THE BOER WAR.

Otago Witness, Issue 2474, 14 August 1901, Page 27

THE BOER WAR.

♦ — BKITISH CASUALTIES DURING THE WAR.

Marauders Should be Declared Outlaws. LORD KITCHENER'S SUCCESSOR. THE INDIAN COMMAND. LOKD KITCHENER'S PROCLAMATION. . FOREIGN UNFRIENDLINESS PROVOKED. MANY BOERS CAPTURED. THE RAID ON THE CAPE. — A DARING PLAN.

LONDON, August 5. The 18th Hussars, under Brigadier F. W. Kitchener, charged with fixed bayonets a strongly occupied kopje near Oliphant River, and drove out Ben Viljoen's men, of whom 12 were either killed or captured. The police in eight large towns in the , Transvaal and Orange River Colonies are j working Under civil administration. | A British patrol found- £7000 concealed in jam tins under the floor of a farmhouse near Heidelberg. The Times surmises that Steyn's Kroonstad letter, - referred to by Reuter as having been sent in under a flag of tracf, vis merely- anotfaer-protes* and complaint. * Many English and Continental newspapers . consider that the .conditions of peace outlined by Kruger t^the Figaro interviewer prove the impossibility of any concession- as suggested by pro-Boer politicians. LONDON, August 6. t Seventy waggons and additional prisoners were captured at Boshof. ■ Forty families from the Waterkloof district have been sent to the concentration camp, lest they should harbour raiders. There is a consensus of opinion in Cape Colony that marauding bands should be declared outlaws. The son of Commandant Froneman, who murdered Morgendaal, the Boer Peace Committee's envoy, at Kroonstad, has been killed near Winburg. Important documents were found in his pockets. The Boer male refugees at Kroonstad camp have presented a loyal address to Colonel Goold-Adams, the LieutenantGbvernor of Orange River Colony. General Gorringe, after driving Wessel's and Pyper's commandos from Barkly East by a night march, surprised them north of Khernboogti's Siding, and killed . 10. Kruitzinger told the loyalist Boers that he despaired of tiring the British army, but be hoped to tire the British nation. - Lord Kitchener reports that the peace movement is spreading fast throughout all the refugee camps. August 7. The House of Commons, by 196 against 59, voted a grant of six and a-hali millions in aid of the annexed South African colonies. Mr Chamberlain, dealing with the vote for the South African colonies, said our first duty was to our friends. Energetic action would be taken on behalf of loyal refugees. The re-settlement of farmers was intended at the earliest possible^ date. They would also introduce humane laws dealing with the natives. The Times announces that General Neville Lyttelton and Lord Milner start for South Africa on Saturday. Colonel Sc'obell* has inflicted heavy losses on Commandant Latigan's commando. ___ Lord Kitchener's weakly report states that 48 Boers were killed,. 19 wounded, 220 taken prisoners, and 57 surrendered. A pom-pom, 141 rifles, 8660 rounds of email-arms ammunition, 186 waggons, and many horses and cattle were also captured. W. T. Stead vainly urged M. Ernest Brenner, President of Switzerland, to intervene against Great Britain's alleged violation of The Hague Peace Convention concerning the usages of war. Stead then asked for a general statement and references of Swiss sympathies towards the Boers, but the President of the Republic declined to be drawn. August 8. Colonel Cunningham and Colonel Sir Henry Rawlinson attacked and expelled 250 Boers from a farm at Parys, capturing 25 Boers, 25 loaded waggons, 1200 tattle, and many horses.

General Bruce Hamilton, encountering Commandant Potgieter at Wolmaranstad, killed 10 Boers, captured their convoy, and dispeVsed the commando. Mr Kruger thanked the Irish members of Parliament who condoled with him on the death of his wife, also for their help " in our just cause." The following deaths at the front are reported: — Privates Herley (Victoria), M'Pherson (Queensland), and Cummings (New South Wales), from illness.

