THE BOER WAR.

Otago Witness, Issue 2509, 16 April 1902, Page 26

THE BOER WAR.

THE CAMPAIGN OF LIES.

% DETERMINED BATTLE.— THE DEFEAT OF DE LA REV.

£OER CHIEFS CONFERRING -CON SIDERING PEACE PROPOSALS.

THE PROSPECTS OF PEACE.— BOER LEADERS AT PRETORIA.

SPECIAL MEETINGS OF THE BRITISH CABINET. EXAGGERATED SENSATIONAL REPORTS. 6PECULATIONS ON THE POSITION. LONDON, April 7. Altogether 24 members of Mr Kruger's fainily° have sworn allegiance to the British Government. De la Rey directly commands 900 ■men, and is easily able to concentrate 2000. Beyers commands 400 men at Zoutpansberg. Alberts and Opperman have 400 at j Bethel. There are small bodie-, at Ermelo, Pietretief, and between the Vaal and Potchefstroom, Vereeniging. About -ii)o are scattered in the northeast of the Orange River Colony at j siYastron. Ficksbunt; and Brandwater has 550 "in Cape Colony, chiefly in the vicinity of Garies- and Calvinia. De la Rey used three gnn« and a pompom on the occasion of the fight at J ■Boschbult. The British silenced one ' gun. | The president of the Johannesburg Chamber of Mines estimates that the OBoer Government obtained £2,697,173 f-worbh of gold while holding the -mines Jbesides causing direct los-es of £3,400,000. -It is reported on the Stock Exchange that a Transvaal loan of 30 millions, at 3 per cent., with a minimum of 99, will l)e issued immediately. . . April 8. Lord Kitchener's weekly report states that ]7 Boers were killed, G wounded, and 107 taken prisoners, while 31 surrendered. Pilcher's column, on Thursday, near Boshoff, killed Commandant Erasmus. Kruitzinger's trial has concluded. He was acquitted, and will consequently be treated as an ordinary prisoner of war. Of 2937 officers and 08,311 men invalided home, /478 died and 5262 men were di«charge-d as unfit for duty. The total deaths in South Africa have been—^Killed in action, 502 ofheers ;md 6114 men ; wounded, 176 officers and 1774 men; in captivity, 5 officers and 97 men. Disease killed 313 officers and j 12,103 men; accidental deaths, 24 officers and 543 men. As a result of the conflict at Bo c ehbult recruiting in Canada has been stimulated. The Government are publishing all the despatches relating to the Spion Kop j affair. Lord Roberts has cabled to Lord Minto expre^sitig his high appreciation of the Canadians, and his regret at their losses at Boschbult. A Mansion House fund has been opened at Lord Milner's and Mr Chamberlain's instance to provide 1000 Johannesburg loyalist- refugee families , with £50,000 worth of household goods .prior to their return, to replace the things looted. A returned Imperial Yeoman declares that Dutchmen chiefly constituted the mounteds who deserted General Methuen at the time of his capture. The minimum estimate sets down the Boer loss on the 31st ult. as 30 killed and 80 wounded. The Boer loss on the Ist hist, was included in Lord Kitchener's weekly return to that date. Leyds has recommenced hi- slanders. De la Hey i- -aid to have -ent a letter in January, in which ho specific- alleged British atiocitie-. The gallery in a Cork thea-tre disapproving of the patriotism of an opera called "The Dandy r'nth,"' created an uproar and exhibited the Boer flag. They then marched through the city Einging " God save Ireland," and preceded by the Boer flag. The loj'ali-ts tried to capture the flag, and a melee msued. The police dispersed the mob. The War Office has applied to Mr Copeland for 100 tons of New South Wales plum, ppricot. and gooseberry iam«. April 9. There srr iadir .uion- that De la Rey's '■etter contains intt rpolation-. repeating .he lie- oi urinating on th» continent. There are al-o st;.t< lnoiit- mten-i'-tcnt with his thanking Loi'l Methuen for kiudot** to ius> vile and children.

