Britain and the Transvaal.

Taranaki Herald, Volume L, Issue 11978, 28 May 1902, Page 2

Britain and the Transvaal.

THE COST OF THE WAR. THE COLONIES' PKui'OKTiON. f United Press Association. — By Electric Telfegreph.— Copyright. Received May 27, 10.8 p m. London, May 27. — Captain jlarkhanl Sixth New Zealandefs, has been invalided to England. . A contributed article in -.he Daily News argues that Australia ought to oiler £29,000,000 and Cana.la £?,4 : 000, 000 towards the war, which i* costing £238,000,000. THE PEACE NEGOTIATIONS. OPTIMISM HAKDLY JUSTI-JbIED. DE WET ON THE SIDE OF PEACE. Received May 28, 8.59 a.m. London, May 27.— Eeuter's Pretoria correspondent says that optimism with regard to peace is hardly justified by solid facts. The protraction of negotiations is not necessarily a hopeful sign. Although the delegates have abandoned the claim for independence there are still many points oi difference which may at any moment become accentuated causing rupture. The Times states that high a'utherity in the' South African Constabulary estimates' the edet of rebuilding tuint farms at £15,000,000; It is understood that the King, in a message to Parliament, will announce peace when it is sqttled. Generals D.c Wet and De !a .hey are I still at Pretoria, but Schaik TJurger ] and the other delegates oave ie'.urnerl to Vereeniging. . The Cabinet meet to-day to consider some financial claims advanced by the Boers. The Boers at Brussels f.llege that the British Cabinet' again ».>.fused to permit the peace delegates to consult the European delegates. Mr Bennett Burleigh says that De Wet has realised -c^hat a great nation will not stoop tcr pettifogging prosecutions for offences, committed against the Crown during : tne uurbulcace of warfare and has exerted himself 10 the utmost to put tlae ' peace coniitions honourably before his countrymen e.pd severed himself from the malign influences of Steyn and Hertzog. . Per Press Association. Wellington, May 27.— Mr Seddon has Bent the following information to thf* Acting-Premier, from Germiston :—: — Colonel Davies . reports that en 22nd | May 40 men were in hospital. No 6364 Little is suffering from injured back ; 5117 McDonald, enteric fi-ver ; 6067 Kennedy and 5830 liiehards, influenza ; 5633 Daitson, fractured ttigh; 5654 Free, inflamed gland ; 0368 Steward, injured knee ; bUSO Button, hernia ; 5700 Skilling, undergoing operation. Nos. 5090 Mills and '-yyl Jones are convalescent. No. 5387 Wi'son. abcess in thigh; 5173 Lift, : .« Hucnza : 5254 Webb, severe attack of influonza ; Captain Cameron, convalescent : Captain Bauchope, severe atta«k of influenza ; Lieutenant Smith, sight injury. A later message, sent by Mr Seddon from Elandsfontein, states ti-at ell patients are doing well. THE BIACkAVIE DISASTER. The Southland Times has received from Mr Brebner, stationmastur, the following interesting account of the railway collision at Machavie, in the Transvaal, in which many members ol the Eighth New Zealand Contingent were- killed or injured, written by his son, Lieutenant C. W. Brebner, now serving with General Kitchener's column in South Africa :—: — On the morning of .the Ij2th I went over to the New Zealand lines to 'see some of the Otago 'and ' Southland boys, but learned jthat they had not arrived. I then went down to the station to meet them, when I was told that a collision had occurred between Machavie and Potchefstroom, where a goods train had collided with the troop train bringing the New Zealanders. A light engine was just leaving, taking therajlway inspector to the scene of the disaster, and he kindly allowed me to accompany" him. The ride of about 20 miles was not very pleasant, sitting on the water tank with steam and smoke blowing over me. A\e did not stop un til we reached Machavie, the station where the fatal mistake was made. It appears that the acting-stationmaster. a young and inexperienced man, confused the numbers of his trains, doubtless through the extra rush of traffic. A goods train from Klerksdorp to Johannesberg was to cross both troop trains at Machavie. One of the troop trains had arrived, and the stationmaster, mistaking -a ration train which was" standing in, the yard foi the other troop train, despatched the " goods " before the second train had arrived. He Soon after discovered his mistake and telephoned to the next blockhouse to try to stop tne goods, but was too late to avert the catastrophe. When the drivers of the approaching trains saw each other they applied the brakes, but it was too late, and they dashed into each other at a speed of from 12 to 15 miles an hour. The first truck, containing troops,, was smashed to pieces ; the next, containing 15 men, turned completely over, and landed" right side up several yards away, with only one man slightly hurt. The third truck mounted the first, and the fourth, containing horses/ was thrown sideways upon the first, and, strange to say, not a single horse was seriously injured. The horses in the next trucks were not so fortunate, nine being killed. Corporal Hunter, of Invercargill, was in the second waggon which turned over, and had a wonderful escape. As soon as he pulled himself together he mounted a horse and rode to Potchefstroom for assistance. As he passed the blockhouse he was mistaken for ■ a Boer and was fired on, but escaped unhurt, and succeeded in getting an ambulance train to come out. As soon as 'possible the dead -were separarfctr fronrthe injured, and some dreadful sights were seen, j Nine • .were killed outright and four died shortly afterwards, while 13 were injured. One poor fellow prayed to his comrades to shoot him, as he was so much. The injured were take to Potchefstroom Hospital, *md the dead were placed in blankets and, taken on to Klerksdorp. The accident occurred at 8 a.m., and it was 5 p.m. before the line was cleared. I returned to Klerksdorp with the first train to get through, reaching there at 2 a.m. next day. When the stationmaster found what had happened he tried to shoot himself, but was prevented from doing so and placed under arrest. The funeral was a most impressive sight. First came the firing party, with reversed arms, the band following, playing a funeral march ; then the 13 bod ies, each carried on, a stretcher by four of their comrades, and covered with wreaths. Then followed men from the various regiments. On reaching the cemetery the burial service was read by the New Zealand chaplain in the presence, of several thousand soldiers and civilians. The last post was then sounded on the side-drums, the whole ' battalion standing at " the present." The regiments then marched off to their respective units, leaving a few still lingering by the graves of their late comrades.

The approach of the winter season is evidenced by the activity of the vendors of patent specifics for treatment of colds and kindred ills. It is astonishing how easily money may be saved and valuable time gained by recourse to such a well tried remedy as Sykes' Cura Cougb, which has for years been before the public, and on ils merits came to be recognised as the most important article in every household during the winter months. So much depends on nipping a cold in the bud. ihat it pays to have a remedy ready to hand when w.inted. Sykes' Cnra Congh, 2s"6J"antl Is 63. ' Fold everywhere c WILTON'S BOVO-FERHUM for pale faced girls, 2s 6dj,