THE TRANSVAAL.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume XLIX, Issue 2436, 16 January 1900, Page 2

THE TRANSVAAL.

THE DEFENCE OF LADYSMITH

Gene ml Buller has wired that the Boem claim that their losses at Ladyemith were four killed and fifteen wounded, although they admit that they endured a withering fire from six masked batteries, and were everywhere beaten. Natives assert that one Boer commando lost 150 killed, and waggon loads of wounded. Ihe Free Staters suffered the heaviest loss, the Transvaalers forcing them to occupy the most dangerous positions. Correspondents heliographed from Lady-f-mith a few details of Saturday's fight. The place swarms with spies, and the geol is fu'l, but nobody has been shot. Twenty-one men have died at Ladyemith in five days from dysentery and enteric fever. The " Standard's " correspondent at Frere Btates that prior to Saturday's fighting at Ladysmith, President Kruger asked headquarters why Ladysmith was not attacked. He was told it would involve sacrifice, and he replied, " Put the Free Staters in the forefront."

The Free Staters stuck to their positions till Inyonetted in the ditchers. The Transvnalers, in the face of a counterattack, retired, the Free Staters jeering at them. All the available Boers were brought to I.adyEmith from the lines fronting Sir Redvers Buller on the Tugela on Saturday, and some from the force confronting General Fronch.

The Boers engaged in the battle outnumbered the British by five to one. The steadiness of th* British soldiers proved the falvation of the garrison, as they did not allow th« Koers to gain a real hold. They punished the enemy terribly with tin bayonet, the battlefield being strewn thick with the slain.

The "Daily Mail's" Ladysmith correspondent sMites that the British losses are estimated at 14 officers killed and 34 wounded, and 800 men kflled and wounded.

The Boers engaged in the attack numbered 20 000, and their casualties are estimated at 2500.

The rfficial list of the killed and wounded Inst Saturday in the battle of Lndysmith showa t-hat fifteen cfficers were killed, iucluding the Earl of Ava, eldest son of the Marquis of Puffer in ; Colonel Dick-Cuoyng-ham, of the Gordon Highlanders, who whs previously wounded at Elandslaagte; Captain R. S. Cowen, of the King'ts Royal Rifles ; Captain Digby Maekworth, of the second battalion of the Surrey Regiment; ard Ciptain Millar Warnutt, of the first battalion of the Oordon Highlanders.

Twenty-five officers were wonded, includind K n rri Davies, of Jameson Raid fame, and mopr of the Imperial Light Horse, which he \va° instrument >1 in raising ; and Dr. Rornabrock, who at lilanosLagie secured singlehahded the surrender of forty Boers.

There wera 135 men killed, and 244 wounded.

Tlv 1 Ladysmith cavalry, in drenching rain dcFtrnycl a bridge over the river near Inhdawe, thus isolating the Boers.

Ladyemit h reports that the bread and meat supply in the town is pood and plentiful.

BRITAIN UNREADY,

Arrangements ere being made for Parliament t> mett on January 30. This is an outcome of the growing outcry aeainst Britain's unprepareduesa for war, and the deadlock which the insuffidercy of the British forces in the Transvaal has brought about

Mr Balfour, in the course of a speech at Manchester, paid that, the chief lesson was that Britain, for the first time in the world's history, had met an enemy who was entirely mounted. If there had been a lr.ck of prescience with regard to the position, the blame was too widely distributed to weigh heavily upon any single individual or office.

The " Times" declares that the public insist upon knowing what has happened, mid how and why there have been seven thousand British casualties before the aggressors' territory hag been invaded. It wa<* tl-e business of the Government to have appertained tie Boer preparedness and the difficulties ahead. The paper adds, "We are still without one mobile field army." The "Standard" nays that Lord Roberts must organise a fresh army at Capetown and invade the Free State, a task which will occupy weeks. The " Times " and " Daily News" remind Mr Balfour of the answer given to the Australian Governments'offers of contingents at the outset of the war, that Britain preferred that the colonies should send uumounted troops. The "Standard" emphasises the miscalculations with regard to the war, and warns the Government that energy and forethought are a prerequisite tn retain the public confidence.

Parliament has been summoned for the 30th.

The "Morning Post" demands the disrrmsaal of the Government, and alleges that the military preparations were determined by Hie Cabinet's own view of the political situiiiion.