The Standard says that the Klerksdorp reverse at Brakspruit on the 31=.t was the most decisive check in De la Rey's career. General Walter Kitchener «ent 1700 well-mounted men, i under Cookson, to reconnoitre in the direction of the Hart lliver. They were ' soon in toneh with 500 Boers escorting j a convoy. Pursuit was soon relinquished on news being received that 2000 Boer-> were ahead. The convoy returning, Cookson halted at Brakspruit. A shell from a Boer gun on a ridge 4000 yards distant dropped into the camp. I Masses of the enemy appeared on the flank, leading to a general engagement. Twenty -four Canadian-, and 4-3 mounted men wer* 1 posted a mile and a-half away on Cookson's right, 500 yards beyond a i belt of trees. Two companies of artil- , lery and rifles held a farmhou-e on the left flank 1000 yards distant, while the remainder oi tneir force stretched along Brakspruit, covering the farmhouse. Next to them were Keir'> 28th Mounted Uifle^, the second battalion of Kitchener'- Fighting Scout-,, the bulk of Cook>on\ 2nd Canadians, and Damcnt'--force. I De la Rey nought to ru^h the farmhouse, which was the key of the position. Heavier guns arriving at the camp, tbe : pom-poms were centred on the spruit, five hundred Boer-, occupied a ridge, | riding in lines in extended order. They I galloped within 000 yards of the farm". A volley caused them to halt. The volleys were returned by a cro«s fire, but volleys and shells from the camp caused them to retreat to the nd^e. j Meanwhile GOO Boer-, under cover of a belt of troes, charged 70 of the Briti-h and demanded their surrender. Carrut hers shot the foremost at 15 paces. His comrade, being shelterless, lay in the gra*«- and fired steadily straight at the Boers, who bolted back to the trees, some climbing and firing, and others .spreading in a line. They were kept at bay for two hour-. They then rushed and captured 15 survivors, Carruthers alone not being seriously hurl. He declined to go to the hospital. Some Boers wished to shoot him, but others declared that he was too brave a man J to die thus. Several were wounded ' twice and thrice. j Gradually the British were surrounded. Tiie defence was .spirited, and the enemy at 4 o'clock were beaten off. The Boer casualties totalled 275. The War Office is inviting tenders for 000,0001b of corned and compressed i beef and .'ioo,ooolb of corned mutton. I Tenders close on May 26. Canada is prepared to send four regiments of 1000 men each to South Africa . Lord Kitchener has authori-ed Pu j t De Wet to raise a burgher corps for service in the northern part of the Orange River Colony. Mr Kruger informed a deputation of German workmen that he was convinced that the Boers would retain their independence, though they were willing to cede the Rand. There was now more lighting on the Boers' side than at the beginning of the war. April 10. Mr Steyn, the President of the late Orange Free State, is suffering from an affection ol the eyes which threatens blindne-s. Lord Methuen i 1 - progressing well. The Right Hon. W. H. Long, speaking at Newington. said that the Government were determined not to permit diplomacy to imperil the great sacrifices of the war. Earl Spencer, in a speech at Lincoln, urged an amnesty to the rebels, the early abolition of martial law, early .selfgovernment, and a liberal expenditureon farms, but the independence of the Republics was impossible. General Tan Hamilton is commanding the force- operating against De la Rev. Mr Gerald Balfour, speaking at Leed-, said that personally he wa- not .sanguine of the result of the Boer leaders' consultation-, in South Africa. The terms offered in March, 1901, regarding the future status of the Transvaal and Orange River Colonies, were still open. Beyond that the Government were not prepared to go at present. The delegates and Botha have been ooiiferrina; ai Klerksdorp since Monday They are now awaiting De la Rev and .Stevn's opinion. Apul 11. Botha joined Schalkburgi*r, Kroga, Jacobs, Vanwalden, Reitz, and Lucas Mypr at Klerksdorp. Steyn, De Wet, De la Hey, and tlneo members of the i Lite Free State Government have al-o arrived (hero to (oniVr. Ni w -p.ipeis urge the Government not to permit communications between the Boer loader- at Kk-rk-doip and Mr Kr'ig» r. Mr Chamberlain, replying to a qnotion whether Schalkburger and others would be Kini-hf d after the -.ife conduct expire- if they fall into tlir> haii.lof the British, the proclamation dealing with banishment would n mam in operation. "Lord Stanley -tatos that 150,000 .-mall arms and 240.000,000 round of ammunition have been i-sued in South Africa since the ultimatum. Reuter states that GO Boers were captured by an eastward drive in the northeast of the Orange River Colony, and ; 20 more at various place- in the Tran--1 vc.fti*

