The Transvaal WAR.

Evening Star, Issue 11650, 8 January 1902, Page 6

The Transvaal WAR.

CHASING DE WET.

_ » 100 BOER CASUALTIES.

EFFECT OF GERMAN SLANDERS.

Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright

LONDON, January 7,

General Elliott's keen pursuit, covering seventy miles in twenty-four hours, caused the dispersal of De Wet's force. Twenty of Trichard's commando surrendered at Middelbuxg. Beresford's Constabulary captured, in the central Orange Colony, Field-cornets Leroux and Pretorius and eighty-four men. Ten others were killed. CONTRADICTING RUMORS. LONDON, January 7. Lord Kitchener denies that intelligence officers Steere and Kerr were treacherously shot. CURSES COME HOME TO ROOST. LONDON, Jannary 7. Tx>rd George Hamilton has informed the millowncrs of Prussia and Westphalia, who ■wire desirous of tendering for Indian railway supplies, that the tone of the German Press and public opinion have created a feeling in the British Empire that is incompatible with Germany's competing. This is particularly deplorable, because all the colonies urgently need machinery and railway supplies which English manufacturers are unable 1o furnish. THE COMMONWEALTH CONTINGENT. SYDNEY, Jannary 7. Officers exhibit reluctance in volunteering for the, contingent. One reason given is that their action is intended as a, protest against withholding the pay from previous contingents. MELBOURNE, January 8. (Received Jannary 8, at 10.4 a.m.) The Federal Treasurer advances £25,000 for the preliminary expenses of the Federal Contingent. There is likely to be trouble when Parliament meets, as Mr Barton is not fulfilling his promise to consul* the House before sending more men. | THE BOER TjOSSES. 20,000 CASUALTIES IN 1901. THE RECORD FOR SIX MONTHS. LONDON, January 7. (Received January 8, at 9.8 a,m.) During the last six months 1,162 Boers were kilted, 876 wounded, 7,593 taken prisoners, and 1,912 surrendered. 5,696 rifles', 656,041 rounds of ammunition, 5,565 -waggons. 50,468 horses, and 166.027 cattle were captured. The total Boer casualties since May 1 -were IMB3. [lt was estimated that the Boer casualties to May 1 were 5,672, which would i make their total loss for the year 19,855.] LLOYD GEORGE COimNUES HIS "FOUL AND FILTHY LIES." PROTECTED BY AN IMMENSE POLICE FORCE. T/)NDO:N, January 7. Mt Lloyd George, the member for CarI narvon, addressed at Bristol a wen-organ-ised ticket meeting of pro-Boers. He was protected by an immense poWee force. He accused the nation of being responsible for the slaughter of 11,000 Boer children. A great crowd of loyalists demonstrated outside. TWENTY BOERS CAPTURED. T/ONDON, January 7. (Received January 8, at 9.32 *.m.) Colonel Wknton's column captured twenty Boers near Amsterdam (Transvaal). DR KRAUSE. GERMANY WANTS HIM BADLY. LONDON, Jannary 7. Dr Krause has visited Berlin. Many people offered to subscribe Ms bait to enable him to remain in Germany. Dt Krause, however, informed them that he was in honor bound to return to England. [Mr W. T. Stead is one of Dr Kranse's bouSsmen.] A MEMBER RESIGNS. LONDON, January 7. Mr Raubenbeimer. of the Afrikander Bond and a member of the Cape Parliament, has resigned his seat, by vray of protest against the disloyal attitude of some of his constituents. OFF TO AFRICA. MELBOURNE, January 8. Over 200 permits have been issued to persons proceeding to South Africa. These include many wives, who are joining thenhusbands. A large proportion of the emigrants po to Natal to take up appointments already secured. THE SEVENTH CONTINGENT. LETTER FROM COLONEL PORTER. GALLANT NEW ZEALAND ERS. [Special to thi Star.] GISBORNE, January 8. In a long letter to a friend here detailing the movements of the Seventh Contingent, Colonel Porter, who is in command of that Tegiment, states that after the pursuit of Botha during the whole of the month of October, with hard, starvation marches and fighting of a more or less severe degree, in which ninety of the enemy were killed and many captured, fie marched from the Elandsberg ranges via Buffalo River to Newcastle, and handed over the prisoners to General Lyttelton on the 7th November. His total casualties to date, made up from many different fights and dates, are ?—Killed, 12; wounded, 33 ; total, 45. " Not a man," continues Colonel Porter, " has died from a wound nor any from sickness. I have had a, few invalided home, several highly mentioned, and two earned the D.S. medals. The papers seldom mention the New Zealanders' names, which wa think rather unfair, as the principal work and captures of the column we belong to fGarrettfs) are by my regiment Bat, i never mind, we have the facts, and the records keep the credit." Colonel Porter mentions that at Lewesnek, Pandwand Hill, his regiment fell m unexpectedly for an eight hooTs' battle against Botha's force, 2,400 strong- He says : " We made a left flank movement with 800 mounted men, six guns, and two pom-pom*. Botha, at the same time, had made a right flank movement in force, and held a splendid position extending three and a-half miles, which they did not disclose till we charged the kopje, their extreme right flank resting above the deep gorge on the black Umvolosi River. I was in the advance guard, and we were repulsed I from the first attack, bat when the pom-poms and gnn. covered us we charged i again with 160 mounted men at a gallop,

