GENERAL ITEMS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2397, 8 February 1900, Page 24

GENERAL ITEMS.

DURBAN, January 30.

Colonel Villebois Marcuil, French director of the Boer army, has gone to Colesberg. A refugee from Johannesburg has arrived here. He reports that the great shell factory established by the Boers at Johannesburg was wrecked by an explosion on the 20th of Jamiary, with serious loss of life. The catastrophe imperils the enemy's supply of shells. The factory was originally Thomas Begbie and Co.'s Vulcan Foundry and Iron Works. A number of ambulances have arrived as Pretoria via Delagoa. The men with them as soon as they arrived discarded their badges and were supplied with rifles. CAPETOWN, January 30. President Steyn is visiting President Kruger at Pretoria. Colonel Byron, of the Queensland contingent, has been appointed an extra aide-de-camp to Lord Roberta,

January 31. Lord Roberts has been recalled to Cape-s town. Two transports conveying artillery and cavalry have been ordered to Durban. February 1.Lord Roberts assigns the colonials axi important share^, in the operations pre-i paratory to the invasion of the Free State. Five hundred Canadians and Australians had a smart fight at Badenborst, Riete^ iever, and expelled the rebels without loss. February 2. Trooper John Henry Hurford, of No. 2 Company of the New Zealand contingent, is seriously ill from heart disease.' Lord Roberts is actively organising his forces. The first batch, of the London Volunteers have arrived, and the Commander-in-chief,' when addressing the men, said he hoped 1 that their arrival would coincide with " the turn in the tide." Three squadrons of Lord Kitchener's Light Horse are now ready for service. At a meeting beld in Capetown of that; city's branch of the Afrikander Bond, Mr. Hofmeyr, who presided, condemned the action of Great Britain towards the Cape, in ignoring the advice offered by the Caps Ministry that they (i.e., the Imperial authorities) should have compelled the farmers to wear badges. February 3. General French has arrived at Capetown for the purpose of consulting Field-marshal Lord Roberts. Lord Roberts wrote to General Jouberb February 5. | proferring to release Commandant Pretorious, who was wounded and captured! at Elandslaagte, and had his leg subsequently amputated. Lord Roberts desoribed him as a brave soldier. The wife of Commandant Pretorious wrote thanking Lord Roberts, and asked that her husband be sent to Magersfontein. LONDON, January 30. M. Turpin, a French inventor and artillerist, is assisting the Boers. It was M. Turpin who was fined in France in 1891 for imparting information about the melinite explosive to foreigners. He sold tha patent to Lord Armstrong's Elswick Company. Lord Edmond Fitzmaurice, member for_. Cricklade, will, on behalf of the Opposition, move a vote of censure on the Government for want of knowledge, foresight, and judgment in the management of South African affairs, and in their preparations for war. The Hon. R. Oliver, formerly of Dunedin, subscribed £100 to the New. Zealand' Bushmen's fund. The authorities at Pretoria informed their consul at Delagoa Bay that 2000 British had been captured at Spion Kop.The Portnguete authorities cabled this fiction to Europe. There are one million pounds' worth of stores now at De Aar. Continental military critics are scornful over British strategy, and they declare that the Boer position is impregnable, and that the British must seek a new field of operations. The opinion is growing in Great Britain that the most feasible strategy to pursue would be for the British to advance in force from De Aar and Naauwpoort, with General Methuen operating towards Jacobsdal, eastward from his present position. In the meantime Generals Gatacre and French would drive the enemy Back intothe Free State by way of Norval's Pont and Bethulie. Including the eighth division of the Second Army Corps, which is now mobiliing, 40,000 troops are afloat or under orders for. South Africa. General Riccioti Garibaldi's offer of volunteers has been declined. Dr Leyds states that the initial conditions of peace comprise a concession of territory and sea ports. The Australian Bushmen's fund in this city has reached £5000. February 1. The Fourth Cavalry Brigade embark immediately. The Hon. W. P. Reeves, Agent-general for New Zealand, in the course of an address to the Leeds Chamber of Commerce,said the colonies resented the Continental taunts levelled at England. He was confident the daughters of England would rally round their mother. Owing to British pressure the Portuguese authorities have imposed more stringent regulations re the admission of foreigners into Lorenzo Marquez. The Government have ordered 100,000 woollen suits of khaki and several motor cycles. The Canadian Pacific railway men have given half a day's pay and also contributed a lump sum of 20,000d0l to the patriotic fund. The inhabitants of Lagos, the Britisli West African colony, have subscribed £400 to the patriotic fund. Colonel Williams, of the New SoutK Wales Army Medical Corps^ has been ap«

