WAR BREVITIES.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 8699, 19 December 1899, Page 3

WAR BREVITIES.

On October 31st Mafeking casualties to date were killed 11, wounded 31. The Boer loss was estimated at at^ least 300.

Writing on October 30th, the Kimberley correspondent of the Cape Mercury 6ava : "Not content with the damage already done to the Madder river bridge, the Boera vow, through inability to blow up the piers, are throwing the stones singly into the stream. The line has been destroyed and the culverts blown up, practically, all the way south to the Orange river." " The experience of General Frenoh in the present campaign is unique in the annals of military life," saytj the East London Despatch. "He was a passenger

by the Norman, which left the roadstead here at fi p.m. on Wednesday. He landed about 2 o'clock the next afternoon at Durban, left shortly after by special train, j arriving in Ladysmith on Friday evening. On Saturday morning lw took command, and by sundown he had won a stiff and hotly contested battle." At Klangs Laagte General French had a narrow escape. A Boer shell fell within a few yards of him, but fortunately did not explode. It appears, according to the Commander-in-Cbiei's report od tho Salisbury Plain manoeuvres, that there are several items in a soldier's dress which are unsatisfactory. The field service cap is condemned on account of the insufficient protection it affords from the sun. The Btiff collar whioh is to be found on the men's tunic ia out of place, and Lord Wolseley recommends the adoption of a roll collar. Further, the report states that the regulation gaiter )b not at all conductive to good marching, as it blisters the heel. Among the Boers there are still, it seems, some oraok shots. At the Dundee Hill battle a Boer took up his position behind stones tbat rendered him quite unable to be got at. A Dublin Fusilier, wishing to test this Dutchman's shooting powers, put his helmet on the wall' behind which he was-lying, and it was no Booner up than down it fell, with a bullet through it., tired by the Boer behind the stones. Five times more the helmet was put up, and as often it toppled over, with a freßli hole in it. At lost a shell dropped where the marksman was, and his shooting ceased. Among the Dublin Fusiliers who arrived at Ladysmith from Dundee was one the upper half of whose helmet had gone ; it was carried off by a sheil, the Dublin being untouched, but much incensed at the damage done to his headgear. There is great enthusiasm throughout the United States, says another message, over the fitting out of the hospital ship Maine for despatch to the Cape or Natal to receive the British wounded. The movement is being supported by countless promiuat public men, and it is certain that the Bhip will be splendidly fitted and found. No single newspaper is now allowed to have more than 550 words cabled to It from South Africa each day. The agents of the Transvaal, according to the Chicago Press, are trying to obtain recruits in the United States, and they have failed everywhere. Mr Rhodes mounted and equipped a town guard of 400 men at Kimberley at a cost of £15,000. These and other forces are drilled by the Lancashire Regiment, and produce excellent fighting material. Lord Chesterfield wrote, 140 years ago : " The little advantages of taking a regiment or two prisoners, or cutting another to pieces, are but trifling articles in the great account; they are only the pence, the pounds are yet to come. The compounds at, Kimberley are filled with provisions which, it is estimated, will last nine months. The report of short rations is totally untrue. The mines are still working, though the water supply has been partially diverted for the consumption of the town at the expense of the De Beers Company.