THE BOER WAR.

Otago Witness, Issue 2505, 26 March 1902, Page 26

THE BOER WAR.

HOW METHUEX WAS CAPTURED. HIS DESPERATE RESISTANCE. THE CAVALRY PANIC. MR KRUGER'S FAITH. DIRECT DIVINE INTERVENTION. CAPTURE OF 127 BOERS. IN TOUCH WITH DE WET AND STEYN. OUR BOYS AGAIN SUFFER. THE IRRECONCILABLES. BOTHA'S INFLUENCE DECLINING. CAPTURE OF A TRAIN-WRECKER. DE WET AND DE LA REV TRYING TO JOIN FORCES. I

LONDON, March 17. Lord Roberts has written to one of his, correspondents .statiug that there is not the slightest cause for uneasiness in regard to South Africa, nor any reason to suppose that the war will be prolonged by recent events. March 18. The Standard, describing Lord Methuen'ft capture, skates that the Boers formed five lines, and galloped straight at the rearguard. They were first .sighted four miles away. The Imperial Yeomanry and Ashburnam's Horse opened fire at 1400 yds. The Boers replied heavily, while charging. They phowed splendid courage. Their wings tried to encircle the rearguard. The Diamoudfields Horse and the Scouts heLped to check the charge until the Boers, heedless of the hofe fire, made a desperate rush, fairly stampeding the mounted men, who fled in blind panic. The unprotected artillery fired coolly and steadily until all were .shot. Meanwhile the infantry and a section of the Fourth Battery kept the Boer-, who were attacking the right flank, at a distance of 000 yds. The Boers finally dismounted and lay down. Lord Methueu, failing to collect his mounted men, galloped back to the guns. Encouraging the gunners with voice and gesture, he mm-> a conspicuous target for thp concentrated Boer fire. His horse was hit in three places. One by one the gunners fell, until, when Commandant Celliers shelled the kraal, surrender was inevitable. The troop-lap Manchester Merchant has arrived at Durban with detachments of the Commonwealth contingent aboard. Within the month 10,000 troops will leave England for South Africa. A meeting of 3000 Irishmen in Glasgow, responding to Mr John Dillon's request, gave ringing cheers for De la Rey. In the House of Commons, Sir H. Campbell-Bannerman, in moving for the appoiutment of a committee of inquiry into the army meat contracts, stated that during the war, out of £130,600,000 expended on transport, remounts, provisions, and clothing, £120,000,000 had [ pas&gd throu^Ji the hancU pj ma4dle£*ej? (

