THE SIEGE OF LADYSMITH.

Otago Witness, Issue 2389, 14 December 1899, Page 28

THE SIEGE OF LADYSMITH.

THE LOSS OF CARLETON'S

BRIGADE.

[Specially Telegraphed fkosi the Bltjff.l The siege of Ladysmith and los 3ox Carleton's Brigade is thus described by the Sydney Morning Herald's was correspondent: — " Ladysmith, Monday, October 31. ."To-day the Boer forces under General Jqubert are practically laying siege to the town of Ladysmith, though no ono for a moment entertains the belief that they will come and take it. ' They have their base perhaps eight miles away in a north-westerly direction, and. when they become too intrusive Sir George Whit ©.sends out a ce-luran and pushes them back again. Sunday was marked by ; A SABBATH QUIET, though the exchange of compliments amongst outposi3 never quite ceased. -At i-iiddny" on observation balloon was sent up, and the whole of the Boer position was sketched, and an officer of tho Engineer^ saw them throwing up three-quarters, of a mile of earthworks not loss -than five miles away, while tho big siega guns, of which so much had been heard, und the projectiles from which had sunk artesian bores all over the Dundee camp, were being placed on the ono commanding hill within range. Everyone waited anxiously for next day. At 3 in the morning troops wero »,?tir, and bofore 5 came the first hint that LADYSMITH WAS UNDER FIRE. &. puff of smoke rising high in tho air was seeii on the big mountain, and a shell with "*dn awsome, unforgettable screech came soaring into the town. It burst close to where 1 stood, a largo piece, with the bras 3 band that take 3 tho rifling still attached, going through the roof of a schoolhouso and frightening almost to death a poor woman who was sleeping there. "That's 'Long Tom,'" Eaid the fugitives from Dundee, "wa know £iis music." Some of us wero inclined to think at first that it was simply an overpitched shell, fired at tho troops on the ridges outside; but a's shell followed shell on much the same line 3, that theory became untenable. The 3oera, in pure wantonnes3, were pitching shells into a town containing hospitals, with many of their own wounded, and just teeming with civilians. Fortunately, they wero plugged shell, and not timo fuse, so they burst only where they struck, and .that was generally on the outskirts of the town close to the volunteer camp and on tho river fiats, where mobs of Kaffir cattle grazed. The bigger part of the town of Lpdysmith, fortunately for its own protection at -this crisis in its history, clusters close under tho projecting ridges on the west, rather to escape •J'.ood than fire, for the Klip river sometimes ioams out of its shallow cut and spreads over the valley. The double ridge. " the outer the higher," was a fino natural defence to the shell fire, for it was difficult to get the shell cloar of its stony cape w-thout overpitching the town. Many of the shots were evidently aimed at the big war bsiloon, from which, high in air. an officer of Engineers watched every Boer's movement and telephoned information to those beneath. Some of "Long Tom's" shells simply' buried themselves in the earth without bursting, and threw up a column of black dust. One man was hit on the hand, another on the leg, neither seriously, and a mule lost his tail. Ono would like to know exactly what it cost the enemy later in gun reliefs to wound those two camp followers and offend the mule. •^he people of Ladysmith thought it serious enough, however. The screech of the shell was enough for them. Sir George White took his Artillery well out on the vjeldt to the northward of the town, and •farted to SHELL THE FOUNTAIN from which the big gun 'flamed at long intervals. At first out' shots were short, and hit rjear. -the -base of the. hill. The second erlvo ploughed the slope neat the creel. At the next attempt the shrapnel appeared to burst ;aist on tho crest or slightly over it. and they !had found the positiou. For about four i{our3 that hill was simply sown with shrapnal. ieneath an umbrella-shaped tree "one could eec even with tho naked eye the mound of red earth that marked tho position of the Big gun. and frequently the 15-pounder shells seemed to plump right into it, and the red earth was tossed aloft. A dozen times it eeemed to us, lying on the crest of the outer ridgo at Ladysmith, that the big gun had ceased ; but when xve were most assured of it ''cover" was the cry, " here comes Long Tom," and we dodged behind the etonos until the shell had gone over. There was always tho possibility that a phell, shorter than the xest, might burst upon tha cop, in which case there would have been pplinters. We got timing "Long Tom" with nice accuracy, and when we saw the smoke bur3t on tha hill, for they were firing black powder, we sauntered quite deliberately to cover. It was a point of honour not to hurry. After breakfast the noise and smoke of battle spread r.ight and left. On our le.£t tho Boer artillery opened on the iron buildings of.lho permanent military camp, about a quarter of a mile out of towu. They were unoccupied, and tho shells beg?n to drop amongst them. Two of ou:* field guns that bad been hiding under a kopje close in to the town wero taVen out at a trot with a couple of companies of infantry as supports, and in a few minutes we wero hotly engaged with (hem. As our browr infantry lifted the ridge a horde of Eoers in their medley of dull colours surged out of a donga (gully), ar.d for t), -moment it LOOKED LIKE A SURPP.ISE. But the hill crackled with the Lec-Metford. The short pup-pup-pup of tho Maxims made a new and unmistakable note in the din, ari«l hard upon it all came the steady bursting British volley 3 . The Boer artillery replied with splendid accuracy. Their shells were falling just behind our Armstrongs, and the puffs of white smoke doited the hill? where the infantry crouched. No guns could have been much better served, yet still o-.ir men held the position, :*.nd gradually this wing of burgher 3, the formation of which, like the Zulu impis, threatened us with envelopment, shrunk away. an,d the moment ,it did co tho