Mr Bennett Burleigh wires that General Hamilton pursues Kemp's commando. The British combination of columns is proceeding well. j The transport Manchester Merchant, with 207 South Australian and Queensland troopers, has sailed from Natal for Albany. Hertzog and Ollivier and -ix others accompanied the Orange State delegates, and Ferriera and dozens of others accompanied Dc la Rey to the Boer Peace Conference. Mr Brodrick stated in the House of Commons that no communications had been received from the Boer leader-, and that no armistice had been arranged during the Commanders' Conference. The King, who was visiting Falmouth, returns to Cowe=. Later news states that ho left hurriedly, returning direct to London, which is attributed to the prospect of peace. Consols have advanced 12s (id. The War Office announces that 1000 Guard- were inspected ye«terday. The-e constitute the fir-t instalment of the fresh iorce proceeding to South Africa for the winter campaign. Furthermore, t he following are starting next week: — . Infantry draft-, 7000; artillery, 1000: yeomanry, 7000 : colonials, 5000. The transport arrangements are completed, 'lhe last of the militia sent in 1900 will be withdrawn before May. The new-papers emphasise the importance of convincing the Boer leaders at Klerksdorp that Great Britain's preparations are not relaxed, and that -he ;s m readiness to prosecute the campaign with increased vigour. April 12 Wohnarans and We--el- confer with Mr Kruger at I'trecht. Dr Leyds declares that peace is im-po-sible until the European delegates are consulted. A special meeting of the Cabinet is called for to-day. Apiil 13. Schalk Burger, Meyer, Botha, De la Rey, w tcyn, and De Wet have reached Pretoria. All the members of the British Cabinet, excepting Lord Cadogan, were present at the meeting of the Cabinet, which lasted an hour and a-half. Nothing "'as revealed of the object or the result. 'Ine Cabinet meets again to-day. Eighteen Boers were captured westward of Klcrk»dorp. Since December 12- 1000 natives have arrived on the RancT. The trial of Judge Jvoch has commenced at Graaf Reinet. He is charged with spvine and fraudulently obtaining military permits to travel. Fourteen men of the Leinster Regiment were wounded in action near Bethlehem last Tuesday. April W~~ Lord Salisbury and Mr Balfour have proceeded to Hatfield Hall. The Duke of Devonshire, Mr Brodrick, and Sir M. Hicks-Beach met at midnight on Saturday at Mr Chamberlain's house, and consulted for an hour, it is suppo-ed respecting a cablegram from Lord Kitchener. Mr Chamberlain spput Sunday morning at his office, and had two hours' audience with the King in the afternoon. The Times snj«, the Boer delegates ; will probably attempt to renew negotia- ! tions from the starting point of Lord Kitchener's offer to General Botha, but the prolongation of the struggle has immensely altered the situation. v lt is impossible to ignore this or exasperate loyali-ts by undue leniency towards the rebels. The Standard says the fir-t jiroposals are merely intended to open preliminaries. Doubtless the Boers ask too much if they demand independence, and frankly abandon the rest as not worth discus-ion. The exaggerated sensational reports current relative to the peace negotia- , tions are entirely premature. It is considered in the most responsible circles as highly improbable that the Boer delegates will at first submit acceptable terms. It is believed they journeyed to Pretoria personally to obtain information from Lord Kitchener on certain points. The Transvaal delegates are lodged in General lan Hamilton's house, and the Vvrr State delegates in the residence adjoining Lord Kitchener's. Lord Milner is also at Pretoria. The brevity of the Klerksdorp eouferfiice is considered to imply that the deU-gites agreed to the general basis of tin- negotiations. Though no formal overtures wore | made, it i- believed Lords Kitchener and Milner have a fair idea of the character of the terms expected and cabled them to the British Government. The Time- says the King's yachting j orni-p had reached it- natuial ending, and th.ii Coronation busine-s accounted j for the Kind's return. It adds that the meeting of the Cabinet Mas not connected with peace, -mcc no overtures ha\i.' been received. NEW YORK, April 8. C hie aero i- offering the freedom of the ( lty to Mr Kruger, and has invited him to vi-it Chicago. ; rsYDXEY, April 8. j The now Federal Contingent are being | enrolled under the title of the Commou-

April 9. The Anti-War League's petition is receiving scant courtesy in the State. One municipal council to which it was sent for signature passed a resolution authorising the council's clerk to apply a lucifer to the document and inform the promoters of its fate. HOBART, April 9. The Tasmanian &ection of the Commonwealth Contingent Ims sailed.