contractors, of which £12,000,000 was spent on remounts. Certain vested interests, backed by powerful financiers, apparently quartered themselves upon the War Office. Houlder Bros, seemed to monopolise certain cki'-ses of transport. Enlightenment was needed respecting the meat contracts as to whether there was collision between two competitors. Mr Labouchere accused the Government of paying rubbishy prices for Quoen^lpnd hor-c and receiving rubbishy aniimls. He strongly attacked Houlder Bro=., and described Mr Bergl (who has secured the latest meat contract) as a mere dnmray. Mr Brodrick. Secretary of State for War, said he was quite prepared for an inquiry at an opportune time. At present it would be detrimental to the public inteiests to hamper the conduct of the war. Neither the Government nor the War Office had done anything they need be ashamed of. Though he admitted there had been some mistake 0 , it was uuvri«e to believe newspaper gossip and the cock-and-bull stories of disappointed contractors. He accused Sir H. Campbell-Banuerman of leaving the supply of artillery so inadequate that if Great Britain had gone to Nvar in 1895 she would have been obliged to clear out of South Africa after three months' fighting. The debate wa« adjourned. March 19. Lord Kitchener's weekly report states that 11 of the enemy were killed, 7 wounded, loS taken prisoners, and 12G surrendered. General Bruce Hamilton surprised a commando on the loth at Ngothe Ba^in, killing four, capturing «ix, and wounding 17. The unwounded include General Cherry Emmet, Botha's brother-in-law, whom Kitchener describes as an important leader. Mr Brodrick stated in the Hou c c of Commons that Boers captuz*ed in British uniform were liable to be courtmartialled and shot. Lord Kitchener had executed some already. Lord Methuen is progressing satisfactorily. The Standard is responsible for the statement that the Boers admit 300 casualties at Tweebo c ch, though only 11 were seen dead near the British lines. Lord Kitchener states that there are already sufficient troops in the West Tranvvaal to deal effectually with the situation. In the House of Commons, Sir H. Campbeli-Bannerman's motion for an inquiry into the army contracts was negatived by 346 to 191. The Nationalist and Roseberyites voted with the minority. Mr Asquith admitted that Lord Kitchener would be a necessary witness in connection with the cold storage contract. He argued that precedents justified the demand for an immediate inquiry, though he was confident the honour of British officers was untarnished. Mr Balfour replied with unusual warmth. He said a full inquiry was impolitic and impossible at present. When such an inquiry was made it would show that the army was never so well fed, clothed, and horded. An inquiry now would bo worth 5000 reinforcements to the enemy. The Boers who invaded Xatal have recrossed the Drakensbergs. Ben Viljoen, prisoner at* St. Helena, considers that the British artillerymen now fire fifty times better than they did at the beginning of the war. The transport Custodian with a further detachment of the Commonwealth Contingent ha^. arrived at Durban. Captain M. Jones, 6th New Zealand Mounted, is convalescent and has resumed duty. General Bruce Hamilton's success is due to the retrograde circumstances of the march, and riding very lightly. Emmet's capture was made by the National Burgher Scouts. Lord Methuen's temperature is normal. He is suffering no pain. The mortality in the concentration camps for the month of February is only one-third that of the January rate. March 20. Owing to the extension of civil rule the military governorship of Pretoria has lapsed. The petition formulated by the Progressive members of the Cape Parliament for the suspension of the Cape Constitution asks that the Imperial Parliament should pn^s a bill of indemnity covering the martial l.iw proceedings and unauthorised expenditure ; also, that it fix the colony's future parliamentary representation. TuLiity-ninc Boers to the north of Balmoral, owing to the approach of winter, surrendered on Saturday. The transport with the Canadian Contingent aboard is quarantined at Durban. She has six cases of smallpox aboard. Dr Kuyper, the Netherlands Premier, | has asked Great Britain's permission to j send an ambulance and several physicians to the Boers. March 21. Irreconcilable Boers in the Western Transvaal have plenty of arms and ammunition, but their transport and stock are a little hampered by blockhouses. Lord Kitfiheuer has ordered General

Wool"? Sampson to organise an Intelligence Corps. ; None of the commandos in the Eastern Transvaal exceed 300. Botha's influence is steadily declining. The National Burgher Scouts have captured, at Standcrtoil, Williams ) the notorious train-wrecker. In the House of Common. .Mr Chamberlain, during a debate on the war, casually alluded to the services of Vilonel, who raised the National Burgher Scouts. Mr Dillon interjected, "Traitor!" Mr Chamberlain retorted, "" Yovi are a good judge of traitors. "' Mr Dillon shouted, " You damned liar!" A motion to suspend Mr Dillon was carried by 248 votes to 48, the Opposition leaders voting lor the suspension. Mr Redmond had some difficulty in preventing the Nationalists providing a general suspension. Mr Chamberlain, continuing, said he esimated that there were 9000 Boers still in the field. The few recruits to the Boer ranks were now obtained from Cape Colony. A large proportion of the prisoners in Ceylon, India, and St. Helena were eager to return to peaceful avocations. This was a good augury fox* the future. Mr Brodrick said great progress had been made with the war during the last few mouths. A commando unsuccessfully tried to cro:--. the railway southwards of Bloemfontein. The Queen, replying to the appeal from, the women of Munich to use her influence to stop the immoral, cruel, ahd shameful conduct of the British troops in South Africa, wrote that the memorial was based on a complete misunderstanding of the facts, and she regretted that the meeting of Munich women had lent an ear to groundless slanders against a friendly nation. Maich 21. The announcement that the Commonwealth is sending another contingent of 2000 men was received with the greatest gratification in the House of Commons. Boer advices state that De Wet and jue la Rey are trying to join forces in the vicinity of Pary's, on the Vaal River, west of the railway line. The Premier, Mr Philp, has suggested to Mr Barton that Queensland be allowed to send a whole battalion of 5Uu men for the Commonwealth Contingent, the State having a much larger proportion of bushmen than the others. The State Premier considers that there would be no difficulty in raising the battalion. March 23. The blockhouses checked 50 assailants of a convoy between Kroonspruit and Frankfort. Mounted troops arrived shortly after and repelled the attack. The services of eight battalions of militia have been accepted. Mr Brodrick stated in the House of Commons that, at the end of April, all militia regiments would be relieved and brought home. Lord Onslow, speaking at Bath, said New Zealand were <-ending the Tenth