fierce fire died down. It opened with fourfold vigour away on our extreme right. The Boer formation must have extended then over a crescent 12 miles long. At about 12 o'clock we saw a sight upon our right which

FAIRLY STARTLED US.

The Boers had been pressing forward in such strength there that both our artillery and infantry were obliged to give way. At the extreme distance they were partly sheltered by some low mound 3 and scattered mimosa trees, but between this and the town ridge there was a long open flat, level almost as the Melbourne Cricket ground, and on which tho green of early summer was just showing, for the winter tone of the veldt, is a dull brown. Out upon this flat, without formation of any kind, came the retiring field guns and the men of tho Rifle Brigade, who fought so %yell at Omdurman, and arrived just in time to take part in tho battle. The instant they appeared in the open the Boer guns opened on them with a flank fire of shrapnel. The guns quickened to a trot, and nov6r swerved from, their straight track. A shell struck in front of, one' of them, and the magnificent gun-leaaers trotted through its smoke and dust without a shy or a swerve. " Long Tom " swung to the left and dropped his first shell right over them, the sacond right amongst them. One could see tht: brown men dart out in a circle, leaving a ring of greon grass round the exploding shell. Then they closed round again, and coon wero stooping ovar the hole where " Long Tom's " shot had buried- itself without bursting. The real danger was from the puffs of white smoko bursting overhead. These wero

THE FUSED SHELL,

and they were planted with deadly accuracy. Sometimes one heard' an agonised "My god ! " close to him, as 20 men of the Rifle Brigade wont down in a cluster, followed by a long sigh of relief as they ro3e again, having fallen to avoid bursting shrapnel. The casualties wero few, but they were horrifying. One poor fellow had his thigh shaved away so that the white sinews wero exposed in stringa. Another lay in the ambulanco with hia laf t leg a blackened bleeding pulp from hip to'knee. Ho kept his nerve like a hero, gave his name, regiment, and number with scarcely a tremor in his voice, but at la&t his fortitude broke down, and he groaned. " Oh, doctor, give me something." Tho doctor took ono look at him, tho chaplain knelt by him on the gra c s, and took his hand, and tno poor chap knew that his* end had come. It is painful to dwell upon scenes sad a^ these, but thoy are a part of war — a hellish pare that fills one for the instant with a loathing for this damnable man-killing game. You tyre then a disciple or.ly of Robert Buchanan, whoso *' Shadow of the Sword " becomes a v.-ork inapired as tho Bible, but tho next you are immersed in some new phase of tho stupendous gWno, and tho sufferings and tho horrors, that aro daily routine with the surgeon and the chaplain, are forgotten. Eut for that ono instant, when you halt amongst tho dead and dying. " Give peace in our time. O Lord,"' is a text high and holy enough to bo written blood-red across the firmament. After long waiting, arrogant

