THE TRANSVAAL WAR.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4301, 9 March 1901, Page 7

THE TRANSVAAL WAR.

CABLE NEWS.

UNITED PHES9 ASSOCIATION. —BT ELECXEIO

MOVEMENTS OF DE WET. (Received March 8, 10..'30 p.m.) | LONDON, March S. I Ooncr.il Do Wet is hard pressed in| the direction of Fan resmith. Ho hasl no "nns. ( Parties of Boers 200 and 400 strong occupy positions at Rouxville, norch-c-ist of Aliwal North, and at Bushman’s Kopje,** north-west of Smithfield. Mr Stcyn is at Sniithfiold. (Received March !), 1.5 a.in.) LONDON, March 3. The '■ Daily Mail ” states that General Do Wet is near Pctrusburg, fifty miles west of Bloemfontein, and that Colonel;: Botliuue and Pilcher are hotly pursuing him. INCIDENTS OF THE CAMPAIGN. BOERS IN CAPE COLONY. LONDON. -March 7. Commandant Schecpor’s force entered Aberdeen and forced the prisoners in gaol to join them. The Boers were ultimately repulsed with heavy less. Seven hundred men of Krnitziiigvr's commando, with two guns, occupied Pearstou sixty miles cast of Aberdeen, overpowering the garrison, which numbered seventy-five. Commandant M’alau’s scouts trod to derail a train at Brojospoort (? Bicjespnort), near Victoria West, but some Australian troops aboard prevented them. CAI'TCUE OF RIFLES AND AMMUNITION. (Beceivcd Murh 8, 10.30 p.m.) LONDON, March 8. Commandant Kruitzinger captured sixty rides and 20,000 cartridges when ho occupied Pears ton. Colonel Gorringo has roocoupied the town. Ho*blnnios the Town Guard for feebly defending u practically impregnable position. Commandant. Kruitzinger lias been driven across the railway. GOOD WORK BY COLONIALS. LONDON, March 7. Particulars of tho recent capture of; thirty Boers by Captain Baltimore-and, fifteen Victorian Bushmen show that tho Victorians, who wore attached to Colonel Hennikcr’s column, reconnoitred a party, of Boers who- were trying to intercept;Nosbit’s. Homo at tho junction of tho, Zeekoe and Orango rivers. Captain Dallimore at nightfall «tam-l peded the Boers’ horses and surrounded tho Boers, whom he awakened at dawn, by firing a. volley at close range. i Tho Boers, realising that they were without horses', took cover and fought for half an hour. Captain Dallimore then threatened to use a. big gun, and tho Boers surrendered. They were greatly chagrined at tho small number of their captors. FIGHTING IN THE WESTERN TRANSVAAL. LONDON, March 7. Lord Kitchener reports that General Do la Key’s force is attacking Lichtenhurg. Tho garrison, numbering 500, is resisting, and fighting continues. Reinforcements are being sent. ( i ! DIFFICULTIES IN THE FIELD. ! LONDON, March 7. ' Lieut.-General French is experiencing fearful weather, and finding it difficult to forward convoys to the troops. Operations arc being largely delayed through want of* forage. | CONCENTRATION OF TROOPS. LONDON, March 7. A groat concentration of troops isprecccding at Springfontoin. thirty - four ■ - miles north of Norval's Pont", preparatory to Lord Kitchener sweeping through Orange River Colony. | DESIRE "FOR PEACE. LONDON, March 7. Bom;? at Pretoria freely state that Ihe leaders in''the field are willing *io surren ier. with the bulk of their comfnandos!, if assured of a personal amnesty, assisted to a fresh start, and that all rebels will bo pardoned. i NEGOTIATIONS WITH GENERAL | BOTHA. (Received March 8, 10.30 p.m.) I LONDON, March 8. In tho House of Commons the Hon A. J. Balfour, replying to a question by Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman, confirmed the report that General Louis Botha, the Boer Commander-in-CMof, is in communication with Lord Kitchener but said ho was yet unable to make a statement on the matter. j VOLUNTEERS ENROLLING. j LONDON, March 7.1 Eight companies of infantry and cyclist volunteers are enrolling in Great Britain for service in South -Africa. A regiment of Metropolitan Mounted Ri- * lies is being enrolled from among London volunteers. THE SEVENTH! CONTINGENT. Colonel Pole-Pen ton att ended at the Newtown Camp yesterday afternoon, but. owing to the downpour of rain which occurred soon after his arrival, ho had to postpone an inspection of tho contingent which he proposed to make# Matters at tho camp last night were fairly comfortable, in spite of the unpropitious weather. Extra rations ol bread, butter and jam were served om To tho men, and the evening passed pleasantly with song and story until the bugle sounded "Lights out!” Lieutenant W. G.. Forsyth is the latest appointment to the contingent. He lias been attached to the Wellington camp. Last night’s parade slate made an ng , pregato uinler canvas of 387, apportioned as follows : -—Wellington district 117; Canterbury, 96; Auckland, 90; Otago, 84. The orthodox uniforms of khaki were served out to the Auckland division Rst night. The uniforms are made to scale, as a result of which -om<? of the more angular troopers find that - they » ci.lv “lit‘where they touch.” In pursuance of the Imperial army custom, which permits the pot goat of a certain Welsh regiment to draw full pay as a private, the members of the Auckland company arc getting up a reciuisTtion to the Defence Department to provide a khaki coat for “Ladysmith,” * ike,company’s pot terrier. A church" service will he held >n -he camp to-morrrw morning. Tho Mouowai. which leaves Sydney for'Wellington this afternoon will bring with her the returning Now Zealand troopers who arrived in Sydney per s.s Ranee.