AFRICAN AFFAIRS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17096, 19 February 1916, Page 9

AFRICAN AFFAIRS.

EAST AFRICAN CAMPAIGN* MAIN GERMAN RESERVES. A The High Commissioner reports:—« LONDON, February 17. , The Commandant of the British East) African forces reports that the main j German reserves are located in tho | neighbourhood of Sala'ta Hill. Our eas-1 unities wore 172.

THE SECOND MOUNTED BRIGADE.) -. J . REFORMING UNDER. GENERAL’ BRITS. ‘'Times” and Sydney “ Sun" Service*. ' LONDON, February 17. - General Botha is re-forming .the.fault r; ous 2nd Mounted Brigade under Gen«\ oral Brits, for service in the East AiV rican campaign. Schwartz, the well-known cricketer# who was twice wounded in the SoutU : African fighting, has been appointed t<s the headquarters staff.

PAY OF CONTINGENTS.

BOTHA THREATENS TO RESIGN. : By Telegraph—Fresa Association—Copyright, CAPE TOWN, February. 17. 4 General Botha declined ■ to agree to'; the Labour Party’s suggestion that' he should raise the pay of the Egyptian contingent to the level of that for the East African contingents, and threatened to resign if a division were forced on racial lines. The Hon Sir T. AY. Smartfc. leader of the Unionist Party, while disliking. the decision, declined to precipitate a! crisis and moved tho previous question. •

THE CAMEROONS.

ACTIVE OPERATIONS. PRACTICALLY ENDED.

The. High Commissioner reports:— \ LONDON, February 17. \ Major-General Dobell, in West Africa, i reports that active operations are practi- j cally ended. The conquest of the Cam-,* croons is complete, excepting an iso- i lated position of Mora Hill.

A CALLANT AFFAIR.

MOTOR-BOATS CAPTURE GERMAN * GUNBOAT. LAKE TANGANYIKA FIGHT. (Received February 18, 9.10 p.m.) CAPE TOWN, February 17. . Stirring details of two British : motor-boats gallantly fighting a! German gun-boat on Lake Tanganyika on Boxing Day are related by a participator in the fight. We sighted a great blot on the horizon, steaming coastwise. Off wo went, though she was five times our combined tonnage. We were so small that sha did not sec us until we were four thousand yards off. Then she tugnqcUonL-, us. doubtless expecting an easy cap- ~ tore. We steamed straight at her and opened fire at 3500 yards. Sho replied, bar shells falling all round us without hitting. Our second shot destroyed her wireless and the third hit her on tho waterline. She turned and fled, - but we were faster, and our'fifth“shot killed her captain and two of her crewShe hoisted the white flag and we captured, after,j twenty minutes’ fighting, a powerful vessel protected by large steel shields. She was hit on tjyi plates, but we were not- hit., though the enemy’s gunners were from the cruiser ; Ivonigsberg.” - •