pointed principal medical officer to the Australian forces. A Hanoverian colonel on Mareuil's staff declares that 10,000 trained European soldiers, with 300 officers, are assisting the Boers. February 2. Volunteer officers are profoundly disgusted with the War Office putting obstacles in the way of the employment of volunteers at the front and for the refusal to allow additional recruiting of the Home regiments. The Lord Mayor's war fund has reached £661,300. February 3. The Times announces that the Supplementary Estimates will provide for 20 millions to cover the operations until April. Advices from the Cape urge the immediate despatch, of reinforcements. The Right Hon. Mr Goschen made a powerful and reassuring speech. He claimed the Cabinet's full and collective responsibility for the war. Foreign Governments were friendly, but the Government were alive to the gravity of the situation, and were elaborating plans for a satisfactory home defence. He warmly congratulated Mr Chamberlain upon winning the affection of the colonies. The affection of the colonies for the motherland was unstinted. Their loyalty and g~enerosity had aroused the world's admiration. It was apparently in return for past j consideration. In his speech Mr Goschen said the Admiralty had assisted the army with heavy guns without impairing the resources of the navy. The Daily Mail states that the Government propose to strengthen the British army with 15 new battalions of infantry. The Victoria Cross has been conferred on the -late Hon. Lieutenant Roberts, son of the Field Marshal, for conspicuous bravery in assisting the guns at the battle of Colenso. Victoria Crosses have also been conferred on Captains W. Congreve and H. D. Reed, and on Corporal Nurse, of the 66th Battery, for conspicuous bravery in assisting to rescue the guns at the battle of . Colenso. February 4. It has been ascertained that 40 of the British reported as killed at the battle of Magersfontein are prisoners. There is an entire absence of war news. Western African cable communication has been restored. Mr Tinline and Mr Pharazyn have each given £100 towards the New Zealand Bushmen's fund. The Fourth Cavalry Brigade, now proceeding to South Africa, consists of 2528 men, with six field and five machine guns. Sir Edward Clarke, Q.C., recommends that Mr Chamberlain should resign the Colonial department in favour of Lord Salisbury, and that Lord Rosebery should replace Sir Alfred Milner at the Cape. In the .House of Commons the Right William St. John Freemantle Brodrick, Under-secretary of Foreign Affairs, stated that Great Britain had surrendered no right in regai'd to her powers to search vessels for contraband of war. The Hotchkiss battery which Lord Armstrong presented to New Zealand has been shipped to Capetown. The Daily Telegraph's shilling relief fund in connection with the war now stands at £115,000. PARIS, February 2. While a memorial service to French soldiers was being held in the cathedral at Nimes, Father Valney, the preacher, made reference to the humiliation cast upon France by the Fashoda incident, and Great Britain's conduct on that occasion. Abbe Fermont interrupted the preacher, and openly protested against his statements. BERNE, January 29. An influential meeting of Swiss scientists at Zurich urged the Swiss press to remember Britain's services to civilisation, and refrain from ill-founded abuse. MELBOURNE, February 5. The Government have chartered the Euryalus to take the Bushmen's contingent oa her return from the Cape, the. Imperial Government paying all expenses. The Rev. Charles Clark, en route to Dunedin, preached a patriotic sermon in aid of the war fund to 2000 people in the Town Hall amid much enthusiasm. He said that the present war was a war for freedom, equality, and the raising of human nature to a higher level. A fire at Williamstown wharf, suspected to be the work of a Boer sympathiser, destroyed six trucks of compressed hay for ■South Africa and a shed containing 500 tons of hay. The damage is estimated at '£5000. SYDNEY, January 30. The first unit of the Bushmen's Contingent has been sworn in. The Premier has received a cable from Mr Chamberlain intimating that the Imueiial Government will defray the cost of

the transport of the Bushmen's Contingent. The exports from Sydney to South Africa during the last two months are valued at £40,000. February 1. The Government will despatch an additional 40 Lancers to South Africa on February 16. ' February 3. Letters from the New South Wales Lancers show that there is some friction over the combining of -the -Australian troops under Colonel Hoad. The Victorians and New South Welshmen allege . that the New South Wales officers are relegated to junior positions, owing to the officers of the southern colonies having appointments dated before theirs. February 11 has been set apart as a day of intercession and prayer for the success of the British arms. February 4. The Warrigal, with the New South Wales A Battery has arrived at Durban. February 5. The Typographical Society have voted £20 as a first instalment of relief to distressed printers in South Africa. The Imperial authorities have asked the Premier to place orders for 100 army service I waggons, stipulating that they must pass inspection at Woolwich. PERTH, February 3. The local contingent sailed by the Surrey amidst a great display of enthusiasm. BRISBANE, February 2. The Government have decided to send 200 bushmen and a party of ambulance bearers. ALBANY, February 5. The Waiwera, with the second New Zealand contingent, sailed for Capetown on Friday night.