" LONG TOM " WAS TO MEET HIS

MATCH. The field guns had failed to silenco him. A couple of Hotchkiss-Nordenfeldts had ppit&ed at him for half an hour. I once counted 24, and on two occasions 19 rounds from these guns as fast as one could repeat the figures. " Long Tom " turned sullenly upon them, shortened his range, buried a couple of shells behind them, and the Holchkiss, seeing the folly of tho duel, gave way. They were no sooner silent than two guns from H.M.S. Powerful, that had been brought up from Durban by train and placed in position by a body of Jack Tars, opened on Long Tom's mountain. The onlookers upon tbe height? waited anxiously, but both rholls were short. The next pair, fired in a few seconds, appeared to bur3t right on the Boars big pieco of ordnance. The townspeople who had been croucliing behind the roebs waiting in fevered eagerness to see that gun wlenced, sprang to their feet, swims'- their hats, and yelled exultantly. ,Long Tom's measure had been taken at last. Once ho threw a shell at the naval guns which foil to the left of them, but in half an hour they had firod more rounds into him thnn he had got off since daylight, and for the rest of Monday he spoke no more. Thus far things seemed to have gone rather well with us. Perhapp 20 of our men had been killed and 100 wounded, whilo the Boers wero said to have had 185 killed and 400 wounded. Whatever our losd through phrapnol. it was certain lh:it*6f the Boers must be still heavier. We seemed to have forced them back mi our left, held them in the centre, and relirad before them on our right-. Where tho fight raged hottest during tho day

DISQUIETING HUMOURS ran through tho camp and the town ns to a regiment and battery hivinsr been ambushtnl and captured early on Monday morning. At such a time rumour simply ravages enomy and friand alike But this oiie, unlike most of the others, .refused to ho rlilled. It held its place, and grew mare definite, raoie cominciug, and more depressing with oach succeeding hour, and at last, early on Tuesday morning, (he thine: could be uo longer ridiculed. 33rilish prestige, which, in the mind of tho Boors had in some measure been re-estab-lished by the n<?htinor at Dundee and Elandslaasric, received a telline blow, and tho Boers had to boast of another Majuba. The In^a of lifo was less, perhaps, than at that historic peak _of the Dracxonaberg ; but the number of prisoners taken must, when they roach Pretoria, carry couyircinr; proof of British disaster even tv mind* singularly susceptible to such impresfionr.

THE DISASTER

was duo not to want of prowess, but to an accident, though this only in pirt com ( )cnsates for tho loss. Thus it occurred : At about 10 o'clock on Sunday night, Sir Georga White haying determined uoo-.i a general reconnaissance, and intending, should opportunity offer, to capture the bis; hill behind Farquh:\r'3 farm, which I hod alroadv so often mentioned, sent out a column under Lieutenantcolonel Carleton, with liaior A'.lyo as staff officer, on th^ extreme left. This column, which left LadypmiT'i at 10 o'clock on Sunday night, was directed to march during the darkness by wav of Bell's snrult. to seize a point known "a*! Nicolson's Nek. from whenre it was believed the enemy's right 3ank could be turned. This forco consisted of the 10th Mounttjirr. Battery, well-known in Rhodesia in the last campaign. There were 4-^ companies of the Olouoesters and 6 companies of the Royal Irish Fusiliers. Thoro ia much talk of treachery on the part of the guides who led them, but I believe there is no ba^is for it. The cJrcum«tancss attending the destruction and capture of the column will r.ot bo known for a few day?, but it is certain that they marched into an absolute death trap. The night march was carried out without serious interference from the Beers, and tho column pressed on through the ccol nit;ht, wheu morchin? was much Ips< tryimr than in the oven-liko hnnt of Lbh Lidysmith. "\ alley during the dny time. Within about two miles of Nicholson's Nek a few Boer riflemen were

