THE TRANSVAAL WAR.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4289, 23 February 1901, Page 7

THE TRANSVAAL WAR.

a&BLE NEWS,

nmTMD Pfißß* AJBBOCLATION.—BY KLBCTBXO XBLBQHAPH. COPYRIGHT.

PURSUIT OF DE WET. BRITISH CLOSE ON ENEMY'S HEELS. i Received February 9.52 p.m.) LONDON, February IE!. .Major-General Phtinor is following General .Do VVot, ami compelling him to turn north, a* the direction of Griqualaiirl West. T’lio British are clo.ic on the enemy's heels. Commandant Horizon is to the northward, at Hoavvator, thirty-two miles north-west of Britstown, and fifty-five miles from Do Aar. Lioutcnant-Colonol. Gorringo and Major Haig are pursuing Commandant Knutzinger northwards, near Bcthcsda, lorty miles south-west of Midcflcburg. BOERS DISAPPOINTED. (Rceoived February 22, 9.25 p.m.) LONDON, February 22. Tbc Poors who attacked General Kit-ohonei-’s baggage train had carts hidden in a, donga in readiness to carry off the loot. i CAPTURE OF A TRAIN BY I BOERS. (■Rceoivod February 22, 9.25 p.rn.) I LONDON, February 22. Iho Boers destroyccl a, culvert he•tween Natal Spruit and the Klip river. Tbay captured a train-load of foodstuffs nod burned tbo train. j GENERAL BOTHA. I 'WATCHWORD— “NEVER SURRENDER.” j (Received February 22, 10.40 p.m.) j i LONDON, February 22. General Louis Botha, who is hemmed in by General Frcncii on tho Swaziland Irontior, on tho 10th inst. recommended Ids followers novor to surrender. He said lie would continue to lead them while five hundred burghers were left. Tho burghers replied that it was diffi- i cult to continue tho struggle. The am- i munition was almost exhausted, and the British were destroying the crops and food. General Botha replied that the Lord provided everything. j A FIERY PROCLAMATION. | REITERATION OF LIES. i (Received February 22, 10.40 p.m.) ' LONDON, February 22. Mr Steyn and General De Wot issued a fiery proclamation on January 14th denying that tbo war was ended, urging retaliation for the burning of farms, iciterating lying reports of outrages by ; the British upon Boer women, and ad- ' vomiting raids upon unfriendly colonists. [ SIR A. MILNER'S SALARY. i (Received February 22, 10.40 p.m.) i LONDON, February 22. In tho House of Commons Mr Cham- ! berlain announced that Sir Alfred Miluer’s salary as Administrator of tho new '. colonics will bo £BOOO, and as High Commissionor for South Africa £3OOO. f I THE POSITION DISCUSSED. ( LETTER TO LONDON "TIMES.” f LONDON, February 21. 1 A correspondent signing himself v P.S., supposed to be Philip Schreiner, brother of the late Premier of Capo f Colony, has addressed a letter to ''The Times.” Ho states that it is his painful duty to advise the Boers to surreu- * der. " i I The sympathy of tho Continental na- ! 1 tions, says "P. 5.,” is hollow, and the ! tardiness of the Liberal members of the * House of Commons in declaring that * they opposed the idea of Boer independ- ' once, and their loyalty to the Empire, } had disagreeably surprised the Boers. If * the intensions of the Liberals had been | made clear months ago, the war would ‘ long since have been honourably con- * eluded. Had the Dutch, won they £ would have taken every penny of ( the stakes. I “P.S.” makes a strong case against the maintenance of the dual language. He points out that the Dutch in Cape Colony and Natal enjoy equality of rights and language with the British, yet they are not satisfied, because as long as tho two languages are permitted to remain, peace and tho fusion of the two races ! - arc impossible. _The British are ad- | j vised to take steps to abolish, the Dutch ; J language throughout South Africa in fa- ; 1 vour of English, and to place the cle- : j saenclants of brave commandants in the ; - seats of the mighty. ! , Tho letter concludes by saying that ‘ , the universal loyalty of tho colonies the Empire has been a great lesson to , tho Dutch. s MISCELLANEOUS. i c LONDON, February 21. 1 Though small bodies of Boers manage j e to break through tho British lines, | ' Lieut.-General French is hard pressing f General Botha's main body, numbering i four thousand men. They are encumber- • ‘ ed with women and children and a hugs j c convoy. ! When French’s column threatened Er-1 - melo, General Botha ordered tho Ermelo * commando to cover tho Boer retreat, c threatening to shoot tho leaders who disobeyed the order. Too entire com- ■ manclo thereupon deserted. 1 There is accumulating evidence that j j. tho Boor loaders represent to the burgh- j f ers that Mr Chamberlain’s conciliatory j j, assurances are signs of weakness, and | I mere bridges for them to surrender. 2 At Lord Kitolieuor’s request Major- j General tho Earl of Duiulonald and Col- £ on el Ward, wlio played prominent parts early in tho campaign, are returning io South Africa. AUSTRALASIA*! CONTINGENTS.

