LORD ROBERTS' PLANS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11366, 8 May 1900, Page 5

LORD ROBERTS' PLANS.

CO-ORDINATION OF BRITISH MOVEMENTS.

FIGHTING NEAR BRANDFORT.

THE COLONIAL DIVISION TAKE PART.

BOER POSITION SHELLED.

ENEMY FORCED TO RETREAT NORTHWARDS.

IRISH-AMERICAN BRIGADE REFUSE TO FIGHT.

RAPID ADVANCE UPON PRETORIA EXPECTED.

By Tclograpli—Press Association.-Copyright.

London, May V. Lord Roberts, from a kopje at Karee, heliographed instructions for the co-ordination of the British movements.

Four thousand Boers held a strong line of defences at Bruce. General Hamilton followed the line of kopjes to the east, Idle General Tucker advanced nearer to the line of communication. General Pole-Carew moved to the centre. General Hutton, with the colonial division, making a wide detour, arrived unexpectedly east of Brandfort, seized the unoccupied kopjes, and opened with a raking fire from the 9th Field Battery, driving the Boers on the plains towards the hills overlooking the town. Several shells were placed magnificently in the midst of the enemy. Rimington's Guides Reined the hill when the enemy evacuated the town, General Maxwell meanwhile forcing the position eastwards. The whole section of the Boers streamed north, nearly losing a convoy and guns. The commandant of the town, returning to destroy the telegraph instruments, was captured. Renter's correspondent states that the Irish-American Brigade were in a state of riot, and refused to fight, merely manning the kopjes near the town. London, May 6.

! ■ There is a strong impression in ! official circles in Capetown that I Lord Roberts will advance rapidly : upon Pretoria. One of the British generals who I have been especially active during ; the past week is Brigadier-General Brabant, who has a column near Dei wetsdorp. General Rundle commands at Tliabanchu. and General French is busily engaged operating at the front. j Lord Roberts has sent a cable : stating that on Saturday at the Vet , River, 15 miles north of Brandforfc, I after shelling for three hours, Gene- ' ral Hutton's mounted troops turned ! the enemy's right flank, and iash- ! ingly forced the passage of the rivor ; in the face of heavy shell and mus- | ketry fire. | The casualties at Hautnek in-clude:-Killed: Trooper F. Smith. | Wounded : Troopers Lewis, Ma vail, and Tweedie-all of New South ] Wales. I Of those wounded at Thaban'.-hu, | Lieutenant Lilley's wound in the' S head is a serious one. ! Private Coughlan, of Warnamiool ! (Victoria) is a prisoner with his leg I broken. Private James Fahery, d the .New I Zealand Mounted Infantry, is &ho dangerously wounded.