Fouche's commando, which was recently raiding in the Barkly East district of Cape Colony, has recro&sed the Orange River. Colonel Jarvis's detachment of Queenslanders pursued the Boers to the northwest of Bothashoek, capturing 15 men, 150 horses, and 10,000 sheep in one day. Colonel Williams, C.8., of the New South Wales Medical Corps,- has been c gazetted to the local rank of surgeongeneral while in South Africa. The Cape* correspondent of the Berliner Tageblatt lias been arrested on a charge of espionage. He will be courtmaftiajled. . . " Myerbach is' the name of the Tageblatt's Capetown ' correspondent . The Times** Pretoria correspondent states that Lord Kitchener will not forward the correspondents' narratives in reference to the Vlakfontein atrocities until they are confirmed, owing to the Government's suggesting that press censors are responsible for the truth of i messages sent. .. Much of the delay which is now occurring in connection with* the receipt of news of the war is due to the fact that 60 British columns are operating. Duplessis, the Boer peace envoy, who last year visited England, has been sentenced to one month's imprisonment on a charge of concealing arms. One hundred and twenty British were killed in various actions during the month of July, 45 died of their wounds, 190 from disease, 19 from accidents, 67 missing and captured, 1139 invalided ( home. ■ j August 9. j Since the beginning of the war in South Africa to the end of July the ' British army suffered the following losses : — Deaths from all causes ... 17,103 Missing- 566Discharged as unfit for duty 3,292 Sir Hi CampbeH-Bannerman, speafeng at Peckham,. advocated a generous am- . nesty affer the war. During; the continuance of the war only should rebels be punished. In the House, of Commons Lord Stanley read, amidst Ministerial cheers, the terms of the instructions to Lord Kitchener to execute prisoners convicted or authorising the committing of murders contrary "to civilised warfare, in accordance with Kruitzinger's recent threats. Lord Stanley explained that Lord Kitchener would decide who were to be considered belligerents. He acts on his own initiative. Reuter's Durban corespondent says that Lord Kitchener's proclamation embodying the Government's instructions is highly approved. It is felt that stern measures are absolutely necessary to ' terminate the war. ' The Boers captured a post and 25 of Steinacker's Horse on the Sabi River. Lord Kitchener reports that Commandant Beyers (second in command) and Commandant De Villiers, with two fieldcornets, surrendered at Warm Baths. A patrol captured a Boer belonging to Theron's commando. The prisoner had i two horses with him and a quantity of . detonators and .various contrivances for ' exploding trains. " i Scheeper's commando shot an inter- , prefcer in cold blood at Steytlerville. j Mr Bennet Burleigh states that tl^ enemy are receiving supplies througn Basutoland. The managers for the subscriptions raised for the Boer women and children admit that they are well provided for, and that the £20,000 they have in hand will be better spent after the war. Lieutenant-general Neville Lytteltou succeeds Lord Kitchener when events in j South Africa permit the transfer of the ' chief command. It is understood that Lord Kitchener proceeds to India in January. A proclamatien by Lord Kitchener, dated August 7,- was published to-day. It notifies all the Boer leaders now in the field that they must surrender before September 15 or be banished for life from South Africa. The cost of maintenance of the families of those burghers who have not surrendered by that date will be recoverable from the property of the burghers then in the field. August 10. Lord Kitchener's proclamation emphasised the accomplishment annexation, and possession of the seats of Government, public offices and all the railways, and announces that 35,000 Boers are either prisoners or surrenderors living peacefully in towns or camps under j British control. The few remaining in j arms have lost almost all their guns and j munitions, are disorganised, and engaged I in isolated attacks, acts of plunder and j destruction. They are aimlessly pro- j longing bloodshed and ruining the peace- | fully disposed. Great Britain is deter- | mined to suppress all such lawlessness. j In the House of Commons, Minis*»analists regard Lord Kitchener's j>rq- ,

clamation, if it err?, as leaning to the side of leniency. The pro-Boers violently attacked Mr Chqjnberlain. J)) the House of Commons, Mr Chamberlain, in reply to Mr Charming, memtier for Northamptonshire East, a strong opponent of the Government's war policy, said Lord Kitchener fully approved of the proclamation before it was drafted. There has been, a general advance of stocks as a result of the proclamation. Consols are quoted at 93 J. The Daily News describes the proclamation as an empty thunderbolt, and the foolish bluster of a baffled bully seeking to cower where he cannot conquer. It transpires that resolutions adopted by the Natal Ministry suggesting the banishment of the Boer leaders and distraining the property of those still in the field reached Mr Chamberlain on July 25. Mr Chamberlain on the 30th forwarded Lord Kitchener a draft of the proclamation, wMch the Natal and Cape Governments, on August 2 and 3 respectively, approved. August lit Lord Kitchener's proclamation has proyoked an outburst in France and Germany of unfriendliness towards England. Some papers describe the position as the bankruptcy of English generalship. Lord Kitchener's despatches explain that, it was the intention of Hertzog in December last to meet a ship at Lambert Bay with a supply of guns, mer1 cenaries, and ammunition. At the same time De Wet, proceeding by way of De Aar, was to co-operate with Hertzog in attacking Capetown, Botha simultaneously entering Natal with a picked force of 5000 men. Three policemen at Pretoria, while trying to arrest a notorious Boer spy, were fired upon by the latter, who shot one, and then effected his escape. Colonel Elliott is sending 'down the line 70 prisoners and a large quantity of sioek and waggons that he captured in the district he is scouring. Lord Kitchener reports that a blockhouse near Brandfort was rushed and captured on the night of the 7th. There was some severe fighting, one Britisher being killed and three wounded., August 12. Several night surprises have been carried owt recently. General *Colville, on the 6th inst., surprised Pretorius's laager, northwards of Waterval,- and captured 20 Boers. General Walter Kitchener captored 13 prisoners at Middelburg, and Colonel Benson 25 in the Lydenburg district, including Botha's despatch riders. Steinacker's Horse, near the Portuguese frontier, captured 13 prisoners, all Germans and Hollanders. A patrol of the Black Watch surrounded a farmhouse at Korannaberg, capturing 13 Boers. Laurens the leader, refused to surrender, and was killed. Kruitzinger, with 400 men, crossed the line southward of Conway towards Graff Reinet. Other bands of Boers have broken through the cordon, and are reported to have reached Worcester, Calvinia, and Willowmore. NEW YORK, August 10. The transport Mechanician was about to sail from New Orleans with horses for South Africa when an infernal machine attached to the anchor chains exploded, damaging the bows'. MELBOURNE, August 9. The Moravian, brought a number of returned troopers, including 13 New Zealanders. SYDNEY, August 9. The Premier ha^- promised to stop a-ny j further enlistment of men for South Africa. The recruiting now proceeding in Sydney was done without his knowledge. He considered that the State had gone as far as was necessary in sending troops.