The Transvaal.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2762, 17 April 1900, Page 4

The Transvaal.

ATTACK ON COLONEL DALGETTY. THE ENEMY REPULSED. WELL. RELIEF APPROACHING. REARRANGEMENT OP THE COMMANDS. London, April 13. A thousand of the enemy with eight guns, two pompoms, and two Maxims, surrounded Colonel Dalgetty, who made a gallant resistance. Shell and rifle fire was continuous on Tuesday and Thursday, The British artillery fire was terrific. Colonel Dalgety, by means of a sortie, captured a gun. Lord Roberts reports that the enemy’s movement south is checked. Wepener is still surrounded, but is resisting well. Troops are now advancing to its assistance. The health of the troops at Bloemfontein is good, and the climate is perfect. The Times states that Lord Roberts has re arranged the commands as follows Major-General Pole Oarew commands the Third Division, succeeding Major-General Gataere, comprising Colonel Allen’s 22nd Brigade and MajorGeneral Knox’s force. Sir Archibald Hunter commands the 11th Division, comprising Major-General Inigo Jones’ Guards, and Lieutenant-Colonel L, Stephenson’s 18th Brigade. Troops, batteries, remounts, and suplies are rapidly reaching Lord Roberts. General Chirnside occupied Reddesberg unopposed.

GENERAL HUTTON’S STAFF.

COMMAND OP THE FOUR CORPS OF THE DIVISION.

London, April 14.

Lieutenant - Colonel Martyn is the Chief Staff Officer of General Hutton’s Division; Lord Rosemead is his Aide-de-Camp; Colonel Wood, of Victoria, is Assistant Adjutant - General ; Major Bridges, of New South Wales, and Major Cartwright, of Canada, are also Assistant Adjutants. Colonel Gordon, of South Australia, is the officer in charge of the communications, with Captain Rankin, of the South Australian Mounted Infantry, as staff officer. Major Yandeleur, of the Scots Guards, is the advanced base transport officer. The four corps of the Division will be under the command of Colonels Alderson, Delisle, Pilcher, and Henry. The First Corps includes the force raised by Lord Strathcona ; the Second Corps com prises Major Knight’s New South Wales Mounted Infantry and Captain Moor’s Western Australians ; the Third corps of the Division includes Ricardo’s Queenslanders and Major Robin’s New Zealanders ; and the Fourth Corps comprises Colonel Price’s Victorians, Captain Reade’s South Australians, and Captain Cameron’s Tasmanians. Each Corps, with the exception of the New Sonth Wales, will be accompanied by a force of Imperial mounted men and a battery of artillery, besides the Canadian artillery and a number of Vickers-Maxims. The New South Wales Army Medical Corps, under Surgeon-Colonel Williams, constitute the medical branch of the Division. General Hutton’s Division includes all the Australians except the cavalry.

DEATH OF A ROUGH-RIDER,

SENTENCING REBELS.

Robert Morris, of the New Zealand Rough-riders,. died of enteric fever at East London.

At a court-martial at Naaupoort, two colonial Afrikander rebels were sentenced respectively to ten and five years. Lord Roberts previously approved of the sentences.

The following further cablegram has been received by the Premier from Major Sommerville“ Thanks for telegrams. Officers and men are in good health. The accommodation and food are good. We struck two gales and lost eleven horses. The ship is too light, but is a good sea boat.” April 16.

The Commander of the Forces has received a cablegram from the Commandant at East London, stating that the Third New Zealand Contingent under Major Jowsey was entrained on the 9th April for the north. The Postmaster-General, London, has suggested that cable messages sent to and by members of the contingents in South Africa shall be transmitted at the rate of 2s per word plus payment to other administrations, and conditional on their being free of charges on overland lines in the colonies. Capetown has agreed, and Mr Ward has also agreed, conditionally on other colonies adopting the proposal.