seen watching the British from the surrounding hills, and all at once two great boulders, loosened from the crest of the hill, came thundering down the range, while at the same time firing opened on the column. vltv It was the boulders though that did the mischief, and only to a bushman or a> Boer would such a method of attack have occurred. A city bred Briton would never have thought of it. The thundering of tho boulders stampeded first the ammunition mules, and the flurry extended to the Battery mules, who broke looao from their leaders, so that in an instant the whole of the British gun equipment and reserve of ammunition was in the hands of the enemy — mules flying loose over the veldt in the tkrkness, and confusion everywhere. Lieutenant-colonel Carleton at once ordered his men to occupy a hill two miles from the Nek, and, accompanied by tho Artillerymen, they spent the night in throwing up breastworks. They were not further interfered with until dawn, when a skirmishing party consisting of two companies of the Gloucester wero engaged by the enemy, who, however, made little headway with the assault up to halfpast 9 o'clock. Thou tho Boors, being heavily reinforced, their rifle fira becamo every memont hotter and more searching, and the Gloucesters wore ordered back upon the main position. There tho whole body FOUGHT DESPERATELY FOR HOURS, ond just as valiantly the Boers pressed on tho attack, their rifle fire at short range being tremendous. Hour after hour both sides fought with, unequalled bitterness. Lieutenantcolonel Carleton had little hope of reinforcarrents for we in Ladyfrnitfi wero then ignorant of his desperate position, and even had wo known it, it is doubtful whether, with the enemy in such force, a relief column could have been Font out. By 2 o'clock the British ammunition was practically exhausted, and then with a great surging rush, Joubert's riflemen carried the position, and tho disaster was complete. Tho prisoners fell into tho hands of the enomy, who were wildly excited at the completeness of their victory, though they, too, paid heavily for it. In the moment of triumph the Boers here, tinder tho personal commancl of General Joubert, behaved towards the wounded with great kindness and humanity, while their whole attitude was that of

BRAVE MEN TO A VANQUISHED ENEMY,

Joubert at onco sent in a lettor to 1 Sir George White offering safe conduct to doctors and ambulances, and all the day a long list of ambulance waggons and green-tilted bullock-earis wove bringing tha wounded to Ladysmith, while tho captured men were, it is said, at onco sent away to Pretoria. It is impossiblo to over-estimate the moral effect of such a triumph to the Beers. It amply counlerrahmcos both Dundee and Eiaudslaagte, and will strengthen tho enemy in their arro- , gtint assumption that war meant to them a triumphal progress to tho sea.

A BRIEF ARMISTICE

was declared to enable both sides to bury their dead and bring in the wounded. A gloom fell upon tho plaea at "ones. Tho outgoing trains to Pietermarilzburg were thronged with people who wero now less sanguine in their assertion that the Boers would not gain^a" footing- in. the town, and those who determined to remain were prepared for a hot time. Some of tho doctors told m 9 last night that they had extracted at least a dozen expanding bullets from wounded British soldiers. These had spraad in some casea an. inch and a-half, making gha3tly wounds. The bullets v/ero sent to Sir G-eorgo White, the British commander, as a proof of what the enemy wero u»ing. The British, on tho other hand, aro exclusively iniiig tho nickel-plated bullet, which doei noi- expand, instead of tho softpointed dum-duoi. Some of tho Boer wounded insist, that wo are cruel in using th.9 bayonet. "It is only war with tho rifle," said oho of them; "it is murder to use tho bayonet, and not fair fighting." In no part of the world, £ suppose, is there a fighting force to-day 30 indifferent to the bullet, yet with such a horror of steel. One of the sights is to s^Q I'itlander refugees from Johannesburg, who have fled for their livos, calling at the hospitals to shako hands and chat with wounded Boers, and they meet with all the ecrdiality of old friends. * In fact tho whole

RACE OOMJ?LI?JATION.

in South Africa is r.u enigma. There are no happier wivoi in Africa than t'le Dutch girls married to Englishmen, aid they invariably drop their Anglophobia after marri-i^e, and arc severe upon the stupidity of their Dutch lelativej. The secrei of it, perhaps, 13 thai tha plcasure-c!aj-.« of the Boer's wife end with marriage, and slie becomes p. sore of domestic slave for the rest of her life. While that is much less frequently the cp.53 when ahfl marries an Englishman.

