THE TRANSVAAL WAR.

Otago Witness, Issue 2391, 28 December 1899, Page 11

THE TRANSVAAL WAR.

THE SIEGE OF KIMBERLEY. ARTILLERY PRACTICE. •

Tile Cape Times of Saturday, November 11,contains some interesting information about the siege of Kimberley.

SHELLS FOR BREAKFAST.

On November 7 the Boers tried a bit of marksmanship at the Premier mine. About half-past 5 o'clock in the morning they fired wide of the electric light post, which they made their target, and, although the garrison got under arms at once, nothing very serious happened. About three-quarters of an hour later the Boers were moving their guns forward, and, throwing up entrenchments south of Fourie's Farm, near Alexandersfontein, their object being to attack Beaconsfield. Between this and 9 o'clock shells were served up as a breakfast dish at the reservoir, but as they fell 1500 yards short the Royal Artillery coolly stood at ease and laughed. Later information from the same source says that the Boer/ attempt to bombard Newton while the residents were engaged at breakfast was a dismal failure. The Boers were firing apparently from an old seigo gun at an ex tremc range, of over 8000 yards, and the shells fell quite harmlessly. The inhabitants were not a bit alarmed, the children running in after each explosion to pick up the pieces. Many of the shells were picked up almost intact. The guns were evidently handled by dilettante gunners.

AN ARTILLERY DUEL.

There has since been a brisk artillery duel, which was at its height between 11 and noon, between tho men at the Premier mine and two parties of Boers, who had opened upon the mine from almost due south. The natives were sent down tho mine for safety. One of the Boer shells struck the embankment in front of the fort, and one entered the compound and struck the cooking pot, but none did any damage. The Royal Artillery plugged shell right among the Boers, knocked over the gunners, and, it i-s believed, disabled the gun. The Advertiser- advises the inhabitants to give the shells a chance of bursting before rushing in to pick up the pieces. Many do not burst, the Boer 3 having paid for one article and got another ; but it is just as %yell for trophy-hunters to avoid tho slightest risk. "Writing a day or so later, the some correspondent confirms his previous information. Yesterday's bombardment was a desultory affair, und the town suffered absolutely no damage. The Free State gunners displayed extraordinary timidity, and their pre-oceupa-tion appeared to be to rave risking their precious skins. It is evident that they are amateurs at the game, and have no knowledge of tho effective range of their guns. Several heads of shells have been picked together, and Colonel Chamier, of the Royal Artillery, informed me that he is not of opinion that they were -fired from a weapon larger than a nine-pounder.

BOE.R BOASTING. A Kimberley cabdriver, who was captured by Boers and taken to their camp at Snylfon-

teiti, has since been permitted to return. Ho says that the Free Staters talked boastfully of their intention to take Kimberley, but ad mitled that they had not the least idea how it was to be carried out. They also confessed that their artillery had not come up to expectations.

MAFEKING'S ARMAMENT.

SOME DETAILS

A correspondent writes to the Buluwayo Chronicle, giving the following particulars of Mafeking's defences: — Every precaution has been taken to have everything in readiness for an attack. >Steam has been got up on armoured trains, and will be kept up all night, as a loop line has been laid from the main line at a point north oi Maf eking station, curving round the north and ea«t sides of the town, past the hospital and convent, to the racecourse. Those trains can command the whole of the north and east points of the town for a stretch of one mile. The railway men and volunteers are sleeping under arms. A windmill tower has been erected on Cannon Kopje, which commands the country round for miles, and a telephone line therefrom connects the fort with the town. A strong fort has been constructed on the kopje, which is mounted with guns. This forms a very strong position. Defensive works have been thrown up at various points round the town. The work of surrounding the town with mines electrically connected with the town will shortly bo completed.

FORTIFYING THE TOWN.

Some big guns have arrived through all right from the boulh, together with a quantity of lyddite shells. All the approaches to the streets of the town have been blocked with waggons, and every precaution is being taken to beat off any attack and strengthen the jjlace. A body of Cape police has been brought into the town from Kraaipan, numbering 50. The signal which has been arranged for the sounding of a night alarm is the ringing of all bells throughout the town. Every man in the town has been served out with a rifle and a quantity of ammunition, and they turn out about 1000 strong, not including, of course, the special service force.

NEWS FROM LADYSMITH.

Although Ladysmith has been closely invested for some time papt, information obtainable by Kaffir runners appears in the Cape Timc-ii under date November 10. It shows that on the previous dale troops were engaged under General Woolf Murray, and the men behave splendidly under the most trying conditions. The Governor has received the following information from Ladysmith: — The long-range bombardment of Ladysmith continues daily, causing a few casualties, and doing no serious harm. The Boer.s s^ent in a number of civil refugees from the Transvaal under a flag of truce. A flag of truce met them outside the pickets, and when the parties separated, the Boer guns were fired on our flag of truce before it reached our pickets. Major Gale, R.E., is wounded. Provisions are ample. Other entrenchments are growing stronger daily. In the Capo Times of November 17 is a letter from Mr C. W. Lloyd, Commissioner for Agiiculture, dated Ladysmith, November 8. It states that the town was daily bombarded. For their f-ccurity, the residents, including the magistrate and many volunteers, were living by day in caves dug out of the river bank, retiring at night to their homes in the town. On the 16lh a native missionary reached Eetfcourt with a report of heavy fighting near LadyMnilh on the previous Friday. The volunteers \ient out at early morning to draw the enemy from their positions on to the flats, when the regular troops under Sir George "While outflanked the Boerß, and administered o: crushing defeat. Over 200 Kaffirs were em-

ployed to bury the dead. On the 16th two companies of the mounted troope-r-Imperial. Light Horse and ' Natal Carbjneere— engaged about 300 of the enemy eight miles from' Estcourt. The Boers held a strong position on a kopje. Tha Carbineers worked round on the right, and drove the enemy back, when the Imperial Light Horse opened a bris^k fire, killing several. One trooper of the Imperial Horse was wounded.

Every day brings news of firing round Ladysmith. On the 14th an engagement was fought south of the town. The British went out with 13 guns, attacking 380 Boers, and, according to the enemy's account, their big guns drove the troops to the kloof near Ladysmith. The Boer losses were one killed and three wounded.