The Transvaal WAR.

Evening Star, Issue 11676, 7 February 1902, Page 6

The Transvaal WAR.

NEW ZBALANDEHS IN ACTION. THE CAPTURES CONTINUE. ANGRY BOER DELEGATES. DE LA REYS HEAVY LOSS. THE CONDITIONS OF PEACE Press Association—By Telegraph—Coypright, LONDON, February 6. General Byng specially mentions the gallantry of the New Zealanders and die South African Light Horse dining his engagement with Wessells. The latter is among the killed. Amongst the prisoners is Captain Midler, of the Staats Artillery, besides which many cattle were captured. The British casualties were slight. The National Burgher Scouts captured thirteen Boers at Midddburg, and General Flamer seven at Amerspoort. Colonel Hamilton, after a long pursuit, drove some Boers into the blockhouses Hue, capturing thirty-two.

[The gun* referred to in yesterday’s cables as having been captured by General Byng —-viz., Firman’s fifteen-pounder and pom poms—are evidently the guns lost by Colonel Finnan on Christmas Eve, when /us camp was rushed at Tweefontein by Be Wet] THE PEACE CHATTER. AN UNKIND CUT. LONDON, February 6. The Boer delegates angrily contest Lord Lansdowne’s assertion that they have ; o voice in the Boer councils, alleging that Britain is aware that the leaders in the field consulted them by cable in June last. They claim that Britain is still trying to exterminate the Boers, and is wrecking every effort for peace terms. The reply rendered it impossible for the delegates so apply for safe conduct or anything else. LORD SALISBURY ON THE PEACE OVERTURES. INTELLECT, NOT EMOTION, WANTED. LONDON, February 6. (Received February 7, at 9.18 a.m.) Lord Salisbury, speaking at the Junior Constitutional Club, said that he was utterly unable to imagine the precise object of the Dutch Government. Possibly the British pro-Boers were at the bottom of the mystery. The struggle had now reached a stage when suggestions of the intellect ought to cany more weight than Lie emotions. The Government would welcome with delight any peace recognising the King's rights and providing for the security of the Empire. They must consider the South African loyalists, and obtain a peace strengthening the devotion of all the colonies, which were growing every year. DE WETS FOOD SUPPLIES GETTING SHORT. LONDON, February 6.

The raids on De Wet’s numerous stores of grain are more demoralising and a worse blow to him than the blockhouses. The absence of food prevents any prolonged concentration of the enemy.

METHUEN CAPTURES HIS OWN CONVOY. PLEASE DONT LAUGH. LONDON, February 6. Mr Rennet Burleigh states that recently General Methuen’s force, marching on a dark night, ■were so indifferently led that they moved in a circle, and succeeded in capturing their own convoys. SCOTTISH HO*RSE AT WORK. A BIG CAPTURE. LONDON. February 6. General Kekewich reports that the Scottish Horse, commanded by Major Leader, killed seven and captured 131 of De la Rey’s commando, including Commandants Sorel and Alberts, Landdrost Potgieter, and Cornet Jan Der Pleisses. The British casualties were slight. DETAILS OF THE BATTLE OF LIEBENBERQSVLEI. LONDON, February 6. (Received February 7, at 9.30 a.m.) Details of the Lichen bergavlei engagement show that six squadrons of South African Light Horse and a squadron of Yeomanry captured a convoy, seven hundred cattle, and dispersed seventy Boers. They also captured Steyn’s remount depot, containing twenty of his splendid horses. At the same time the Seventh New Zealand Contingent and the Queensland Bushmen t, attached to Colonel Garrat’s cohonn, defeated Commandant Means. The commando was 300 strong, with a fifteen-pounder and two pom-poms. A CHANGE OF ADDRESS. LONDON, February 6. The Boer Government’s headquarters are now at Steemkaupsberg. THE REMOUNT SCANDAL.

LONDON, February 6. (Received February 7, at 9.41 a.m.)

Sir John Cockbum, in a letter to ‘Tnc Times ’ on the remount scandal, said that it had showed the unparalleled advantage of establishing remount depots in Australia, as advocated by Sir Langdon Bonython, MJ.E. HOLLAND’S “OLD MAN OF THE SEA.” LONDON, February 6. (Received February 7, at 9.54 a.m.) M. Bkrwitz f The Times’s ’ correspondent in Paris) says that the opinion is gaming ground from the fact of Dr Kuypcris Note tliat be would be glad to rid Holland of the Boer delegates, whose agitation is disquieting. THE SURREY’S CONTINGENT. SYDNEY, February 7. (Received February 7, at 10.12 a.m.) The Surrey Contingent are in excellent health and spirits. The Government place the yacht Victoria at their disposal to-day for a trip down the harbor.

THE DEGRADATION OP TOBIAS SMUTS.

THE “YOU’RE ANOTHER” ARGUMENT.

LONDON, February 6. (Received February 7, at 9.54 ajn.) General Botha degraded Tobias Smuts for burning Bremneradorp. Smuts retorted

that Chris. Botha had shmlariy offended, but went unpunished, also that Louis Botha bad ordered. that the Boer women he driven into the concentration camps against their wiH. IN A QUANDARY. WAIHI, February 7. Mr Jackson Palmer addressed his constituents yesterday, receiving a hearty vote of thanks and confidence. The meeting pledged themselves to endeavor to secure his re-election should he not return before the General Election. An amendment was proposed that Mr Palmer forego his present intention and remain here to look after the interests of the district The motion, however, was carried by one vote. Mr Palmer intimated that he would obtain the wishes cf the rest of his constituents before finally deciding. It is considered questionable whether the constituency will let him go to the seat of war. THE SHOOTING OF NATIVES.

A second statement from Lord Kitchener specifying several cases of shooting of natives by Boers was issued from the War Office. In the case of Snyman, a Baauto makes a sworn statement that the Boers in August, 1900, went to his hut on Zwartkop, and accused him of giving information to the British. He was tied up for fifteen days to a tank, and fed twice a day on mealies. The two men who actually tied him were Barnard Foster and Marthinus roster, of Van Zye’s commando. On Monday, October 15, 1900, a party of Boers came to Hontkop, about six miles north-west of Vereeniging. One of them, a farmer well known to the natives in the kraal, fired at and killed a native called Jacob, whom he accused of supplying cattle to the British forces. At the same time another Boer, Phanie Cronje by name, proceeded to the house of a native called Johannes, whom he shot dead in the pre-' sence of both his sons as he came outside. In November or December, 1900, a certain number of waggons belonging to a convoy proceeding from Pretoria to Rnstenburg was captured by the enemy. A native driver of one of the waggons appears to have been rolled up in a buck sail by two men called Willem Barnard and. Jan Van Rensburg. Bags of oats were piled on the top of the saiL These were then sprinkled with paraffin, and the whole set on fire. The witnesses in this case are all natives. From Kimberley the total number of natives reported murdered is thirty-seven; details not yet to hand.

The following promotions have been nwsde in the militia: —To be breveLcolonel; Lieutenant-colonels T. W. Porter, S. Newall, C.8., W. H. Webb, A. W. Robin, C.8., R. H. Davies, C.8.; to be lieutenantcolonel, Major R. H. Owen ; to be brevet-lieutenant-colonel, Major E. W. C. Chaytor; to be major, Captains A. G. E. Binglev and E. Bartlett.