THE GORDON HIGHLANDERS.

have just lO3L another fino officer in Lieutenant Balfour Bradbury, a couiin of R. L. Stevenson, who died from his wounds. Hi; was one of the handsomest men in the Na'.al field colrnnr. — ?. man's man and ?. woman's idol. Thoie was something winning and genial in his nature trat made him admired by all, and the look upon the faces of his liighlavdei'3, who love him, has grown more dour than ever. They will need to bo well iv hand next fight, or the rules of war may be violated. At tho very moment that he received the order to inarch Lieutenant Balfouv Bradbury was chatting with bomo civiiians, one of whom bad seen the fisrht at Majuba, Hill. '"Tliß Bocr3 had the kilts of the Highlanders in their possession as trophies for a long time afterwards," this gentleman explained, and poor Bradbury, as ho marched away, looked smilingly back over his shoulder nnd said: "I don't think they'll get my kilU." They didn't, but they got his life.

BOER TREASON-MONGERING AT THE

Mr Chamberlain has (says ths Daily Mail) been notified by Sir Alfred Milner by telegraph that tho following is the material part of a treaeouab'.a circular that was being circulated widely in the Capo Colony Eome >veeks ago: — " Circular issued in English and Dutch, signed by Viijoon, Field Comet, JohannssVurg-, hen.de I 'Appeal to Afrikanders, address to compatriots on both sides of the Orange River. Ail<s them to decide what they will do in the uncertain future, recites England's proceedings wirh regaid to Slachlcrsneek, diamond fields, Jameson's raid, England desires to avenge Majuba and destroy Afrikander nation. Owing to tho existence of two independent Afrikander republics the Afrikander in the English colonies is still tolerated. If republics fall into hands of England, Bocis of Cape Colony and Natal will be disarmed, Hottentot 3 will sit v/ith them in Parliament. Wherefore men belonging to our race that live under the British flag know and understand full well that the destruction of the Boer republic? mean.'* tho destruction of the Afrikander nation. If the republics go under the Afrikander will merely lie referred to as a nation that once existed. Know th&t in that event

England's iron yoke will press upon and plague you to the last day. Wherefore I ask you will you allow England to employ your colony your money, your cattle, yea, even yourselves to destroy your brothers and compatriots? Afrikanders, be truo to your people.' "

NO MORE RED COATS.

Mr M'Donald, the war correspondent of the Melbourne Argus, writes: —

One mistake of the British forces in the earlier wars with the Boers will not be repeated this campaign. As tho Boers advanced and the pickets and vedettes cama into touch and exchanged shots, they found no rootbaatjes (red coats). The red coats, which blazed so vividly of old under, the African &un, and made such a splendid target for sharpshooters, have disappeared. Whether Erglish or African, volunteer or regular, the whole of the Imperial troops aro in their favourite fighting kharki, the corps distinguished only by tho smallest badges. The Dublin Fusiliers, who, it is said, wero a bit jealous of the " Gay Gordons," and anxious to be ahead of them into action, aro distinguished only by a small green button on top of the helmets. The Leicesters wear a small brass plate, with the regimental name on tho side of the helmet. The Hussars havo their blue- and yellow hatband, while the King's Royal Rifles are more easily identifiable by their black bolts. Tho R.A. is the only visible emblem worn by the artillery, and the Gordon Highlanders aro thus far thro most conspicuous forco afield, whilo in" physique the Dublins overtop everything. God help Joubert l s Irish brigade if they come in contact with their countrymen.

SIR GEORGE WHITE AND HIS MEN.

