The Boer War.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 41, 18 February 1901, Page 2

The Boer War.

CRUELTY OF THE BOERS

MURDERING PEACE ENVOYS,

FLOGGING NON-COMBATANTS, AND RAIDING FRIENDS.

By Telegraph. Press Association. Copyright London, Feb. 16. The action of the Boer loader DeWct, in shooting those who have gouo to him as peace envoys, and the action of tho raiders in looting tho property of their friends in Cape Colony', are having tho effect of alienating Dutch sympathy- from tho Boor cause.

Before the Boers loft Calvinia tlioy' flogged several officials for not revealing the whereabouts of arms.

They flogged the Magistrate, Mr Buk, and shot the native drivers. A number of native drivers elsewhere were also captured and shot.

A MOBILE ENEMY TO DEAL WITH.

GENERAL FRENCH AGAIN TO THE FORE.

BOTHA’S SECRETARY CAPTURED,

BRAVE AUSTRALIANS. A TASK TO CATCH WOMEN DRIVERS. London, Feb. 16. Tho Boers who lately' evacuated Calvinia aro splondidly mountod, aud are travelling in tho direction of Konhardt at the rate of sixty miles daily. General French has captured a number of Boers, including Commandant Botha’s secretary.

Genoral Smith-Dorrion lias occupied Amsterdam.

The Australian Bushmen performed most of the fighting during the march of Lord Methuen’s column between Kuruni and tho Transvaal Border.

The Australians captured sovoral con. voys.

They had much difficulty' in capturing ono which had been entrusted to export women drivers.

BRISK FIGHTING.

AUSTRALIANS GET IMPERIALS OUT OF A TIGHT CORNER,

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright

London, Fob. 15,

Three lmudred and fifty men, of Do Wet’s commando, occupied Philipstown on Tuesday’. A small garrison of Yeomanry defendod the gaol, while Lieut. Honnilior and sixty Victorian Imperial Bushmen rushed and occupied a kopje commanding tho town. Firing continued all day. Major Granville Smith and two squadrons of Victorians under Major L. E. Clark arrived, aud in tlie evening tho Boers retired to the north-east.

Haasbrock and Woest, commanding a, portion of Do Wet’s forco, with two hundred vehicles, crossed the .Zandrift on the ninth. They wore repulsed. At Philipstown and Petrousville the fighting on the twelfth and thirteenth was brisk.

The enemy used a 15-pounder, capturod from the British, the shrapnel bursting splendidly’. Subsequently Colonel Plumer’s force of Australian Bushmen arrived with a pompom, and extricated two hundred Imperial and South African Horse, who wore being hard pressed by Haasbrock, twenty miles west of Colesburg. Tho British casualties were light, and the enemy’s heavier. Colonel Plumer, pursuing tlie Boers'westward, captured a Maxim and a great portion of De Wet’s ammunition.

BOERS DESTROYING CULVERTS NORTH OF DE AAR.

CRABBE CAPTURES WAGGONS. FRENZIED WELCOME OF DE LISLE. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. .London, Feb. 16. The Daily Mail states that Do Wet and Steyn orossod the railway between Hontkraal and Potfontein, north of Do Aar, on the 14tb, and destroyed two culverts. Colonel Crabbe, following De Wet, captured fourteen waggons and some prisoners. Do Lisle was given a frenzied welcome at Calvania, where Boer cruelty, vindictive exactions, and wanton destruction recalled the worst scenes of tho early campaign in Northern Natal. An armoured train with a Maxim killed nineteen Boors who were trying to destroy the railway at Edonburg, south of Bloemfontein, during the night.

COLONIES'AS A RECRUITING GROUND. VICTORIA AND NEW SOUTH WALES OBJECT. WAR OFFICE ACCEPTS ANOTHER QUEENSLAND CONTINGENT. By Telegraph—Press Association—CopyrighSydney, last night. Sir William Lync informed the Imperial authorities that the Government could nbt agree to tho proposal to recruit a thousand constabulary for South Africa. Victoria has sent a similar reply. The Queensland Government sa>v no objection to a quota being raised there. Brisbane, Feb. 17. The Government have been unofficially informed that the offer of another con- -

tingent has been accepted. The War Office greatly appreciate the offer,