NOTES ON THE CABLES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 273, 17 November 1899, Page 5

NOTES ON THE CABLES.

The fight reported from Mafeking this evening is likely a more detailed account of that referred to in our Wednesday's cables, which stated that the Boer losses were estimated as SOO in killed, wounded, and prisoners.

Sh6tild the news- of the death of General Joubert be' confirmed we may consider that the enemy have sustained a loss more serious to them

than the death of General Buller would be to the British. Joubert was not only a capable'general but a man of strong- personality, and the . success of the operations of the Free State and Transvaal arms was in no small measure dependent on this man's the Boers made a gallant but .unsuccessful attempt to capture a qannon on a kopje, or small hill,, near Comer town.

The encounter in the vicinity of Bestei'B on the 7th and in which the Boer casualties numbered 300 is an engagement of which no previous intiination had been received. The other serious fight in this vicinity was near Tathanvs farm on November -2,. when ability to infuse confidence into his men. The next most experienced and capable Boer general is P. A. Cronje, the hero of Uoornkoop. who is, conducting operations against Kimberley.

Khama. whom the Dutch" under arms in Bechuanaland. saw fit to attack, is a remarkable character. Prior to the advent of the British the Ba--MangWato. Khama's tribe, lived on the valley of the Shoshong-. Soon after the country was declared a protectorate Khama made his arrangements, alloted tfie locations, and suddenly vacated Shoshong, organising matter's so well that everyone seems to have been satisfied. Khama takes care that none of his tribe drink European liquors. He is an ardent Christian, and a handsome Gothic : church, built by the tribe at a cost of over £3000, adorns the capital Palapye. '• The whole aspect of the situation is brighter from the British standpoint than it has been since the commencement of the war. 'Next week should see adequate forces advancing; for the relief of both Kimberley and Ladysmith. In the latter case the indications are that the Boers will fall back' before a superior force without offering any very stubborn resistance. The announcement that targe numbers of the army before Ladysmith are returning to the Free State on the pretext of a Basuto invasion may be taken as a feather indicating the direction in which the wind blows. '