THE BOER WAR.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4894, 25 September 1901, Page 1

THE BOER WAR.

London, September 20. In connection with the disaster at Tar kastod, General French reports that Commandant Suths, in order to break through the cotdon which was hemming him in, rushed a equadron of the 17th Lancers at Llands Kiver Puort, west of Tarkastod, killing three officers and 20 men, and wounding. Ma jo* Victor S»ndeman and 30 men.

The squadron fought most gallantly, inflicting heavy loss upon the enemy. The Boera were clad in khaki, and were at first mistaken for British.

The columns are closely pursuing the cordon-breakers.

Suths recently succeeded KruUzinger, who is in disfavor with Da Wet. Seventeen Lancers were killed, including L'eutenant Philip Henry Russe), of Oarngham, Victoria. In the Utrecht affair, besides the 16 killed and 24 wounded, five officers, in* eluding Majors Gough and Pother, who escaped were among the captured. The numbee of captured is nofc et»t©d. Lord Kitchener has forwarded Com* mandant Prinsloo affidavits showing that on three occasions individual burghera deliberately murdered wounded British troops and unarmed surrenderors. Prominent Boer sympathisers are now compelled to ride in the trains through the disturbed districts of the Transvaal. Twenty-eight Boers surrendered at Erugersdorp. Nine others and three armed natives, after showing fight, were captured. The field cornets mutilated Lord Kit chener's proclamation in order to prevent their men from taking advantage of its tertnß and surrendering. In anticipation of a raid, the Natal Carbineers and the Omvoti Mounted Rifles have also been called out. The Durban volunteers have entrained northwards. The regulars at present with General Lyttelton are estimated at 1,000. Rinderpest has appeared among the Government herd in the neighborhood of Pretoria. September 21. An official despatch states that a superior force at Viakfontein, 15 miles south of the Water Works, surrounded and captured two guns of A Battery and a company, of mounted rifles escorting them. • The only details Lord Kitchener has received of tha Viakfontein reverse ara that a lieutenant was killed; Columns are pursuing the enemy. a strict investigation of the affair has ! been ordered. ; General Plumer'a New Zeaiandars captured 20 of Kruitzinger'a commando at ' Rouxville. j A proclamation has been issued enforcing the Fugitive Offenders Act in the Transvaal. Sir H. C. Bannerman, speaking in connection with the North-East Lanarkshire by-election, declared that the annexation of the Boer Republics muat be upheld. The • Standard ' and * Daily Telegraph, 1 I commenting on the recent reverses,' questions the wisdom of sending, gUtID \ with small detachments running the ; risk of being outnumbered. The papers admit that unfavorable odds are occasionally inevitable from a military standpoint owing to the character of the country, the scatteredness of the positions and forces as the result of the guerilla taotics of the enemy. The 'Times ' and « Morning Post ' warn the Government that the nation has long since realised the necessity for a fight to a finish. The nation is entitled to have the responsibility brought home to those who are blameable — a fact which is only realised [ntaemiLUniljr.