"When Sir George WFu'te passed through a few days ago with his staff all wore the familiar Stanley cap, and thus only were they distinguishable from the rest of tho fighting force. Sir George "White's eye brightened when he saw the Gordons, for years ago, when hs waa winning the V.0., his Afghan and Mutiny medals, a-nd his Candahar star, ho was for a time in command of them. Thoso who would know what kind of fighting man ib 13 who now commands in Natal should read Lord Roberts' s " Forty-one "Fears in India." Speaking of the Gordons, it is worth noting that about half the men now in South Africa took pare in that famous rirah on the heights of Dargai, made memorable amongst other things for tho slogan of Piper JTinlater. When one with his legs shot under, Sat dovrn 'mid th 9 fire and thunder, Aud still, to tho world's wide wonder, " I'ho Cock ox tho North ' he played.

One this? noticeable in these highlytvai'ned Indian troops is their tine mobility. Little time aty of them wasted in Durban. As tho transports c.vme down buoyantly on the Madagascar current, they weee rushed alongside the wharves — the armoured trains were in waiting, and tho style in which the chargers of tho Lancers, Huetars, and Dragcons were swung from ship to truck was a perfect triumph in military transport. The Gordons went up hungry and athirst to tho eamp^at Glencoe, for, while everyone bubbled over with cheer 3, nono thought of gcod cheer. They found Natal a cold country by comparison with the land in which they had last campaigned. ,

THE POSITION AT LADYSMITH.

AUTHENTIC DETAILS.

Tho Estcourt correspondent of tho Capo Timos wrote, under date November 6: —

Mr M. Bernard, of the .Railway Hotel, Ladysmith, accompanied by Mr G. S. Hop-, kins, lata of H&rrismith, arrived here this morning from Ladyamith, which place they left at a quarter-past 1 yesterday (Suuday) morning. From a statement which they mado to mo, it seams that fighting has bean proceeding every day since Thursday, and on Friday threa fights were proceeding at the tame time — one in the direction of Hyd»'s farm, to tha north; one under tho Umbuhraivo; and tro third, Mr Bernard believed, is the one in the direction of Colenso, about which there havo been so many rumours.

Mr Bernard conld give no details about tho losses of those Boers, but he understands that at tho Bulwane engagement wo lost about iSU killed and woundec.

Bfrnard aftd Hopkinp, keeping away from tro roads, gob through across ccimtry above Colenso, crossing the ingela at Kaffir Ohariia'3 phic.i, and going thence on to Frere, the first station on tho Esicours side of Colen3o.

Tho Boei-s' big guns dominate Ladysmith fronvUmbulwano on the ei3C, Hyde's on the ncrtli, and Pepworth on the we3t. Tho objeci of tho Boor gunners appeav3 to be to eilencs our naval pieces on the heights immediately north of tho town. The howitzers had been in action, bin; tho largest ones wera not ready when Barnard loft, aud only some half dozen shells had fallon into the town proper, but thess had done eor.te damage. One shell knocked out the end of tha silling room of the Royal Hotol, and another struck Mr John Forboa's houso, and took away the end of it. Thero were 11 persons in this house, and, marvellous to relate, not one was injured. Tho ordnance lines were struck by three shells, but hardly any damage was done. In view of tho pre»enca of some women and children, and many non-combatants in Ladysmith, General Sir Georgo White sent a letter to General Jcuberc, requesting permission to send thess out of the town into safety, and at a meeting of townspeople held on Saturday afternoon in front of the Town Eall, and at-tf-nded by 'over 300 men, the Mayor (Mr Farquhar) read tho Boer general's reply, which, was to tho effect that all women and children could go under his guns at Umbulwana for piotection, but that all membera of tho riflo associations, tho Town Guard, and others who had taken up arms against the Transvaal would be treated as enemies, and would be made prisoners of war.

The townspeople, who were very enthusiastic against accopting any terms, resolved to form a laager rather than submit to them, and the meoting concluded with the vociferous singing of " God save the Queen." Mr Bernard does not think that the Boer 3 will ba able to eapiure Ladysmith, while our guns are not numerous enough to drive off the enemy. Bernard found tho whole country through which ho passed entirely desarted, Favo for natives, every farm being empty, and all tho stock gone.

