The Transvaal.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 85, 15 December 1900, Page 4

The Transvaal.

:o: London, December 11. The Boer surprised two unarmed Highlanders, while woodcutting in the Kustenbnrg district.- When their axes weie surrendered the Highlanders were murdered. The silence respecting De Wet is owing to the absence of correspondents with t General Knoxs columns. | Lord Roberts' speeches at Capetown are optimistic regarding the termination of the campaign. The return of the refugees to the Band was only prevented by fear of famine. Lord Roberts' memorandum shows that punitive measures of a deterrent character and the burning of farms were adopted only after strict; enquiry. The Times states that the Hague Government's position is unmodified. It considered that there was no further reason for Kruger's presence. Other advices state that Holland firmly declined to propose arbitration. Details of the capture Dewetsdorp L garj;ison show that the defenders suffered terribly from thirst, the boerfa cutting ofr tha water supply. Tha soldiers' tongues bweiltjd. Hnipors crawled to a close range and kept up a cross lire, and 16 out of 18 of a guv detachment were killed or wounded. Steyu admitted that the Boer losses exceeded the British. A strong force of Bojrs, under cover of a dense mist, attacked the Mounted Infantry near Barberton on the Bth in&t. They were at once repiused by the latter when they got to close quarters. Three British were killed, five wounded, and 13 missing. General Settle has occupkd Edenburg, and captured 20,00J sheep, 700 cattle, 800 horses, mauy vehicles, and 30 prisoners. 'Ihe families of the Government officers at Pretoria will shortly be allowed co return, indicating an eariy termination of the resistance. Bir A. Milner, repining to an Afrikander deputation, agieed to forward to England the resolutions carried at the Worcester Conference, though the annexation of the conquered Republics was icre vocable and overwhelmingly supported throughoat the Empire, lie condemned the Congress' wi:d exaggeration in regard to the conduct ot the war and the ill-treatment of wo^en, and said that the further resistance of the Boers was not morally justifiable. Ths men were being fed with lies.

December 18. A commando of 300, with two guns, destroyed five miles of railway between Alkrnaar and Nelspcuifc. Communication with Barberton is cut off. (itneral Knox lias been engaged in a running fight with De Wet; . near Helvetia, the enemy moving towards Reddersburg, where the BiiUsh force is waiting.