BOER WAR.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 304, 20 December 1900, Page 3

BOER WAR.

CASUALTIES AT XOOITGEDACHT. DS WET'S MOVEMENTS. BOERS CROSS THE ORANGE RIVER. SENTENCES FOR TREASON. REPORTED DEFEAT OF BOERS AT UKANGB KIVJiH. PER FRBS3 ASBOCIATIOX.J Received 10, 8.50 a.m. Lonoox, December 18. In addition to casualties previously mentioued General Clements reports upwards of fifty wounrlod. Commandant Da Wet is moving Korthw.ii'iis. The newspapers strongly urge the cuUimioiis despatch of adequate relays of moiin eel infantry to quell the guerilla movement in South Africa. The Liw Department at Capetown is informed Mat a force of seven hun- j dred Boers crossed the Orange River near Aliwal North and has arrived at Knapdaar.

At the trial at Colesburg o? a number of Afrikanders charged with treason sentences from six months to two and a half years' imprisonment, with fines varying up to £SOO, weie passed.

Unofficial news states that General Knox routed tho Boors, who were prevented from following De Wet. Many prisoners were taken by the British. There have also been persistent reports in London that aftirafight which started yesterday at daybreak, and lasted several hour?, two thousand Boers w ere surrounded at the Orange River, of whom a large number were captured and many killed and wounded.

DETAILS OF THK FIGHT AT KOOITGEDACHT. DESPERATE HAND TO HAND ENCOUNTER. SPLENDID DEFENCE BY MOUNTED INFANTRY. (deceived JO, U.S3a.m.) London, Dueomber 18. Only forf.y-viijlil, "li]ii Secnul Brabant's Huron su r. n l-i.d on Friday. Theki aki-chid R o-.v «h N,oitoe krht. crept to within f nti ya-ds of GiAkikl Clements' pot-i.ion Ixfucj Ihey wcr-t recognised. I A de.-perate almost ltand-f.o-lm>d |corfl'o' in thn ]i>tW lwrmlsr-,' hut an hour later the Northumberland!* were assailed and vthtn tl'Cy surrendered the Boors on a. ridgo duected three guns into the camp. The transport waggocs wore inspitned under a heavy Ere, and nixty men belonging to the Twelfth Brigade of Mounted Infantry splendidly kept the Boors back until a rati eit waß effected. TROUBLE WITH BOERS IN MADAGABOAU. (Received 18, 0.23 a.m.) " londos, December 18. A number of Boers who settled in Madagascar are not content with tlio free land granted them. They claim the right tooDsl»v3 natives, but General Gallieni, the Governor, has refused to permit it.

SATISFAOTOP.Y SENTENOES. PRISONERS WEEP ON BEING DISFRANCHISED. ME KIND RIFLES. (Received 20, 0.23 a.m.) Losreox, Dscmbar 19. The sentences p.i-sed on the (Joleshurg prisonors havosat xtied the Loyalists. The Mori. J ustino So'omon who 'presided rvfurrad to tin enormity of their crime and impressed his hoarrrs. Several prisoners iv».pt on being disfranchised for life. The Hand Rifles are rapidly recruiting. The Standard says Bryan Roberts ought fa) be compelled to withdraw and apologise for bis vituperation of brave men.

THE QUEEN'S MESSAGE. A WAEM TRIBUTE OF FKAISB THE GOVERNJfKWT AFPKALS TO EMPi,OYBKS. (Received 20,0.25 a.m.) London, December 16. The Q<ioen Jiaa sent a message, through Sir Evelyn Wood, paying a grateful tribute to tha signal services, j admirable spirit, zeal, and discipline, of all ranks of the Militia, Yeomanry, Volunteers, and Colonial 1 troop?. Hftr Majesty expresses deep regret at the sickness and loss of lifo, and highly values the personal and pecuniary sacrifices made in the cause of the Empire. She relies on thoe still abroad to use their best efforts to aid the regular troops, and trusts soon to weloomo them home.

The Government has appealed to employers to continue patriotipally to keep situations open and minimise tho sacrifices made by the men.

LUCAS MEYER SHOT FOR TREACHERY, I BOER LOSSES AT VRYHEID AND ! WOOITGEDAOHT. MISSING mRWVMBERLAmS TURN UP. i V 5 tftecoived 20, 12.33 a.m.) v , ' ■ ' "' Loxdon, December 19. Private letters stato tho Boers shot Lucas Itteyor for alleged troachery. The Boer losses at Vrybeid totalled 253.

The Boprs' dead and woundod at Nooitgedacht filled nine wagons, I Many Northumborlands held out in crags and escaped in the dark. Thoy arrived iu straggling bands at Rustenburg.

THE VALUE OF MOUNTED TROOPS. LORD KITCHENER'S APPEAL FOR ! MORK. (Received 20,1.21 a.m.) London, December 19. The Times says that the Quern's appeal to coiitinue in aid of the re<>ukis impilcs a knowledge that tho auxiliaries summoned to avert the [breakdown of supplies are an element

of tho highest value, wherein the regular army is soeu to ba now wanting. Mounted troops bavo become the pivot of tho '•operations. On them, nbovo ell other?, commanders lely, and frr mo!e of their kind Lord Kitchoaer ■s appealing to tho Cjloniul Governments and t.bo British public.