THE WAR IN SOUTH AFRICA.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVII, Issue 46, 16 November 1899, Page 20

THE WAR IN SOUTH AFRICA.

There has been little alteration in the position of affairs in South Africa since we wrote last week. British reinforcements have been landing daily, and are being harried on towards Kimberley and Ladysmith. It is more than probable that heavy fighting will take place in the vicinity of Ladysmith in a few days. The following are the prinoipal items of news received during the week : — The Boers have re-occupied Colenso, a town to the south of Ladysmith and nearer to Durban. Kimberley was reported to be safe on November 5, but it was surrounded by a large Boer force, which was supplied with heavy guns. Commandant Cronje demanded the surrender of the town before November 6, otherwise it would be shelled. The commandant's threat was carried out, but Colonel Kekewick reported on the Bth inst. that the bambardment had been harmless. The Boers have captured the water conservation post in connection with the reservoirs of South Kimberley. The Boers have also captured a convoy, escorted by a Bmall force of troopers, near Bulawayo. The Boers made an attack on Kenilworth, but were repulsed with heavy loss. In a general attack on Mafeking the Boers were repulsed with heavy loss, over fifty of the enemy being killed. It is estimated that over 7000 Boers surround the town. The gunnery of the attacking party is said to be very defective, and this, with the excellent trenches constructed by the besieged, accounts for the small losses on the side of the British. A Capetown despatch of Sunday last states that Colonel Gough, with a small force, engaged 700 Free Staters at Belmont, 60 miles south of Kimberley. Colonel Keith Falconer was killed while trying to turn the enemy's flank. The Free State troops are reported to have invested some small townships on the Western frontier. The Dublin Fusiliers took advantage of a panic and re-entered Fort Wylie, which protects Colenso, and secured 400 waggon loads of shells and provisions. Lieutenant-Colonel Plumer, who was last reported as being engaged with the Boers at Rhodes's Drift, on the northern frontier of the Transvaal, is advancing from the north to the relief of Mafeking. General Sir Redvers Buller has decided to relieve Ladysmith at the earliest opportunity. Reinforcements to the number of 4000 are expected to reach Estoourt by the end of the week. The total Boer force round Ladysmith is estimated at 18,000. All the troops of volunteers from Durban having gone to the front, a naval brigade of 20 guns has been landed for the defence of the town. The steamer Roslyn Castle, with Major-General Hilyard and 1100 troops, has arrived at Durban. Four additional transports with 3600 men have arrived at the Cape. Half of these have been ordered to Durban. A large seige train is being mobilised at Woolwich intended to shell Pretoria. A corpß of South African light horse, 1000 strong, is being formed at Capetown. The transport Persia broke her shaft when near Cape Verde, and would have been wrecked were it not the opportune arrival of a British cruiser. Whilst a British force was reconnoitring on the Orange River it was ambushed by the Boers, and Lieutenant C. M. A. Wood, of the Northumberland Fusiliers and Aide-de-Camp to the Governor of the Cape, was killed. Lieutenant Wood was born in 1873, being a son of Sir Evelyn Wood, and grandson of Jefferson Davis (President of the Southern States during the Civil War). He was a Catholic, and had been educated at the Jesuit College, Beaumont, England.