THE TRANSVAAL

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 11577, 12 October 1901, Page 2

THE TRANSVAAL

l o THE EFFECTS OF THE FIGHT AT ITALIA. I BOTHA'S FORCE BREAK THROUGH THE CORDON. MARTIAL LAW IN CAPE COLONY. THE LOSSES AT THE FORTS. United Press Association—Per Electric Telegraph—Copyright. Received 10 a.m., October 11th LONDON, October 10. Owing to the result of the fight at Fort Italia much dissension has arisen amonir the Boers. Colonel Atherton and Colonel Kavanagh's columns split Scheepers' commando into small parties, who are hiding at Kloop. Krautze's force at Wittenburg is being systematically hunted. Fifty-three of Lotter's colonial rebels were sentenced to death, but Major Crad- ] ock had the sentences commuted to imprisonment for life. - ' ' Half of Botha's force escaped from the ! inner cordon, leaving their waggons at ! Ntabankulu, owing to General Lyttelton's ] inability to blockade from Natal the Zululand frontier across to Vryheid. j Colonel Dartnell and Colonel Bethune's J brigades were at Eshowe in awful weather. There were 35 hours' continuous rain. The J transport difficulties were enormous, and J the men and animals endured great hard- J ships. * Sir Hely Hutchinson, Sir Gordon Sprigg, and the military authorities will nominate s a board of three to consider complaints s [ made under martial law, except such cases where pecuniary claims are made against * the Government. * Docks, 'harbours, and railways, with a * view of minimising the inconvenience, will T remain in the hands of the civil authorities, s but the military will exercise supervision over individuals. d , Information has been received as to war t< material and supplies entering and leaving s< ports. Loyalists are pleased to see martial law r proclaimed throughout Cape Colony. I Colonel Walter Kitchener is pursuing a Botha in the direction of Vevaan river. Other columns are endeavouring to cap- ii ture a portion of Botha's forces and all a the waggons for a few miles within the ti inner cordon. Botha and Emett are out- n side the cordon near the river. I

The losses on both Bides during the

recent fight at Forts Prospect and Italia were greater than at any single engagement except that at Panrdeburg. A regular supply of natives from the northern districts for the Rand mines hu» been arranged. As many applications have been received, Lord Milner invites the Outlander Committee to send him a list of discharged irregulars who, for upwards of nine months, have served with the colours,, with a view of arranging their return to the Rand at the earlist possible moment. CAPTURE OF BOERS AT BETHULIE. A GUN RETAKEN. Received 10.49 p.m., October 11th. LONDON, October 11. Scheepers' men are returning northwards by two different routes. The Royal Dragoons at Bethulie captured 17 Boers. Colonel Hicks captured Field Cornet George Hall, and other Boers at Venterskroom. Colonel Kitchener's constabulary at Venterskroom recaptured the gun which was (lost at Houtkop in July. Americans have obtained the contracts for 100 miles of narrow gauge railway equipment for the Cape, and 29 locomotives and 10,000 tons of rails for the-Orange-Transvaal extension. A SEQUEL TO THE WAR. SIR REDVERS BULLER REPLIES TO NEWSPAPER ATTACKS. ADMITS THAT HE SUGGESTED THE ; SURRENDER OF LADYSMITH. —— i Received 1.11 a.m., October 12th. LONDON, October 11. Sir Redvers Buller, after luncheon with the Queen's. Westminster Volunteers, complained of the unfairness of the newspapers to the Army. It was singular, he said, that several simultaneous attacks had been made on his nomination to the command of the First Army Corps. He challenged his critics to mention any of his juniors who were more fitted for the command. In answering the accusation which was recently published in a paper called the " Outlook," that he advised the surrender of Ladysmith, he said that after the Colenso fight hrf informed Sir George White that as the attack had failed another attack was impossible before a month. Believing that Ladysmith had only a fortnight's supplies, he suggested that it might be necessary to surrender, and he advised what should be done in such an event. Tins suggestion was intended to cover Sir George White's responsibility. That advice was sent in » coded telegram marked " private," ' which telegram was afterwards stolen. Sir Redvers Buller's speech created a tremendous sensation in the clubs. The "Standard" characterises it as an amazing speech, that Sir Redvers Buller pleads guilty to sending a message contemplating a humiliation compared with which the other reverses of the war would have been trivial. If the advice was chivalrous, it was not war. On sober reflection Sir Redvers Buller ought to resign. The "Times" declares that the press attacks are aimed at the War Offices system of rewarding past services by putting men in positions reV<H<= ss of their present or future fitness.