Tho Kaffir Charlie already mentioned informed the men that John Wc^els was then at Newton's Hill, in the direction of Acton, with a commando and at least one big gun. Messrs Bernard and Hopkins are tho only Europeans who have yet escaped through the Boer lines around Ladysmith,, and are to bo congratulated on their plucky ride. It was only Bernard's intimate knowledge of the country that enablod them to elude tho onemy's patrols and commandos.

The position may ba accepted as follows: — The Boers under Joubert have surrounded Ladysmith, but are as yet trusting to their big guns to forco Sir Georgo White into surren-

dering. Wherever the latter can get at tha enemy in order to prevent him coming nearer he does so, and hence the reports of daily battles. The outlook may brighten considerably when our large guns from the Powerful open fire, but in any case it is hardly likely that the Boers will attempt an assault. In the meantime, .while Ladysmith is anxiously awaiting relief, a Free State commando, the same which caused the evacuation of Colenso, and which was reported, wrongly it would appear, to have been engaged by a. flying column from Ladysmith on Friday, is laagered a. few miles off the railway line to tho left of and beyond Colenso, ready to dispute an advance, and thus help Joubertr in his investment of Ladysmith. The nonappearance of Boers yesterday at Colenso goesfor nothing as the fact of their shelling and looting the place this morning testifies.

THE EVACUATION OF COLENSO. * The Colenso garrison was obliged to evacu- ' ate the place on Thursday, November 2, and i early next morning, the last train arriving \at Estcourt about half-past 6. All stores, tents, kit, etc., were saved, i The movement waa found to be necessary ; (says the Estcourt correspondent of the Capo- { Times), as tho Boers were surrounding Co- , lenso, and, greatly outnumbering our force*, j would probably have caused another' disaster. I It is^ believed that the enemy, who were I fir3t supposed to bo 2000 men, witji. a * bafc^ . tery of artillery, were reinforced late ye3ler- ' day by another and larger 'force> which would bring theij total up to something like 5000. 1 It is understood that they aro a- fresh' comj mando of Freo Staters from Van Reenen's/ r and not, as had been supposed, a portion of General Joubert's army. ' Wherever they came from, and whoever they are, the force is a strong one, and thero can be no doubt that Colonel Cooper, byevacuating a position that could not be held with his small forco and weak artillery, acted absolutely for tho best. The artillery reached Estcourt at noon instead of early ia tho morning, when they wereexpected. The Carbiniers detailed to act as guards mistook tho road, and the buttery got away near Weenen, and instead of a Bmroix of about 23 miles 'they had to cores over 40 milo3, which they did in 12 hour*, with 0:10 short halt of. about half an hour. Webb aud Service, the D.L.I, men wko could not bo warned of tho oT.acuaiion, have arrived safely iv camp. When they left they cay all was quiet, the Boers evidently stick- . ing to tho hiila during the night.

FUTURE OF THE TRANSVAAL. SOUTH AFRICAN FEDERATION.

