CABLE NEWS.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 3932, 1 December 1899, Page 2

CABLE NEWS.

HOME AND FOREIGN. THE WAR IN THE Transvaal* ' THE BATILE OF MODDER RIVER. TEN HOURS' FIGHTING. 1 A FRENCH LEGION FOR I THE TRANSVAAL.

London, November 28. --- Dr Leyds, on Joubert's authority, is circulating accusations that the British employed Native auxiliaries, fired upon the ambulances, abused the white flag and* were cruel to their prisoners.

Forty senior cadets of Sandhnrst Royal Military College will be commissioned immediately for active service in South Africa.

Capetown, November 28. — Loyal farmers throughout Cape Colony are being organised for their own local protection. Sohreiner's (?) mild homilies to disloyalists have aroused* great indignation in Capetown. Dubban, November 28. — A traitorous trooper belonging to the Natal Imperial Light Horse has been shot. He was caught poisoning the horses' water and fodder.

London, November 29. — The Daily Chronicle states that a detachment of the New South Wales Lancers, under Lieut. Osborne, killed several of the retiring Boers. Byrne, one of the New South Wales "Lancers, is missing.

Much speculation is caused owing to the Particular Service Squadron, recently mobilised at Portsmouth, being ordered to proceed to Gibraltar to join the Channel squadron.

Capetown, November 29.— Lieutenant General Methuen officially reports that the Boers, after the Grasspan engagement, retreated north and took up a position close to the Modder River. Here their numbers wore swelled by detachments from the north and when the British advanced to the attack on Tuesday, the opposing Boer army numbered 8,000. After fighting of a most desperate description which lasted throughout the day, the troops being engaged for ten hours, the Boers suffered a signal reverse.

Methuen describes 'the battle as one of the hardest and most trying in the annale of the British army.

The Boers were strongly entrenched with a number of heavy guns on an elevated position, protected by the conformation of the country from the possibility of an outflanking movement ; the only tactics open to the attacking party were the shelling and direct assault of the heights. In an all day engagement, which consisted of attack after attack, the British Artillery and Naval Brigade, which took a prominent part in the Grasspan fight, specially distinguished themselves.

Heavy firing from a kopje compelled the 9th Lancers, who were harassing the Boers retiring after the fight at Grasspan, to return to the main army. In the Grasspan fight, the Yorkshires had seven killed and 40 wounded; North Lanoasbires, one killed and 19 wounded ; Lancers) one killed and eight wounded and other regiments, ten casualties. The Natives informed Colonel Kekewich on the 23rd that the Boers' Camp south of Kimberley was vacated and Commandant Cronje, with 3,000 Boers, was marching south.

A Eeuter's message states that Cronje fought in the recent engagement at Grasspan. Major»Geueral Gatacre has arrived at Bushman's Hock, en route to Oolesberg. Addition guns h*ve been sent from Capetown to Natal, making the total available for the British forces there, 72.

The whole of the New Zealand contingent have been despatched north, the first half going to De Aar, 500 miles by rail from Capetown, on the route to Kimberley. They received an send off, the streets of Capetown being decorated. DtTRfiAX, November 29,-^-Six Fusiliers, wounded during the! attack on the armoured train at Ohievely, have been sent by the Boers to Ladysmith, Pabis, November 29.— General GalJifet, Minister for War, has issued an order forbidding French officers to serve with the Boers.

New York, November 29.— -The Duchess de Urgues, patroness of the late General Boulanger, has raised a pro-Boer legion in New York, they start for the Transvaal unarmed.

Britain has called attention to the act.

Sydnef, November 29.—Midshipman Huddart, tilled at Grasspan, was a native of Sydney and son of James Huddart, well known in shipping circles. Adelaide, November 30. —The Governor has received a cable from the Commandant of the Transvaal Contingent stating that the Contingent was going to De Aar on December Ist.

London, November 30. — - Mr Chamberlain, speaking at Leicester, said that the Boers had given us a clean slate Trhereon to write what we pleased. They had torn and scattered th.c Convention to, the winds. The supremacy of the flag was the only durable solution and guarantee of peace and jastice, Government intends to increase their forces in South Africa to 90,000,

Capetown, November 80. —The Modder river was swollen where Lord Methuen; with 7,000 men, at

ive in the morning, discovered the snemy entrenched and concealed an the north bank of the river ■md they had two large guns and Eour Krupps in position. After cannonading, four battalions of Grenadiers, Scots and two battalions of the Coldstream Guards on the right and the Northumberlands, Yorkshire Light infantry, Northamptons and Lancashires forming the left, attacked in a widely extended formation, supported by the Artillery, the Naval Brigade rendering great assistance. All the troops fought without food and water for hours under a burning sun and exposed to the sharp shooters' biting fire. The British displayed undaunted valour and finally compelled the enemy to quit their position. It was apparently a victory for gun and rifle alone. Three hundred Sappers assisted Lieutenant Pole Carew and succeeded in getting a small party across the river. Lord Methuen eulogises all the forces, particularly the two batteries. The enemy is likely to be caught between two British forces at Spyfontein. Twelve British were killed at the Willow Grange sortie on the 23rd inst. and sixty-five wounded, seven were taken prisoners. Further details of the Grasspan battle state that the British shells were delivered with terrific effect and the Boer fire slackened and died away. Methuen then ordered the seizure of the central stronghold. The Naval Brigade anticipated an easy task but suddenly the Boers, who had remained hidden until the sailors were within 200 yards, blazed a murderous fire encircling the kopje and mowing Lieut. Ethelstone and others down. Out of 16 officers only 3 came through unscathed, the naval uniforms afforded a conspicuous mark for the enemy. The sailors sought cover but the charge was again sounded and the men I traversing through a raging storm I of bullets, halted near the kopjeThen by another dash . they reached the Boers who fled. It was a marvel how the Boers stood the shell fire motionless and silent nnder their defences. Then the retreat was made without a rout, the Boers taking their guns with them* Dueban, November SO.—General Buller himself will conduct the relief of Ladysmith. A traitorous Irishman. London, November 28. — Lord Halsbury, Lord High Chancellor has removed from the Irish magistracy the chairman of the Tipperary National Council for moving a resolution congratulating the Boers on the fight at the battle of Glencoe. The Cordova incident. Pakis, November 28.— M. Delcasse, Minister for Foreign Affairs, I admits that the action of the British cruiser in searching the steamer Cordova off Delagoa Bay, was in accordance with international law.