The Transvaal War

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 6434, 5 January 1900, Page 2

The Transvaal War

LATEST CABLE NEWS. rcj Asioointlon.—Blectrlo Teleffrapb.—Copyrig GENERAL FRENCH'S ADVANCE. A TRAITOR'S TIUOK.

(Iteeehed January -i, OAO p.m.! Cai'Ktoavh, January 3. Additional information with regard to Goneml French's expulsion of tlio Boers from the country near Colesberg on Monday Inst show that lifter th« oiiemy had been dislodged from Iho hills, they disputed the entry of the British troops into the town, having in the meantime received reinforcements, Gonernl French, however, stil ] holds the captured positions, and tho latest news states that the Boor commandoes nro gradually retreating. It appears that when General French's column was at Rensburg i prior to inarching on Colesberg, a traitor started a food train, from which the engine bad been detached down a declivity towards the Boer lines.

Finding it impossible to check the runaway the artillery promptly opened lire on the cars, which were destroyed by this means and tbo supplies prevented from fulling into the hands of the enemy. (Hcmmi January 5,0.40 a.m.) Cai'El'Owx, January i. It now appears that the Boer commandoes re-entered Colesburgon Monday night, On Tuesday morning General French reported that if a small number of reinforcoments were sent to him he would be üblo to dislodge the enemy. Meanwhile he is manoeuvring outside tho town.

THE SUNNA'SIOE SKIRMISH. GALLANT QUEENSLAND TROOPERS.

ißmimtl Dccemkr 5, OAD a.m.) Cai'ETOWX, January i. With reference to tho defeat of the Boers at Sunnyside by the Canadian and Queensland infantry and the " Fighting Fifth" (Northumberiands), under Colonel Pilclier, it has been ascertained that the occupants of the laager consisted mostly of colonial Dutch. During the British advance four Quoenslanders were patrolling under Lieutenant Adie, when suddenly they wero confronted by fourteen Boers, who wounded the Lieutenant in the first volley. Private Butler gave the officer his horse and Private Rose, whose horse bolted, returned to Adie's help but received :i bullet in the calf of one of his legs. He was, however, not killed, as previously reported. When Colonel Pilcher ordered a general advance the enemy's sustained lire was ineffectual.

At two o'clock in the afternoon a company under Captain P. W. Pinnock (of the Qeensliind troop} worked completely round on the left, and the enemy's lire ceased, a white flag being hoisted. Thirty-five of the enemy surrendered to Captain H. C, Ohauvel (Queensland;. The bulk of the commando lied and the position formerly held by them was occupied by the victorious British, who on Tuesday eutered the town of Douglas,. Major Ricardo, of the Queensland forces, leading. The inhabitants of the place were frenzied with delight, shaking hands with the soldiers all round. Their enthusiasm increased when they learned that their deliverers were Australians and Canadians, besides Imperial troops. No Victoriaus were engaged in the action. The Queenslanders behaved magnilicently while under tire, chatting and laughing together. A machine gun in chargo of Captain Cecil Pelham, of Queensland, did excellent work.

[Received January J, 10.S0 a.m.) Capetown, January 4. Colonel Pilcher having acconiplisbed his object, withdrew from Douglas, escourling a great procession of local residents. Many of the Colonial troops carried children,

MISCELLANEOUS. (Received January 4,12,-tQ p.m.) Capetown, January 8.

General Sir Redvers Bailer, who is conducting the operations in Natal, for the relief of Ladjsmith, has requested the authorities at Durban to send two hundred stretcherbearers to the British camp at Chieveley.

London, January 3. As Colonel Howard Vincent (M.P. for Hull) is unfit for active service, the Earl of Albemarle will command the regiment of yolunteers that has been raised by the Lord Mayor of London. Lord Lovatt, of the Life Guards, is'taking 150 Highland gillies to the Cape as stalkers. They are all good shots, and will take a supply of ponies with them. Iu connection with the recent seizure at JJelagoa Bay of the American vessels Beatrice, Mashona and Maria--which were alleged to have contraband of war aboard—the United States Ambassador to England has been instructed to obtain redress from the British Government,

Sydney, Jauuaiy i. The second contingent for South Africa, will sail ou the 17th. The transports are to sail in company. (Received January 5, 0.50 p.m.] Sydney, January 4. The Bushmen's Contingent Fund has now reached £16,000.

■ ' -% REBELS OR PRISONERS OP WAR.

(Received Januari 5, 3.1!0 tun.) Camtowx, January 4. Tho Boors bad six killed and three wounded at Sunnyside, A number of incriminating documents were found in the lao"er captured from them.

London, January 4. The Madder river correspondent of 2'Ae Times says the prisoners taken at Sunnyside ought to be punished as rebels and an example made of them, The military officials are delighted that the colonials struck their first blow since Magersfontein. Oai'ETOwx, January 4. The Boers refuse to recognise, as prisoners of war any former residents of the Transvaal, but will treat thorn as convicts.