Tho following from tha Spectator xiay ba taken as representative of enlightened Liberal views in England: — "We do not want to shout bofora w« are out of tho wood, but it is impossible, «yea though tho first shot lias not yet been fired," to shut out wholly from one's mind the consideration of what is to be done rrkfi the war is over. It would of course, bo most unwise to go into detail at tho present moment, but- ono or two general propositions pay. we think, be laid down •which should W kepfc in view by the natio.n. To begin with, we must remember that tha cry raised by Mr Horley and othora as to tho terrible difficulties with which we- shall ba faced, evsa after we have conquered the Transvaal, is baaed upon a dehmon. Mr Morley apparently forgets that after tho war, and whon the unhappy people who have been drircn irovt. their homoi iv Johannesburg have returned, tho Transvaal will be one of tho mo»k British parts of South Africa. /Mr Morley ialkf *a if tho difficulty, would be to maintain the Outlanders in tho position of equality wo have won for them. In reality the-diJficvlty wilL be to arrange that the Boor Minority shall have a reaspnnble amount of influtnea on the government of the country. Grim ted that" we- win, wo shall, of eoursey as soon as the last spark of war has been troddau out, hegin to reorganise the State. We shall, no doubt, do Ibat by ultimately establishing the freest possible form of self-government known to Che Empire — taking care, of coittm, that tha Boers' rights as to representation and tho concurrent mo of their language are fully guarded and protected, for we are not going to turn the Boers into Outfandarr. Our object is to establish racfal equality : not racial predominarce. Perhap3 the way of ensuring that the Boera shall suffer no diapai'itv of treatment from the recently emancipated out!ander3 would' be *to merya- tho Orange Freo State with the TrausT&sl, and thus make the disparity of number* in tha cas? of the Dutch les? conspicuous. But that i-i obviously a matter not to bo decided of?- , hand. All thit we want to insist on ix thai, as far as the Transvaal is concerned,' the talk about holding; down jwi unwilling prcmne* by • military rule, and forebodings as id our • failnra, are BosiFonse. Once give the .Out- . lam'.crs — remember, it will- bo all „,tho _ Otitlande^s, and not only thoso who came &»fora ' 1893— voles and allow them arms, and' there' Will bo no morn question -of holding down a ' hostile province than there is in Natal. __ The Transvaal, in faefc, will bo another Nttal. After the war is over thero will, no doubt, bo at onc-3 a flood of talk as io the unification of the various provinces of South Africa, into one gr*at Dominion. Unquestionably that is the ideal goal, the ultimata aspiration. Whether, however, it would be wise to fores it on in a moment of crisis and reconstruction is a different matter. Pevsouallr. rre should say thnt' so greatly to bo desired a consummation ought not to be put in jeopardy by any action that might seesn raeh or hurried. To succeed, federation must be really desired by all the constituent parts. We would, therefore, wait till the period of 'reconstruction ' had b'jen got over in tha State now governed by the Boers, in order that wo might be sure that we had it* authentic voice ; not something spoken in heat or enthusiasm, and possibly to please the Imperial Government. The Imperial Government wants federation, no doubt, but only if all South Africa wants it also — for we want it not. for our own sakes, but solely for the good of South Africa."

A CHRISTCHURCH BOY WOUNDED. ' Many persons will remember the lite Mr' D. fi. Melville, at on© time manaper of the Union Bank of Australia, in Christehurcli. Mrs Mclvillo and her family are now in Natal (says tho Prc3s), and in a private letter,' dated October 24, written from Batetone's Post, Umzinhula, to a friend in Ohriatchurch,' Mrs Melville says that her four »oi« were engaged in the battles of Glencoe and Eland?laagle, and that one of them, Husrh Melville, was wounded. She says: — "My four boy 3 joined the Border Mounted Rifles §omo few weelu ago to see some fun, a-; they said. They took two prisoners at the battle of Elandslaagte, and 1 am lhan'eful to cay none of the volunteers were killed or wounded. They were at onco sen*; to Ladysmith, a miserable town, and are encamped outside tho town. There wa3 a great deal of dust in, the place, but now the rain has set in. Their farms will be open to them when they retina*

£Ec Boers fought, they say, like demons at tho tattles of Glencoe and Elandslaagte. There is much distress in Durban and other places now, caused by the war. The weather here is very cool still, although we are nearing, summer. This is the rainy season, which accounts for the coolness, and I call the climate a perfect one. We (Mrs and Miss Melville) are living all alone -in a small cottage in the bush, and our Kaffir servant leaves us at night." In a later addition to her letter, dated October 25, Mrs Melville says: — "I have just received a telegram from ieslie saying that they were all fighting again on Monday last, and that Hugh was wounded, but doing well, and that there is no necessity for me to go to Ladysmith." In a postscript, dated October 26, Mrs Melville concludes : — " I have ju6t received a telegram that Hugh has been shot through both lungs, and we are "off to Ladysmith." , THE TRANSVAAL REFUGEES' FUND. The following additional subscriptions have been received by his Worship the Mayor m aid of the Transvaal refugees' fund: — MT '..£OSO The North-East Valley Band .. 6 0 0 Previously acknowledged .. 89 15 0 Total .. t £96 0 0