The Transvaal.

Temuka Leader, Issue 3813, 2 November 1901, Page 1

The Transvaal.

' London, Oct. 29. Colonel Re mington surprised Louis Botha’s laager, but Hot ha escaped a few hundred yards in advance of the attackers, abandoning his hat, revolver, aud papers. Ten Boers were captured, and tho remainder of Botha’s followers, who, with those who recently threatened an attack on Natal, have scattered amongst the hills. The prisoners captured by Colonel Dawkins included Huns Botha, brother of Louis Botha. Oct. 30. Lord Methuen reported that Do La Key and Kemp, creeping through thick hush, attacked Colonel Vondouop’s column on the 24th on the Great Alarico river, exhibiting great determination. They were repulsed after severe fighting leaving 40 dead, including Commandant G uisterhuyseu The Boers captured eight waggons. Two British officers aud 20 men were killed, and. five officers and fifty men wounded. All tho defenders showed great gallantly. Thirty seven casualties occurred among tho Ith Battery of Field Artillery and escort of 20 Northumberland ■ usiliura in a skirmish which occurred at Smilhfield. Four British officers and three men were wounded iu Colonel Henry’s attack on Kelly fontein. Lord Kitchener’s weekly report states that 74 Boers were killed, 16 wounded, 362 taken prisoners, and 46 had surrendered ; and that 471 rifles, 76,01)0 rounds of a mmunitiou, 216 waggons, 630 horses, an 1 8000 cattle had been captured. Ben Viljoen’s attack on tho line of block houses at Badfontein had been repulsed His Majesty the King at St. .lames’ Palace presented Distinguished Service Orders to Captain 'Levey, a Victorian, Captain Reid, a Queenslander, and Lieutenant Vernon Western, an Australian. Air Chamberlain, speaking at Cupar, said that the war would have been over long ago if misguided Britishers had not induced the Boers to believe that their persistence would weary Great Britain. Lord Milner, speaking at Durban, said that the war is burning itself out, and had nothing left to feed upon. General French reports that only two commandos are loft in the Cape and Midlands—Vaudervouter commanding the Victo-ia West district, and Broul ver’s, Pyper’s and tSmuts’ combined forces in tho Oudtshourm district. Colonel “William Fortescuo has expelled the Boers from Dewagon Drift. Ho killed six and captured 17 men. The King presented to Airs Hnddart, widow of the late James lluddart, tho Conspicuous fiervice cross, which was awarded her son. the late AH ;shipman Hnddart, for gallantry at Grasspan. On the 26th October, Colonel Byng surprised Stauneburg’s commando, and captured 22 Boers, including Field Cornets Stauneberg and Ouishuizen. Oct 31. Acceding to Air B <4. Jellicoe’s petition, the King releases on January 11th Trooper Tasker, a New Zealander, who was sentenced to throe years iu July last lor sleeping at his post. Colonel Fortescne encountered AlMler’s commando on the 27th north of Balmoral, There was a running tight all day, in which four Boers were killed, aud 54 Liken prisoners. 'i wo Vryburg rebels have been executed, and 19 sentenced to heavy terms of imprisonment. Paris, Oct. 30. The French dockers’proposal to boycott British commerce with a view to compelling tho termination of the war is a fiasco. 'The dockers at Antwerp and at Hamburg and tho merchants of Holland refused to cooperate. Melbourne. Oct 31. Alajor AlcKnight, one of the officers of the Victorian Fifth Contingent, has submitted a report to the Government hi reference to Brigadier General Beatson’s language to some of tiie Victorians Speaking at a social given in honour of Ills return, Major McKnight said the Fifth were as good as any other Victorian Contingent, but the officers and men were treated as dogs. The losses were the result of gross carelessness. He had never heard any other British officers use such strong language as that used by Brigadier General Beatson and the officer next iu command.