WAR ITEMS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8767, 6 March 1900, Page 4

WAR ITEMS.

WITH THE SOUTH AFRICAN LIGHT HORSE. A trooper of tho South African Light Horse writes as follows : — "All the kit — kharki tunic and breeches, broad-brimmed soft felt hatwith puggaree, putties, boots, waterproof sheet and coat, water-bottle, haversack, bandolier, underclothing, etc. — and saddlery had to be drawn from stores, and when that was done, or, rather, in the intervals of its being done, the horses had to be tried an.l some elements of drill knocked into the men. From a' spectator's point of view the former was tho most amusing, for the horses were in nearly every case fresh as paint, and many had never known bit or saddle. As buck-jumpers they could give points to any of the bronchos made familiar to London by Buffalo Bill, and for sheer devilment it would have been hard to find their equals. They fought like wild cats, und when they found their match in some " broncho-busters " who had crossed from New Orleans with a cargo of mules in the Montezuma, they simply fell and rolled. Time did not allow of any riding-school 'for these, and so tho worst were cast, while the troopers had to make the best of the others and take them into the ranks for troop and squadron drill. Barely three days of this was given before we got our marching orders, aud early one morning turned out and marched through Capetown to the railway, with as hearty a send-off from the townspeople as could be wished by any troops. The men certainly looked fit enough for anythiug, and if they did not sit quite in the fashion approved of in the regular cavalry, hardly a man looked other than workmanlike. They came from nearly every quarter of the globe, and Captain Whittaker, the squadron commander, hat in his four troops AS REPRESENTATIVE A CROWD of "the legion that never was 'listed " as any that could well be found — militia and volunteer officers from Home, wanderers from Australia, Canada, and even the Klondyke, Germans, one troop made up almost entirely of American cowboys, good fellows all, and keen as mustard. For nearly 500 miles we travelled by rail, crawling along amid scenery which, after the comparatively fertile area about Capetown was passed, grew monotonous with its never-ending stretches of sunscorched karoo, sparsely dotted with stunted grey bush. At stations en route the loyal inhabitants turned out to give us welcome, and something more substantial, for the men revelled in such luxuries as fresh milk, eggs, and, greatest luxury of all, vegetables in the form of spring onions. Occasionally we met Cape-bound trains with Boer prisoners on board, who returned our inquisitive glances by sullen stares and muttered remarks which were hardly complimentary. Hospital trains with wounded British we besieged for news, and their parting was speeded with cheers from our men, returned as heartily by such of the poor beggars who were not 100 ill to shout. .^ll along the line were isolated camps, from which patrols of the Duke of Edinburgh's Own Volunteer Rifles kept watch over the bridges and culverts, and with all we exchanged greeting. It was Thursday mid-day when we left Capetown, and it was after ten on Saturday night when we steamed into Richmond road, where ' A ' Squadron of ours, commanded by Captain J. H. Balfour, was already encamped. We slept tlmt night in the carriages, and at daybreak the next morning were busy getting our horses out and settling down in camp. Our first church service was held at nine o'clock, and was impressive with A FORCE THE MOST MACiXIHCENT at Home has not equalled. The men formed in a hollow square, the officers in the centre, and Major the Hon. J. F. Colborne, acting adjutant, read portions of the Morning Prayer. Then a trooper began " Onward, Christian Soldiers," and, uncertain at first, then swelling into a chorus which echoed away to the distant kopjes, the hymn rose with its swelling melody and significant words which brought to many of us a picture of Cromwell's Ironsides. As I write, we have been here a fortnight, working like niggers, drilling under a blazing sun and amid whirling sandstorms which cover everything with grey dust. With water not too good and work that makes one want it, we have tasted the first hardships of campaigning, but one hardly hears a grumble, for we are all waiting for the wind which will 6eud us into the fighting line. The British soldiers have shown themselves in all the battles which have brai foiiuhl up to the present under the most adverse circumstances to be the "hearts of oak" of their native songs. — Vossischc Zeitimg, Berlin. England having set her hand on the plough docs not look back. Her resolution is unshaken. Her present duty is to retrieve the disaster and win the victory. To that, to that alone, is hereu-ry thought now given. It is a dreadful pi ice to pay, because it is the price not so much "of Empire ix-^nf unreadiness nnd blundering. But the British nation rises up to pay Tt with a proud, steadfast self-reliance uiiiuh the wartd admires.— Tribune, New York.

It is not, generally known (says a con- | temporary) that there are tv/o thousand firemen belonging to brigades connected with the United Fire Brigades' Association. Of this number fort} are serving with, the >lew Zealand Contingents in South Africa. By far the handsomest donation to any of the existing war funds ■ecorded up to date is that of Messrs Weniherand Beit, a firm of financial agents in London, who have, the Jewish World records, given no less a sum than .C.">tl,ooo to the r.ity of London Imperial Volunteer Force Fund. We Cretans have reason for prayine for the suree&s of the British in South Africa. Thanks to the blood of British soldiers shed at Candia, and the firm and resolute action nf the British Admiral, a radical solution was given to the Cretan question, and the Turkish troops were driven out of the island. It is lucky, indeed, for Crete that the Transvaal war did not break out a year ago, for had England then been absorbed in war it is doubtful if the liberation of Crete would have been so successfully effected. — Erevna, C'anea, Crete. The names of the rcuiments engaged in the defence of Ladysmith were:— lnfantry : ■2nd Gordon Highlanders, Ist Gloucester, Ist Liveipool, Ist, Leicester, 2nd Royal Dublin Fusiliers, Ist King's Ro3'al Rifles, "2nd King's Royal Rifles, Ist Devons, and Ist Manchester. Cavalry: lSth and 10th Hussars and sth Lancers. Artillery : The artillery consisted of the 13th, 21sf, 42nd, 53rd, 67th, and 69th Field Batteries, R. A., and the 10th Mountain Battery. There were also the 7th, Bth, 23rd, 'and 2!) th Field Engineers, and the Naval Brigade with 4"7 in guns from IT. M.S. Powerful. Volunteers: Impel inl Light Horse, Natal and Durban Volunteers, Natal Mounted Police, and Natal Carabineers. Among the many English sportsmen who have volunteered for service in South Africa with the Enclish Yeomanry arc the Duke of Marlborough, the Earl of Dudley, the Earl of Lonsdale, the Earl of Warwick, the Eiirlof Haddington, Viscount Valentin, Viscount Galuay, Lord Cheshani, Lord Harris, Lord Annaly, Lord Arthur Grosvenor, Lord Kenvnn, Sir Elliott Loos. M.P. (winner of the House of Commons Point-to-Point Race in 18S8 and 1890> ; Sir John Dickson Poynder, M.P. ; Hon. E. S. Douglas-Pennant, M.P. ; Mr Hermon Hodge, M.P. ; and Sir James Miller, a well-known patron of the turf, who early in his racing career won the Derby with Sainfoin, and more recently secured the Oaks with La Sagesse. The Very Rev. Dean Hovel], of Napier, has received a letter from one of his cousins at the front, Captain Hugh De Berdt Hovell, of the Worcestershire Regiment (the old 3Cth). Captain Hovell writes from the camp, near Renslmrg, his letter bning dated January 22nd. In the course of his remarks he pays tho following exceedingly high tribute to our First Contingent :— " Tho New Zealand Mounted Infantry are in our camp, under Major Robin. They are certainly a fine lot of soldiers. I had two of them attached to my company' when it was detached for 24 hours holding a hill They are just the type of mounted soldiers required. Their good shooting .inrl fearless scouting makes one wish that all our cavalry were as capable."