NORTHERN FRONTIER.

Otago Witness, Issue 2390, 21 December 1899, Page 24

NORTHERN FRONTIER.

CAPETOWN, December 13

Three thousand Transvaalers have reinforced Burgher's Dorp, and threaten Bushman's Hock.

General Gatacre holds the latter place and Cyphergat. General Gatacre has abandoned Molteno. CAPETOWN, December 14. General Gatacre has retired to Sterkstroom. Many of his missing men have i°turned. The magistrate at Sterkstroom wires that the situation has slightly improved. Th Boer loss at Stormberg was four killed and nine wounded. The British delivered no genuine attack. The men rushed to "the nearest hill without orders. The British losses in the disastrous attack upon the Boers' entrenched position near Stormberg are : 23 killed, 62 wounded. December 15. Eighteen hundred Boers, advancing" eastwards on Arundel in the direction of Naauwpoort. were repulsed. The casualties numbered 40. A battery of artillery has reinforced General Gatacre. December 18. Two thousand Boers occupy a range parallel to the railway at Arundel. During a night march the Australians and New Zealanders discovered the Boers posted in a pass to the number of 1200. A sharp fight ensued, the artillery finally compelling the enemy to seek cover. The British casualties were slight. Lieutenant Cox, of the New South Wales Lancers, had his horse shot under him. The Boers lost heavily. LONDON, December 13. General Gatacre's silence with reference to, the manner of his losses is attributed to censors. The -newspapers blame the secrecy preserved over the matter. Capetown reports state that General Gatacre's artillery, in retreating, fired on a body of British -m a hollow in a mistake for the enemy, wounding several. The War Office has issued a corrected list showing the missing from the Northumberlands to be 366. President Steyn reports th'a-t 6 officers and 230 of the Northumberland s and 2 officers and 250 of the Irish Rifles were captured by tne Boers.General Gatacre telegraphs that the idea of the attack seemed to promise certain success. . The di&tance was under-estimated. A policeman led the force round some miles, landing them in an impossible position, bnt ho did not consider the man's error intentional. The Boers occupied an unscalable hill, and wounded many British in the open. The Northumberland's attempted to eject the enemy, but failed. The Irish Rifles seized a kopje. The Mounted Artillery siqjporting the, artillery under Major Jef- . fries worked splendidly. One gun was overturned, and the other sank in a quicksand. The force was withdrawn from ridge to ridge for nine miles. The Boer guns were remarkably well served, and their firing was accurate up to 5000 yards' range.

December 16

Major-general French telegraphs that there are golden opportunities for mounted men at Arundel. Similar advices comes from, other districts.

December 17

A Reuter's message states that in consequence of General Gatacre's reverse at Stormberg the whole of the north of Cape ■Colony is in a condition of rebellion. The natives are also beginning to be perturbed.