Contingent, not in the first glamour of patriotic enthusiasm, but when the taste bad become dull, tiresome, and monotonous. PARIS, March 20. The newspaper Le Matin publishes a remarkable statement dictated by Mr Kruger, showing that he still reckons upon direct Divine intervention on beihalf of the Boers, who were God's elect. It was impossible to surrender their liberty without repudiating God and meriting His malediction. He prays that God will dispel the blindness of the English people. Rewter's Agency states that last week's drive to the west resulted in the capture of 127 prisoners. The columns are now in touch with De Wet and Steyn in the Hoopstad district, west of the main line of railway. General Emett declares that it is 'impossible to starve the Boers. They must capture them all. '-P.ri.vate Archibald MXean was killed at Htolspruit and Private J. 3£*Kay wounded. Corporal G. N. Langford and Privates H. Harvey and E. Cf Boiilfc .were '^%htly wounded. All are of the Seventh -New-Zeakmdters.. In the Federal House, Mr Barton announced that he had received -from the Imperial Government a communication 2ctim«thi2 that another Commonwealth Contingent, 2(K)v strong, would be gratefully accepted. It was the intention of the' Government to comply with the request. WASHINGrON, March 21. Wessels, the Boer delegate, asked President Roosevelt to appoint a commission of army officers to review the conduct of the war in South^Vf rica . At the instance of Mr Bryan, a caucus of Democrats of the House of Representatives adopted strong pro-Boer resolutions. Mr Bryan hopes to make the Boers the main issue at the Congressional elections in autumn. March 23. Colonel Hays's memorial address on President M'Kinley, delivered in CongTess, declared that the most admirable, moral of the Civil War was the Confederates' acceptance of the pitiless logic of facts and their submission when beaten. It was possible to admire the desperate daring of those who prefer annihilation to compromise, but the palm of common sen^e and enlightened patriotism belonged to- General Lee, who knew when he had fought enough for his honour and country. NEW YORK, March 20. A consignment of ammunition about .to be shipped to Antwerp, it is supposed for the Boers, exploded. During the fire the steamship Phcenix and the pier at Hobokeu (New York) were destroyed. A number of rifles were unearthed from the ruins. MELBOURNE, March 21. Mr Higg«, of Queensland, moved the adjournment of the Federal Senate as a protest against pending a further contingent to South Africa. He urged that Parliament should have beeu consulted. Australia was sick of the war. Instead of sendiug troops, Parliament should say t<hey desired to see the war ended by negotiation, ai?d urge the British Government to graix an amnesty to the rebels and self-government to the Boers. The Senate was strongly against Mr Higgs, who was continuously interrupted by jocular suggestions and patriotic interjections. The motion wa« necra.tived. SYDNEY, March 21. The Daily Telegraph, dealing with the despatch of the latest contingents and Mr Seddon's proposals in reference to duties on British imported goods, says that there is a manifest disposition on Mr Seddon's part to grip a general sway. His hand needs careful Australian watching, as it seeius to be his aim to take the lead in larger. Australasian affairs, and of calling the tune for tha Commonwealth Government on all these que-i-tions. The action of the New Zealand Government in so energetically endeavouring to apply its own motive power fb an Australasian policy is palpably the outcome of the colony's helf-exclu&ion from the Commonwealth. It will be well, therefore, that the Australian Government be called upon in this early stage of their history to assert themselves, and ward off what, if unchecked, might develop into Australia being governed in certain laj-ge respects from Wellington. INVALIDS DOING WELL. WELLINGTON. March 18. Major Pilcher wires from Capetown that Privates Armstrong, Cunningham, Fraser, apd Heley, who arc in hospital, are doing well. TEACHERS FOR SOUTH AFRICA. CHRISTCHURCH, March 18. About 20 teachers of the North Canterbury education district have replied to the Imperial Government's requeet for teachers for South Africa. A number of inquiries have been made at the Otago Education Board's office, but as the application forme only oame to hand yesterday no regular applications for employment at the concentration camps have been received. COLONEL PORTER'S MESSAGE. WELLINGTON, March 19. Colonel Porter, of the Seventh Contingent, in a cable message to the Premier that left Capetown on March 18, says : — " Engaged in successive drives in Orange Colony ; strain on men hard and continuous. Regiment captured De Wet's guns, and received thanks on the 24th foi bravery and gallantry. Itopulsed Jftr^e force o{ s^emy^

