SIGNALLING TO KIMBERLEY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8761, 27 February 1900, Page 4

SIGNALLING TO KIMBERLEY.

Writes the correspondent of the Sydney Telegraph : — Enslin Camp, Thursday, Jan. 18. Up to this time the only means of communication from Kimberloy was a flash signal at night, but this was not entirely effective, because the Engineers on this side of the investment had not the apparatus for reply. Kimberley suggested a trial of the heliograph, and it indicated they could see the kopjes at Enslin. An ordinary heliograph was tried from several hills, but the beams were not strong enough to cover 40 milea and give Kimberley a direction. Then a camp mirror was tried, but without effect. An ordinary looking-glass, used as an improvised heliograph by a British officer in A similar situation, led to the relief of Eshowe, in Zululand. The enemy had cut off the position, and there was an interval of 30 miles, over which the officer tried the Bun for four days, until he got the right direction, and Eshowe saw the flash calling them. The mirror used here was not large enough, and then a big looking-glass about 2ft long was seen in an Australian tent, and was pressed into the service, and carried to tho top of a high kopje, and' there its powerful beam caught Kimberley, and gave them the right point to lay on. Meanwhile some large-sized heliograph instruments were sent for, and they took up the exchange, so that Kimberley is now in active talk with the outer world, and stringß of messages are passing through. This useful looking-glass had been commandeered from a deserted Free State farmhouse, and looked suspiciously like the furniture of a lady's bedroom. The removal of articles of that claes is difficult to defend, but it proved of decided benefit ia this instance.