DECEASED TROOPERS' MEMORIAL.

A meeting of the Deceased Trooper* Memorial Committee was held m„th Borough Council Chambers at 4 p.m. yesterday? His Worship the Mayor presided, and there were also present Colonel Jowsoy, C.B, Messrs E. H. Lough (honorary secretary) R- C. Tennent (honorary treasurer), W. Priest, T. D. Young, R. Grif, ffiths 'J. Hole, T. Harney, B. fiutchei-.J. J. Grandi, Kirk, Rutland, and Dr : .Cox. Apologies were received from Colonel Bailey, Captain Gillies, Mr Toneycliffe, and Mr Lainc-Meason. Mr Lough reported that, m compliance with the instructions of the committee at their last meeting (in June), he had sent a circular to the various local bodies in South Canterbury requesting their assistance in raising a fund to erect a memorial near the approach to the breakwater, but he had not received a single reply. The Mayor explained that the matter had been allowed to remain in abeyance, because soon after the last meeting the Fourth and Fifth Contingents returned, and Riving them a reception put this matter aside for a time, and he let it alone | until he saw that it had been taken up by one of the papers, and he thereupon W called a meeting. He hoped that if tho>—•» committee decided to push the matter through an effort would bo made to Mfase a considerable amount. As for the.'ciscular to the local bodies, there had,'boon no response to it whatever. ? Mr Griffiths expressed surprise arid dissatisfaction that a meeting had not been called sooner, and Mr R. C. Tennent further enlarged upon the Mayor's explonaMr Griffiths remarked that ho had said before, that they would get no outside support, and they would get nothing from the country except by canvassers, not through local bodies. Mr Tennent agreed that it was likely that Timara would have to depend upon itself, i The following were added to the committee:—Messrs R. H. Bowie, J. Hole, M. J. Knubley, J. Craigie, James King, F. Hobbs, James Strachun, J. A. Hutton, H Hutton (Beaconsfield), Captain Lindsay. Captain Wood, Messrs Kirk, Harney, P. J. Bradley, I. J. Bradley, andW. J. Graham. . Mr Priest mentioned a suggestion by Mr Bowie, senr., that a committee of young ladies should bo formed to collect subscriptions for the fund at tho afternoon tea, gathering at the Mounted Rifles camp on Sunday, and at the camp sports on. Thursday. This idea was heartily approved, and it was resolved that the Mayoress be requested to call a meeting of young ladies, nt the Council Chambers,at 3 p.m. on Saturday (to-day), for the purpose of making arrangements. Mr Bowie had ascertained that the Mounted Rifles would furnish a trooper as esoort for each voung lady collector. Mr Griffiths suggested that designs, with estimates of cost, should be invited. They could not afford to offer prizes, but they could undertake to place tho designer's name on the memorial.—lt was considered premature to do anything of this kind until they found how much they could raise to spend on a memorial. Mr Butcher suggested a day's sports in aid of the fund about May next. It was decided to have subscription lists prepared and left at the banks and chief business places, and to ask the Town 31erk to divide the town and suburbs into iuitable blocks, from ten to twenty, and issign each to two members of the comnittee to make a personal canvass. Mr Priest expressed regret that no reiponse had been received to the circular rom country districts. The committee lad selected the site at the Customhouse mrposely because it was neutral ground, lelonging to the Government and all South Canterbury, and the memorial was to be or troopers from all South Canterbury. Mr Tennent hoped they would get some j upport from the country when they had '. hown that they were in earnest. The Town Clerk having intimated that, hrough pressure of work, he cannot coninue to act as secretary, it was resolved 3 ask Mr F. J. Rolleston to act as secetary, and Mr G. Granger as assistant ecretary. The meeting then adjourned till Wednesny next, at 8 p.m., this hour being fixed j "permit working men members to be presnt. A subscription list was passed round the ooin, headed by £5 5s from the Hon. W. [all-Jones, and between £9 and £lO was dded in the room. Mr Tennent stated that Mr Kent had lformed him that he holds £5 19s, a balnce from the Troopers' Reception Ball, ) bo handed to the treasurer of the Melorial Fund at any time. The meeting closed with a vote of lauks to the Mayor.