CLOSING ROUND BLOEMFONTEIN.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 62, 14 March 1900, Page 5

CLOSING ROUND BLOEMFONTEIN.

FRENCH HOLDS THE RAILWAY. FIGHTING NEAR THE TOWN. < i PRESIDENTS PEACE OVERTURES INSINCERE. ■■♦ MAFEKING STILL PLUCKILY HOLDS OUT. '

[N.Z. Press Association.—-Copybight.]

(Received 9.30 a.m.) LONDON, March 13. General French has • seized the railway six miles south of BlQ*g|£ontein, and cut the telegraph to fl!« northWard. Lord Roberts, referring to the death of Colonel Umphelby and others, said that wounds are generally serious owing to the Boers using expanding bullets. In order to assist the commissariat, Lord Roberts has ordered the capture and killing of stock during- the advance. .During the progress of his march e\stward, Lord Roberts' army came ac?oss many deserted Boer' farms flyingihe white flag. In all such cases the orders were that .othing should be touched. Mr McCarte, a well-known sportsman serving with Kitchener's Horse, a regiment raised in Cape Colony, was killed in th? engagement at- Dreilfontein. LONDON, March 12. Lord Roberts has reached. VenterEolci, 15 miles from Bloemfontein. He succeeded in turning/ the posi- , tion held by 12,000 Boers, with 18 guns, on ihe kopjes, commanding the road to Bloemfontein. General French occupied the hills commanding Bloemfontein on Monday night. Sixty men were killed and 320 wounded. President Steyn's brother was captured. MELBOURNE, March 13, A cable has been received announcing the death of Colonel Umphelby, of the Victorian' Contingent'," who was ". wounded at the battle of Drilfontein. The deceased officer was well-known at the Australian rifle meetings as a first-class shot. [Lieutenant-Colonel C. E. Umphelby, was one of the Victorian special service officers, and on arrival at Capetown was attached to the. howitzer division. In Victoria he was in command of the permanent artillery at Queenscliff. He was 44 years of age. He was appointed'lieutenant, in the militia garrison artillery in June, J 884. and on March 23, ISSS, lieutenant to the permanent artillery. In April, 18S9, he was promoted captain, major in August, IS9I, and lieutenant-colonel in June, 1597. In addition to his duties as commanding officer of artillery, he was also commanding officer of the Western District militia artillery. Colonel Umphelby was a splendid rifle shot, and Victorian Queen's Prize winner, and in 1889-90 gained considerable experience in England, where he was attached to the staff of MajorGeneral M. Clarke, and passed with honours through the long course at Woolwich and Shoeburyness. His . popularity was strongly evidenced up- „ on-the occasion of his return after winning the Queen's Prize, for on that .. occasion he was met by his men and the regimental band, and the former drew him troumphantly through the streets in a vehicle from which the horses had been taken out.]