HOBAET, February 22

A contingent of 150 men is ready to embark as soon os a transport arrives. Probably an additional hundred will he accepted, and leave at the same time. (Received February 23. 1.8 a.m.l ADELAIDE, February 22. Already there are five hundred volunteers for the , Sixth Contingent, although the Imperial authorities have net yet notified that it will bo accepted. CITt! ISTCHUECH, February 22. Canterbury has been allotted 34 men for the Seventh Contingent, and out of the 130 who applied 50 have been ordered to report themselves at the local defence office at once. About 30 came into town yesterday, and arc now in camp at tho drillshed grounds. They will undergo a medical examination,, and afterwards will be put through their facings by Sergeant-major Coleman, who drilled t&« prectoos oeet&ifatfc Thsae

have gone into camp are rather a weedy lot, and several of thorn will not pass tho medical test.

The Defence Department lias called for tenders for the supply of 2400 pairs of hoots for the Seventh Contingent on namples shown at the local office. Local manufacturers considered tho samples of such an inferior nature that several of them declined to tender on them, and sent to Wellington their own samples with tenders. • Tho tender of Messrs M. O'Brien and Co. has been accepted on their own samples. GISBORNE, February 22. A telegram received to-night from Colonel Porter shows that the organisation of tho Seventh Contingent is being very rapidly done. • Tbo enrolling officer, Major McCredie, has been instructed to send Gisborne’s quota of ten men by steamer leaving on Sunday for Napier, and they are there to take train for Wellington. Some of tho applicants cannot bo communicated with in the time allowed, but as usual, there aro likely to bo more men from Gisborne than required, oven though tho notice is so short.

. NELSON, February 22. I vventy-six men have volunteered in town for the Seventh Contingent, but only eleven will be accepted.

RETURNING NEW ZEALANDERS. The Premier has boon advised that tho steamer Victorian loft Capetown > rsterday with the following New Zealanders aboard; —s3 Private Theodore C’asoy, First Contingent, Auckland ; 184 j Private J. Townsend, First, AVaikouaiti. | Otago; 312 Private L. Horne, .Second, j Blenheim; 466 Gunner J. A. Borla.se. j Hotchkiss Battery, Port Chalmers ; 419 j Private R. Browne, Second, Hororata; 1 638 Private G. C. Derrett, Third. Horo- '• rata; 640 Private E. C. Evans, Third, Orar; Gorge ; 721 Private J. Anderson. Third, Rnanui Station; 78-1 Private F Bird, Third, Westport; 1051 Farrier I W. H. Spain, Fourth, Cmftral Otago- | 1258 Private A. J. Baker, Fourth, AVolJlington; 1406 Farrier G. R. Wilkinson, •Fourth. Auckland; 1569 Private M. Groan, Fourth, New Plymouth; 1132 I Piivatc W. R. Gibson, Fourth Opito- | inn, Auckland; 1623 Private A. Dixon, I Fifth, Gore; 2220 Private N. H. BoJ- • miu, Fifth, Wellington; 2639 Quarler-mastor-Soroeant W. H. Reeves, Fifth Belfast; 2298 Private Harold Thomson! Fifth, Eangitikei; 2572 Private T. Andrews, Fifth, Ashburton; 2487 Private J. H. Liggins, Fifth, Tokomam • and 3005 Private Moyes (not in official list).

A FIGHTING FAMILY. In tho war news yesterday morning it was mentioned that Captain J. T\ Marshall, of Wellington, who .was recently invalided from South Africa, where he held the position of SergeantMajor in Brabant’s 1 Horse, had been awarded an Imperial pension by the Commissioners of .Chelsea Hospital. It may be mentioned as a curious coincidence that both the father and grandfather of Captain Marshall qualified for Imperial pensions. His grandfather fought at Waterloo, and during tho period of his service received thirteen wounds, one of which necessitated trepanning. Captain Marshall’s father was an officer in.'the Inuiskilling Dragoons during the Crimean War, and boro three service medals. On his death a. pension was con for rod ( on his Widow, who enjoys it ’ (o'the present day.

Tho Premier has received the follownig cablegram from Sir Alfred Miner, High Commissioner for South Africa, dated the 21st February; —"Trooper A. H. Harrison, of the New Zealand Mounted Rifles, is dtuigerously ill at Naauvv; poort.”" Trooper Harrison left the colony with the Second Contingent. He came from Colyton, Feildiug,. whore .his father resides.. , ...

Trooper ■ Wilson; one of Wanganui’s portion of the' Third Contingent, who was invalided home, and arrived hero by the Riraulaka,-, was . entertained’..by tho officers of. the Railway Accountants’ Branch at Sear I’e"Hotel last evening. Trooper Wilson:(who is a son of one of the oldest officers of the Railway Department), was_ with’his contingent continuously Until, .'November, when enteric fever invalided him. He took part in the numerous engagements in which tho Third- Contingent participated, and was with French when that General released the prisoners at Waterval, reaching Pretoria the, day. after that on which the British”flag was hoisted there. Mr McLean, on behalf of the railway accountants’ staff, welcomed Trooper Wilson home again and as a memento of the occasion presented! him with a handsome pair of spurs.