WAR MAIL NEWS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 148, 24 June 1901, Page 5

WAR MAIL NEWS.

THE MILITARY POSITION

IN THE TRANSVAAL AND ORANGE

RIVER COLONY.

DE WET'S LATEST MOVE.

Reuters correspondent, who has returned from Pretoria, wirites on the position of affairs in the Transvaal •nd' Orange River Colonies as follows: In the north of the Transvaal, General Bindon Blood's advance has driven iwest the majority of the Boots, a few of whom are still left to the north of Zoutspansberg; De la Rey is drawing round him most of these fugitives, and also a number of men who were lately

operating- in the neighbourhood of ErmeJo, and crossed into Dp la Key's command, leaving- Botha, whom rumour credits with the intention of leaving the country surreptitiously. British columns are moving in every direction, and allow the enemy no rest. De la Hey has organised a system of remounting from the Orange River Colony, but the horses are in the poorest condition.

Generals Me-thuen and Babingtoa are still on the move, accompanied by small bodies of infantry, which are greatly impeding the rapidity of their movements.

A new and excellent system of blockhouses ha« been inaugurated for the protection of the line. Some are constructed of solid stone, rendering capture impossible. Most of them are of wood, with frames supporting galvanised iron, placed four inches apart, and filled in with gravel, able to stop a Mauser bullet, or even a pom-pom .shell. This new mode of defence is very economical, releasing for active operations over IiOOO men. The line between Elandsfontein and Volksrust is studded with block-house's, effectively preventing attacks on the line.

The troops in the Orange River Colony are busily employed in denuding the country east of the line, and many columns are operating, moving slowly, and taking possession of all horses and stock. A few small, wandering commandoes are west oi' the line, but in the south Hertzog and Brand temporarily hold the country round Petrusberg. Hertzog acts as treasurer, and each Orange Free State Commandant receives regularly £25 per month, but the Free State commandoes refuse to accompany De Wet, stating that it is too dangerous. De Wet's latest journey, when he was accompanied by an escort of forty men, was a wonderful performance. Leaving Vrede, he passed north to Ermelo. Thence he crossed the line near Nylstroom, trending south-west between Zeerust and Liehtenberg. He halted for a few days near Maribogo, and proceeded thence south, past Boshof to Philippolis, where he interviewed Hertzog1, who is now believed to have entered the Colony, at the earnest request of the rebels, who are now operating- in the Midlands. It is believed that all the rebels attached to the Free State commandoes have received orders to concentrate near the Orange River. Apparently no Free State commandoes are accompanying De Wet.—"Cape Argus."