The Transvaal

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 20, 17 July 1900, Page 3

The Transvaal

London, July 12. SiiVy ftvs- Australian troops wers released Y?heu Lord Huberts occupier! PrrT.oria.

July 13. The Boors captured Nitral'fc Nek, 18 miles fioiu Pretoria. Five companies of the Lincolnshire Regiment) and a squadron of the Scots Greys, "With two guns, gariisoned the Nek. At cUwn on Wednesday superior numbers of the enemy, from the hills commanding the Nek, directed a high converging fire upon it. The fighting continued all day. Lord Roberts carlj in the morning sotu from Pretoria Lieut. -Colonel Godfray, with Scottish Borderers, to afford roliof, bub the garrison were overpowered before they arrived. Tha greater portion of the Soots Greys and DO of lie Lincoliibhirea were captured. Most of thp hoise u were s^iot. Lord Eoboits reports . " I hear that the casualties were heavy." General Smith-Dorrien debited tha Boers with heavy losses at Rrugorsdorp on the 11th. General Buller dispersed some Boers who wera destroying ths railway .at Paardekraal. General Mason and French's Brigade dashingly captured positions at Kufcfoufcein. The Boeis fled, leaving thoir dead. Three eompauies of tli9 Lincolnß occupied NitralPasa and two encamped on the plains with the guns and an escort of Scots Grays in advance of the main body. Nearly every gunner a^d trooper were either killed or wounded A sergoanfc and seren Yolunt&crs gallantly s>ived a Maxim. Tho Lincolns, who wore surrounded, did not waver and fired steadily and economically. An officer and 18 men charged. Fourteen were killod or wounded. At nightfall the ammunition wai exhausted, and they fixed bayonats, awaiting the attack. Thirfej struggled back to camp. Armed natives assisted the Boers. Tyro thousand Boera, with four guns, under D* Larey, surprised the troops ab Nitral's Nek. Tha Scots Grey gunnera lo3t 40 in trying to hold tha hill, while the Lincolns lost five officers out of ten, irichtding Colonel Roberts, who vras woundad and captured. The chief, Seccoconi, severely dofsated the Boors, who wora marauding hia territory. The Boers, who wer« creeping through a mealie tield, surprised the 35th Battery, which was marcbing to Bethlehem, and killed two officers and wounded 18. They captured one gun. A party of Australian Bushman, by i a superb charge, recaptured the guni j and driving ofi the Boers with «evero j loss. I

July 15. K. Gorrie, C. E. Wiggins, and — Towsie, New Zealaodero, died of enteric fever afc Germiaton. The Daily Mail asserts that many British tioops at Pretoria ara barefoot«d. | The War Office iff sceptical, and asserts that 800,000 pairs of boots wero despatched for tha use of the troops. Botha's attack was a desperate effort to relicTS De Wet, who was w«dged in a small area, which adjoined Drakensburg and Basutoland.

Sydney, Juij 13. Tho Capo Times gives interesting details of De Wet's recent successful strategy reund Kroonstad. Ho succeeded in luring Methven from the railway, and then in clever, Bwift moves turned and captured the railway 15 miles north of Kroonstad, blew up the bridge, destroyed the line for several milas, again Bwooped on tho railway, and captured a couple of companies of the City. Imperial Volunteers- and Yaoruanry engaged in guarding the liuo, two alone reaching Kroonstad. On receipt of th* news that Mothuen had left Kroonstad to attack the Boers, De Wet cleverly eluded him again, got possession of the railway, and waited till six companies of the Derbyshire Militia, part of Methuen's force, sent to join tha armj, were entraining. The Boers then shelled tha militia, who were compe'led to yield after a futile resistance, having no artillery, and being no match for th« Boers. Da Wet's commando is osthnated at 2500, with six guns. How they managed to carry the guns in their swift movements ia a mystery. The assumption is that they were buriad during th« previous Boer retreat.

Wellington, July 13. The Premier has received the following cable from Colonel Somm«rville : — "Arrived at Buluwayo yesterday after 800 miles march. The men are all in good health and spirits, Colonel Newall will be her© to-morrow. Lust New Zaalanders going to Tortuilia to-morrow, then on to Hietersburg. Lieut. Boss (Oamarc) goes back to-morrow."

The Po'-fci&aster-Genoral, Adelaide, advises the Secietary General of the Post Office here that the postal aiUhoritioa at Capetown have been liiqmnng into the complaints about the non doll very of letters and new 3 papers addie^ed to nieuibeis of the colonial continuants. The matter wn« brought under the notice of the oiiic*». conmi.'inJiug the auny post ofuo doips, wlio leplies . '• Delays seem t have occurred dm ing the marc through the tree State, when it w/t impossible to locato colonial coi tingv-nts, which had previously opt ated in the Colesburg aistrict bwfoi being movod to tho western bordf Since that time conv-pondence is &c to liave b«ou regularly delivered."

July 16. The Premier hna received a cabU f:oui Gfueuil Caiiington, slating tlun the Fouith and Fifth Contingents have arrived nt Buluwayo, and havo been mualgamated under the title of thp Fourth New Zealand Eegiment. Mr Pilcher has wired the Governor : — •' Following are additions to ho&pifeals : — J. Mackay, Third Contingent; J. W. Malcolm, J. W. Garland, Second Coniingent. Waimate vojage withdrawn without notice ; if return Melbourne will cable Premier." A few days ago the Premier of Victoria whed Mr !S6tldon asking him to ad\ise when anj of our returnir/; convalesceats would bo passing thtough JMeibourno, so that they migho be propprly looked'a'ter. Mr Soddoa has oplud, thtxnking him, and asking Mr Pilcher to v»ire direct to Melbourne. The Waimata was expected to bung back a number of Invalids.