midnight attack. Were specially paraded and thanked by Lord Kitchener. "Casualties during the month: Killed 26, wounded 42, died 3; total, 71. Our captures were: Prisoners 15, gun 1 (a 15-pounder), and 2 pom-poms, with 2900 rounds ammunition and fuses, 28 rifles and 1400 rounds ammunition ; horses and mules and saddlery 100, oxen and cattle 4500, sheep 500. Large number of waggons and carts also captured and destroyed. " Health of regiment generally good.'' In another message from Heilbron on the 14-th March Colonel Porter reports having returned from a drive in which he met with | not much opposition, and there were no i casualties. The regiment are well, and it is reported that the wounded are all progre-s-ing well. The strength of the regiment 'in the field is too low. All well. INVALIDED NEW ZEALANDERS. WELLINGTON, March 19. The Government are adviuecl that | Trooper J. P. Mackay (Hastings), of the j seventh contingent, is dangerously ill at Movarina, and that Captain Markham | (Auckland) is dangerously ill frcm memn- j gitis at Maritzburg. I CASUALTIES TO NEVV\ZEAL ANDERS. NEWS OF, THE WOUNDED. | AUCKLAND, March 20. | Tfeo Premier is advised*^ at 2501 Hely (of the Seventh) has becn'jll, but that he is progressing favourably, also .that <2§38 Ser-' geant Early (of the Sixth"> i 3 at Capetown, and has been recommended for commission by the officer commanding. WELLINGTON. March 20. The following cablegram has been received j from the authorities in Capetown relative i to casualties in the New, Zealand contin- j gents: — Seventh Contingent: Killed at Hel- I tpruit, Trooper Archibald M'Lcan (Hamil- j ton) ; dangerously wounded. Trooper Joh.i M'Kay (Riverton, Southland); tbghtiy. wounded, Corporal G. N. Langfurd (Geral- . dine), Trooper Henry Harvey (Haldane, Southland), Private E. C. Boult (PaMatui). ! 1 Eighth Contingent : Trooper J. L. Robin- ; son. dangerously ill of pneumonia at Pino- . town Bridge. The following members of toe I Sixth Contingent are ill with enteric fevei . at Chsrlfstown: — George Walker and Le.;- ! nard Law. John Considine. of the Sevent'i Contingent, ia still suffering from tfie gunshot wound received at Bothasber-r. The Governor ha,? received a cablegram j from the authorities at . .Capetown stating that Lieutenant Taylor had "lightly improved on the 16th. The condition of Captain Markham was still serious. ARRIVAL OF THE CORNWALL. ] WELLINGTON. March 21. The Premier has been advised by Colonel Davies that the Cornwall, with the southern battalion of the Eighth, ai rived at Durbnn last Saturday. | All the New Z^landerr wounded recently ' are doing well except 4620 I'ookes. danger- j ously ill, and 4374 Bremer ('! 4394 Creemer), } dangerously ill of enteric at Horrismith. i RETURNING HOME. i WELLINGTON, llarch 22. Sergeant-major Malcolm iXelson), of th« •Shct-li Contingent, and Private Headley (Auckland), of the Seventh, returned by tne i'aparoa this morning. j THE ENTERIC SCOURGE. ' WELLINGTON, March 22. { Tile Government is sd\ wed ( hut Trooper J. T. M'Kelvie, of Mataura (Seventh Con- I tingent). is dangerously ill of e:iteric at ' Norval's Pont. THE PREMIER AND CONTINGENT CHAPLAINS AUCKLAND, March 22. The Star's New Plymouth correspondent wires that the Premier emphatically denies the accuracy of the following statement in the report of an interview he had with the Auckland Ministers' Association. — '" The Premier paid that he had to acknowledge that the Government erred in not sending chaplains sooner, but chaplains would go with all further contingents. " What the Premier ciid say was that all contingent? prior to the Eighth not being complete columns, chaplains w>»re not allowed under the military regnltttiont ; but ai soon as the opportunity o^Tero'l of tending chaplains it was embraced Ly tending m.c with the Eighth, and in compliance with his rpqu°->t to Lord Kitchener he as a special favour was allowing two chaplains to go with the Ninth. THE BOYS OF NEW ZEALAND. Hurrah for the boys who have gone from Xew Zealand To fight for our King in South Africa's lands. To help the dear Homeland establish a fieeland, And plant there the flng that for liberty stands. We've spilled for our Empire, our King, and our freedom, The blood of our bravest, our fpremost, our best; And still they are coming in thousands — Godspeed them — From the North and the South and the East and the West. The blood of our fathers, whose bravery ever Was found on the side of the weak and opprest, Flows fast through our veins, and our heroes will never Cry "Halt!" till on laurels of vict'ry they rest. Though dead on the field he our sons of the khaki — Brave heroes whose blood for the Empire was shed, — Still fathers and mothers and sweethearts cry "Ake!" As forth to the fray fresh contingents are sped. We mourn for the boys of the Seventh who have fallen, But mingled with pride is each sigh of regret No father, or mother, or brother would call in One boy till we've conquered and captured De Wet. J. J. K. THE CAPTURE OF DE WET'S GUNS. BRILLIANT WORK BY NEW ZEALANDERS. (From Oub Own Correspondent.) LONDON, February 15. While Mr Grattan Grey, late of the New Zealand Hansard etaff, has been writing to the Daily News striving to show that Mr Seddon's offering another contingent is due to the money for publio works being exhausted, it i« pleasant to turn from this

