GENERAL ITEMS. CAPETOWN, February 14.

Otago Witness, Issue 2399, 22 February 1900, Page 22

GENERAL ITEMS. CAPETOWN, February 14.

The Australian forces at the front are being hard worked, but the hot fighting is thoroughly appreciated. The second Victorian contingent, which arrived by the Euralyus, was enthusiastically welcomed at Capetown. They have s.tar<ed for the front. Mr Lambie, the Age war correspondent, was shot in the head. He died in a quar- [ ter of an hour, and was buried on the field. Commandant De la Rey expressed regret at the death of a non-combatant. Major Rear, correspondent of the Melbourne Herald, Captain Cameron, and a Westralian correspondent, with the assistance of a white flag, visited the Boer camp blindfolded, and were subsequently shown Mr Lambie's grave by General De la Rey. They received ->lr Lambie's wife's portrait and other effects. The visitors were incidentauy told that the Boer combatants numbered 120,000. Mr Hales, the other correspondent missing, merely fell off his horse, and is likely to be released. February 16. Colonel Eager, wounded and captured at Magersfontein, died at Burghersdorp. The Boers transferred the body to the British at Molteno, and it was given a military funeral at Sterkstroom. _ M. Leon, a Frenchman, who represents the Creusot gun manufacturers, was severely wounded while watching the bombardment of Kimberley. LONDON, February 13. Two thousand troops sailed from England yesterday. Canada offers to release the Ist Leinster Regiment now doing garrison duty at Hali-' fax, and to replace them by her own local militia. Ten thousand recruits have offered themselves since Christmas. Great Britain has ordered a large number of Schwartzkop torpedoes from Venice. February 14. Tke Times correspondent at CapetoVjj©

iecommends Britain, to despatch another 175,000 men. The Pretoria mint is coining British gold land silver coin, there being a difficulty in [passing Kruger's coins. A tableau produced by an amateur society tof the aristocracy at Beerbohm Tree's Theatre, London, realised £6500 for the Household Brigade's widows and orphans fund. The Times says that the distinction the (Australians have won at Rendsburg is proof of the great value of colonial troops. The paper especially instances the pluck and readiness shown by Captain Madocks, of the New Zealand contingent, at Slingersfontein. i In the House of Commons Mr Wyndham, Secretary for War, deprecated fussing over j the terms of colonial offers. It was inadvisable to discuss the rates of pay of troops from different parts of the Empire. Colonial troops had a right to claim in future a share of the work of the British army. Mr Simon Fraser, M.L.C. , has donated £1000 to the bushmen's fund. February 16. Advice has been received that the magistrate and Addison's column have reached Isandlwana, Zululand, they having retired from Ngatu in order to avoid a strong Boer division. On several occasions the small force were nearly surrounded by the enemy. ' Mr Chamberlain stated in the House of 'Commons that the Natal Government 'could not be held responsible for the Zulus maintaining peace. Since the Boers !had invaded native territory belonging to Cape Colony the natives would be encouraged and assisted to defend their lands. ' Mr Balfour said tlv-it if the tacit compact that the war should be limited to Vhites were infringed then Great Britain •would reconsider her decision respecting the employment of natives, Sikhs, and Goorkas. The Government have chartered the Orient steamer Austral to convey troops to tlie Cape. It lias transpired that General Joubert ordered over a year ago the printing at Zurich of 5000 ordnance maps of South Africa. Mr Brodrick, Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, stated in the House of Commons that Portugal was endeavouring to observe strict neutrality at Delagoa Say. Major Crompton's corps of volunteer electrical engineers have been incorporated -with the army, and will take to the front two traction engines, engineering train, searchlight, telegraph, and cyclist apparatus. Sir A. Cockburn, speaking at King's College extension dinner, de.«(vibcd the mounted troops as of great mobility, and a. sure checkmate to the mobility of the Boers. So many colonials had offered their services that the selection had merged into a competitive examination. The police force at Sheffield are being trained in the use of the rifle. February 17. The British reserve fleet is now engaged in coaling. Miss Johnston, of Wellington, has given Mr Reeves 15 field-glasses for the New Zealanders. February 18. The Spectator urges the permanent inclusion in the British army of 20.000 Canalians, 10.000 Australasians, and a 30,000 .foreign legion, all to be paid by Great -Britain. A British reserve squadron, consisting of six battleships and several cruisers, under [Vice-admiral Sir Compton E. Domvjlle, Admiral Superintendent of the Naval Reserves, has been ordered to mobilise by , March 1 for a month's toipedo and gunnery exercise. At the parliamentary by-elections, the Hon. Ivor Guest was returned unopposed for Plymouth in place of Sir Edward Clarke, who resigned in consequence of the vote of censure passed on him for expressing his sympathy with the Boers. Mr Welby, a Conservative., has been elected for the Newark division of Nottinghamshire, defeating his opponent by a majority of 2291. MELBOURNE, February 16. The Government have received a cable ■announcing that the major commanding the 'first Victorian contingent and Private K. Roberts were killed. The name of the major is not cabled, but, according to the final list of the first Victorian contingent, the major was G. A. Eddy, of the Permanent Staff, Victoria Barracks, Melbourne. The Government will issue 20,000 twopenny war stamps and 40,000 penny stamps to be disposed of at 2s and Is each, theproceeds to be devoted to the patriotic fund. a February 17. The Government have decided to despatch additional officers to fill the vacancies caused by death and disablement. SYDNEY, February 16. Another detachment of 40 New South IWales Lancers sailed for the Cape to-day. February 18. The Atlantian, a British transport, has

arrived from the Cape to convey the Bushmen's Contingent. The Government have cabled £100 to the American Consul at Pretoria to assist any New South Wales prisoners requiring relief. February 19. The Southern Cross, with portion of the New South Wales second contingent, arrive.d at Capetown on Saturday evening. BRISBANE, February 17. Major Ricardo, writing from Belmont on January 19, says : — Fifty-three of the Queensland Contingent's horses died from pneumonia. The balance, including many sick, were sent away for a spell. The Queenslanders are now infantry pure and simple. Unless his efforts to obtain remounts in the Argentine are successful, he is afraid tlie contingent will not get to the front again.