command French, defeated Saturday. Our loss about 100 men. New Zealand contingent not concerned.