being done in South Africa by New Zealand soldiers. In the engagement between Colonel Byng's troops and two sections of De Wet's forces on the 3rd inst. the New Zealanders did excellent t-ervice. It appears that Colonel Gr.rratt saw what he then made out to be a number of mule waggons and one gun 2000 yards away. He at once despatched tho New Zealanders, Se->enth Contingent, 120 strong, who, under a heavy fire, charged the Beers' rearguard, which was posted in a strong posij tiro, and then galloped to the head of the I Boer convoy. The Beers turned froir. north I to v. est, pursued by oui combined forces, I who. after eight mile= hard galloping, oapI tured one 15-pounder, belonging to the 79th J | Royal Field Artillery, which had been taken I by De Wet from Colonel Firman's column ! last Chriotma-3 Eve, two pom-poms, one of which had been used by the Boers from the beginning of the war, cae extra ammunition waggon, 1510 rounds of pom-pom, 178 rounds of 15-pounder. and 14.300 rounds of small- i j arm ammunition, 30 rifl«s, 15 saddles, 50 I horses, 60 British Government mules — the I Boer= had from six to ten of these mules harne ced to each gun, — 100 trek oxen, and 200 other cattle: All the' gtus were in good I working order. The enemy were never given time to use them on out men, but the i latter, aftsr capturing them, fired several > round? at tho enemy with the 15-poiuuier ,as the Boe« fled west. Commandant Mear», wLkh_ Captain Muller and four Boerd, boldly -attempted to recapture one of tho pom-, poms, but .the- firing of theN;Xew Zeala-ndonK was too .good for them. Oifabacxlormig this attempt, Mears and his comrades fled, but ran into one of our advanced post?. "\lc?rs himself had a 'uoky ei-cape. but Captain ] MulM -was captured. There w ore no British ca ma' ties iv rhe charge, but in taking the I guns the New Zealanders had one man killed j-andj -and two wounded. These v, ere the only casualties. The Boer prisoners admit that the wl'o'.e operation was a splendid piece of work on our part, the Boers being comj pletely surprised. The New Zealanders also I a-nbu-he^ and captured tv/o Poors with 1 three rifles at a fannhou:e en January 31.