got cover, dismounted under th» rock, and drove the enemy off.' This proved the key of their position. They made repeated attempts to recover it, pouring in a terrific cross-concentrated fire from the front and both flanks. The rock cover, however, was very good, and they made no impression upon us. Our fellows behaved splendidly, and, pouring in volleys at the Boers, we held the position throughout till the right front attack developed, and after eight hours' hard fighting the Boers retreated. The New Zealanders had the brunt of the fighting, and, as evidencing the risky position held by us, the general would not send us a gun* thinking it was too risky, and it might get cut off in the advance. I had also placed some of my New Zealanders in a farm in the front of the enemy's centre, which they also held all day under heavy hr,e. I had two killed and seven wounded at one time. I was looking through my field glasses over a tock during the action, and I suppose the sun reflected upon the glasses, as the enemy put a concentrated volley at it, striking all rouud upon the rock, one bullet knocking up the glasses.

News has reached Wellington that the two sous of Mr Heywood, secretary of the Treasury, have been commissioned in South Africa. One, Mr Percy E«ywood, left a. position in the Union Company's service in Melbourne and enlisted in the first corps of Victorian Imperial Bushmen as a private. In three months (about March of last year) he was a lieutenant, and now, the regiment having been disbanded, ho is captain in the Colonial Light Horse. The younger brother, Henry, went away in the Second New Zealand, "and is now a lieutenant in Kitchener's Fighting Scouts. Before the business of the West Harbor Council commenced last evening His Worship the Mayor (Mr S. T. Bolton), on behalf of the residents, presented Trooper Harold, on returning to his native district, with a handsome Maltese cross, suitably inscribed. In doing so the Mayor*said he- had received a good account of Trooper Harold when at the front He ban proved himself not only a good soldier, but also a good comrade, and the souvenir of the good-will of the district was intended to show him that when the soldier went to the front to fight the battle for his King and country they' in their cosy homes did not forget their absent friends at the front, but followed their career until they welcomed them homo. He had much pleasure in wishing bim long life to wear and treasure the handsome token of the esteem and goodwill of tie people of the district. The remarks of the mavor were heartily endorsed by the whole oi" the Council, after which Trooper Harold returned thanks, saying that he was sorry he had had to be sent home from active duties. In one way, however, he was pleased, as it gave hiiu the opportunity of getting back to his old friends. The very handsome presents that the mayor had just given him on behalf of tbe people of the district would be cherished by turn as long as he lived, and he thanked them sincerely for the kindness they had shown him on his return. . In the case of married men applying lor admission to the ranks of the New Zealand contingents for the front, it appears it is necessary that they should produce the written consent of their wives. A wefl-known individual in the Mataura district who applied for enrolment produced a note from his wife in which the good lady not only freely gave her consent, but, (says tbe ' Ensign') added as a further inducement to the authorities. the .statement that she would be very pleased to get rid of her spouse for the purpose of fighting the Empire's battles.