RELIEF OF LADYSMITH.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 3955, 22 January 1900, Page 7

RELIEF OF LADYSMITH.

HAJICJI OF BULLER/S ARMY

REBOUT FuOH LOUD 110 BIGHTS

liUi'lUS «LIHMHKEI) BY THE ITUTISn: movements.

“I JEW AHE OF TREACHERY.”

LONDON, January ID. t'ichl-.Mi'.r.shal Lord Roberts, Com-mamlcr-in-Chief in South ■ Africa, has cabled to the 'War o!!icc an account of tlie, progress made by the columns now advancing to the relief ot Ladysmith. .1.1. is leport shows that Lieut.-General Sir Charles Warren’s division is advancing northward from the Tugela river (which no crossed at Trichord's*Drift}, in tho direction of Spionkop and Dewdrop. The .Leers, it is known, hold a strongly entrenched position five miles ahead of flic place From which Sir Charles was last heard of. This position the General will endeavour to turn, and ho had strong hopes of being able to do so.

A separate radiogram from General Sir liedrors Buller, in reference to the passage of the Tngeia, slates that Lieut.General Warren.’;! column crossed tnc river Ij.v means of a pontoon hridgn eighty-live yards _ long. Sir llerlver.-i hoped that Sir Charles would have advanced live miles toward;; the enemy's position by Thursday evening.

Scouts have brought in information that the Boors aro entrenching themselves in the valleys through which tlio British troops will have to pass, and. are otherwise fortifying their position l;> resist the advance.

Before starting upon the present _ expedition General Muller made a .spirited appeal to the men of the relief columns. It was, ho declared, intended to relieve Ladysmith. Once on tho way there would he no turning hack. At tho .•■amc lime lie warned the troops to hewn ro of' lhe, treachery of the Boers,, o-peeially in regard to the abuse ol the wliit>> Hag. A later report stales that the British I mops crossed the river practically without imposition. Lieutenant-General Warrens artillery shelled tho trenches of the opposing Boers all day on Thursday, and succeeded in making a breach in a sand-bag emplacement, which they had thrown up to protect their guns. Tho enemy did not respond to the lire.

The success which has attended the British advance so far lias put the troops in good heart, and all aro now full of confidence.

DURBAN, January 19,

Reporls from Hie front state that the. cavalry under the Earl of Dundouald, who forinoil the advance guard of General Boiler's column, found the .Boors unite unprepared when they struck the Tuge,la. river at Potgie.tcr s Drft. The burghers posted at this point were evidently totally unaware of the proximity of the troops, for many of them were Lathing in the river when Lord Duudonald’a men appeared. Tiro crossing of the river at Potgioter’s Drift by the brigade which Maor-Gene-ral the Hon E. Lyttelton commands was •accomplished under great difficulties. A largo portion of the troops waded through the swollen stream, the water being waist high. Each man, to prevent himself from being carried olf his feet, grasped the rifle of the comrade in front of him. By this moans the northern bank was reached without serious mishap. The enemy, in their unprepared state, offered virtually no opposition. Lord Dundonald’s mounted troops wore engaged in action to the westward of .Acton Homes. Daring the engagement Cornet Heilbron and twenty of the Boers wore killed and wounded, fifteen being also taken prisoner. The enemy have been forced to destroy a bridge they were building seven miles west of Fotgieter’s Drift, by which it had been intended to outflank General Buller’a army.

PROGRESS OF THE MARCH.

OUTLINE OF THE BRITISH MOVEMENT.

DISPOSITION OF THE BOER

FORGES

(Received January 21, 4.45 p.m.) DURBAN, January 20, Two British soldiers wore killed and two wounded in a skirmish near Acton Homos.

A detachment of Genera! Warren’s Dragoons has reinforced Lord Dundonald’s column. The latter has now 2500 men and a number of Maxims.

The Boers are reported to have gathered in strength at Spionkop, on tho north bank of tho Tngela beyond Springfield and south-west of Acton Homes.

General Warren's force is steadily advancing. His troops have occupied a number of kopjes commanding a ravine to the westward of Suitmkop. General Lyttelton Isas pushed on his brigade, and gained a position two miles further forward. Tho bulk of tbc Boers in Natal arc hastening to repel General Buller’s advance. Ten thousand of the enemy arrived at the front on tho 11th inst., ami feverishly commenced to construct formidable entrenchments.'

The main position of the. Boer army extends for six miles in a westerly' direction along tho kopjes opposite Potgietor’s Drift, where the river follows a tortuous course. '

Their principal stronghold (Spionkop) is tho highest hill ■on tho river, and is used as a base. The enemy’s entrenchments extend backwards for miles, hut

they r.ro compelled to doiond tho whole lino of front from• Colonso to Acton Hornes, a distance of twenty-six miles. Tiro Transvaalers sullenly endure tnebombardment of the British guns from Mount Alice in silence. At one pmnt they refused General Lyttelton s cna. lengo to touch the British who came within vide fire of their trenches. Mr Bennett Burleigh, the correspondent, of the “Daily Telegraph,” considers that Lord Dundonald’s success seems to control an easy entrance into Ladysnntli and interrupts the retreat of the enemy westward into the- Orange Fr;o .atafe. ( Lord Duudonald’s seizure »i I other's Drift and the passage of t.ro Lugcla l.y General Lyttelton’s column arc considered to be magnificent feats.

A PLUCKY FEAT,

(Received January 21. 5 p.m. DURBAN. January 20.

The canturo of tho cable boat at Botgietcr’s Drift was mado by a party of South African Light Infantry, who had to swim the Tugoln- river under n heavy lire. It was one of the pluckiest incidents of tho advance.

DIFFICULTIES OF TRANSPORT,

(Received January 21, 5 p.m.) DURAN, January 20. Tho heavy rains which have fallen lately in Natal have turned the roads into ((Uiigmircs, the result being that the British transport difficulties aro terrible. (Received January 22, 0.5 a.m.) DURBAN, January 21. The troops under Lord Dundonald have captured one of President Kruger’s grandsons. ' ..... General Buller’,s transport facilities include 5000 vehicles. By tho uso of a balloon much valuable information was gained by the British while engaged in shelling the Boev trenches near Swartzkop. •