All the UuioDisfc newspapers continue to assail the Government. The hostile criticisms ) live increased eince General Butler, late Commandant at the Cape, advised the use of 120,000 troops. Speaking nt Marylebcne, Mr. St. John Brodick, Undersecretary of Foreiga Affaire, raid that the British Generals in South Africa wer9 given a free hand. Referring to the outcry against the British reverses, he s.iid that the nation ought to await facts, the fa'e of Ministers and individual, in a national emergency, being of no account. The great question was an effective service for tho Empire's ends. COLESBURG. The details of the night attack on the hill near Colesburg, when seventy of the Suffolk regiment were captured, show that the attacking force marched to the hill in clo3e columns. The Boers, pre advised of the advance, reserved their fire till within thirtyyarris Colonel Watson, theadju ant, nnd two raptains fell in the first volley. Somebody then shouted "Retire." and the rear companies ran down the hill. Of the eleven officers companying the force, one escaped. The Boers helped to bury the dead, and sarg n psalm over the grave. General French found that the Boers oc- \ cupied a strongly fortified position at Colesburg, their lines extending two miles. General French is making a reconnaissance. During the first reconnaissance of tho Household Cavalry in the vicinity of Colesburg on the seventh inst., Captain W. F. Ricardo, of the Royel Horse Guards, and four troopers were captured. DELAGOA BAY. The Portuguese Government has decided that nobody shall enter the Transvaal without a passport and a consular guarantee that he does iot intend to fight. This will put a stop to the Boers receiving reinforcements vU Delagoa, Bay. Great Bricain has determined that food stuff J shall be regarded as neutral. Ships destired for neutral ports shall not be liable to seizure unless their manifests show that they are drstirpd for theenemy. TheAmer:cin cirgnrs of fl ■w, which were seized, will therefore be releated.

The recenb seizures of American and German steamers at Delagca Biy haa brought

prominently forward the question of contraband law, which is admittedly vague. Great Britain took time in establishing a sound precedent for seizing the vessels.

America shows a friendly and patient spirit over the matter. Germany is tolerant but German shippers are irritated. THE LORD MAYOR'S VOLUNTEERSPrior to their departure, the five hundred volunteers raised by the Lord Mayor of London were accorded the freedom of the City at the Guildhall, attended the St. Paul's Cathedral, and the Benchers' supper at the Inner Temple. The crowds carried the men shoulder high. The Prince of Walee sent a message of Godspeed. The volunteerssailed for South Africa to-day. The streets were packed at dawn to witness the departure of the Volunteers, &'\ windows along the railway to Southampton were dressed with Union Jacks, THE COLONIAL TROOPS. A New South Wales Infantry man, writing from the front, soates that the stationmaster ab Dβ Aar was shot, being a spy. He was caught receiving a Maxim gun for the Boers, in parts, labelled " Glass, with care." He was only given half an hour's grace. Sir Wilfred Laurier, the Premier, speaking at Sherbrook, Quebec, said the Volunt'>er movement sprang from the spontaneoue will of the population. The colonies voluntarily fctood behind the Motherland. If ihe Tranßvaal had granted the settlers religious and political liberty, similar to that which existed in Canada, the war would never. occurred. LORD METHUEN. Lord Methven's upper pontoon bridge has been nearly completed. There are persistont rumours that Lord Methuen ia to be invalided, Major-General Hector MecDonald succeeding him. Mac Donald is a Colonel, with the local, rank of Mej ir-Gen?ral. MISCELLANEOUS. It transpires that when Lord Methuen was wounded at the battle of the Modder River he was thrown from his charger and injured his spine. Lord Methuen is keeping up a desultory shell practice upon the Boer trenches.

Lord Methueu is making a railway a'ong his front.

A strong force frrm General Gatacre'e headquarters Sterkst room recaptured a quantity of flour Molteuo mills which had been seized by the Boer*-. '[he British also removed a portion of the milling machinery. Cinada wishes to be«r the whole cents of her Transvaal Contingents. Lf>rd Struthcona has offered to equip and ma'ntain 400 roughr ders from the North west Territory a> a cos-t of a million dollare. The Boers are luargertd in five miles east, ef Coleneo. General Koberts has arrived at Capetown. Twelve hundred Lxiifvi s'retcher-bearers have left Durban for the front.