THE BOERS FLEE FROM KOLTENO,

POSITION OV THE M\V ZEALANDERS.

(Received January 5,9.80 a.m.)

Capetown-, January i. The Boers occupied Molteno, hut-Major-General Gatacre dislodged, them and they Bed towards Stormberg. There has been intermittent, lighting around Colesberg. The New Zealauders have beeu sent to Major-General Frenoh, who holds the road position against a, laager.

CIIRISTOIKJKCII WANTS A TUIRIV CONTINGENT.

f titj Tektiml-Pms Association). Ohristcuukcu, Friday, Ai> an enthusiastic meeting in the' Opera House the Mayor moved that while cordially approving of the action of the Government in seeding two contingents to South Africa it is of opinion that a third should 'be< despatched. The motion, was carried

uuaiiimously. Tlio nmount gathered in tlio roum was £3lio, which brings tlio patriotic awl Canterbury war fund to over A'oOOO, nnd nionoy is still coming in from tho country.

SUGGESTED CONTINGENT OP 11US1IMEN.

Wkui.ngtox, Tiinrsdny

The Pi'omicr hns received a cnblo from tho Premier of New South Wales, stating that their AgentGeneral hns wired that Anstrnlinns in London are desirous of providing funds for equipping n contingent of Bttknon from Australia for sorvico io/Bith Africa, and asking that the various Colonial Governments be consulted ns to whether they would sanction such a course. It was also stulod that the Imperial Government would accept such a force.

Mr Seddon is comiminiciitiug with tho New Zealand AgentGeneral on the mutter.

-.THE "MOKE HEN" FUND. I - Ciiiii.sicin;ito>i, Thursday

Nearly 7000 shillingsbnvo been received for the Tress " More lion " Fund. Tho signatures in favour of sending n Inrger number of man occupy over eight columns of closely printed small type, mid lists are still coming in.

THE THIRD CONTINGENT MOVE JIENT.

ißu Telegraph.—Press Association). CiiiiiSTClll'isi'ii, Friday.

The editor of tho I'ress having reqiijftUl tlio Members of both Houses of nil Borough to forward their views regarding the despatch of a larger contingent has received a mass of replies from the majority in favour of more mon being sent. The I'ress nnalysos tho list ns fol-Jmvs:-Legislative Council-Larger contingent, 12; disapproval, 2. Honsaof Representatives—Approval, Hi; qualified approval, ut; disapproval, 2. Mayors: approval, 89; qualified approval, 6; disapproval, 8; leavo it lo Government, 2.

SOUTH AFRICAN FLAGS. The Hag of the Trnusvaal is a very simple affair. It consists of one broad vertical bur of green ne.xt tlio flagpole, aud three horizontal bars, respectively red, white aud blue, the red being at the top, Take, for instance, the simple red, white, and blue Hag of Holland, and sew n vertical bar of green on the flagstaff end of it. That is all. Mi' Boers speak of their Hag as tmyvierkleur," the fourcolour, just as the French call their Hag the " tricolour." The Orauge Free State (lag is a simplo reotangle of vivid orange. The motto of the South African Republic, the formal name of the Transvaal, is "Een Draght Maakt Jlagt," which means" Right Makes Might." It is on tlio truth of this adage they pin their faith in thopresent struggle. The'dominant feature of llioir coat of aims is a vulture, on the left hand quarter a lion couchant, on the right mi nrnied Boer with n rifle, a Boer ox-waggon tilling the remain-

ing half of tlio picture, in the centre of which is an anchor, typifying the Cnpe Colouial origin of the Transvaalers. A long time ago a die was made in Holland for a Transvaal Government official, but was rejected because the ox-waggon was depicted with ut pair of shafts instead of a sinale pole, or'' dissel-boom." S orange tree in full fruit is the ■fljfct distinctive feature of the arms

of the Orange Free State. Beneath the tree are on one side a lion and on the other a number of oxen, An ox-waggon similar to that on the Transvaal arms and three suspended horns complete the whole. WAtt ITEMS.

The fight at Glencoe was heard on the telephone at Greytown, seventy miles away. Out of tweuty-oiie men forming General White's bodyguard, no fewer than fourteen are Natal voluutoers. Some of the Boers put their dress suits iu their boxes before crossing the border, so as to be able to go to the balls at Pietermaritzburg. .Russian papers.are saying that if it was tbeir army that was landing at Durban, tbey would march straight to Dundee and cnt off Geueral Joubert's retreat. President Kruger lias a nephew in Chicago, who, instead of crossing the fj* to tight for his uncle, has cmen the more peaceful path of matrimony. The coloured people of the Cape are giving fruit, vegetables and eggs for the wounded, thereby earning a warm message of thauks from Sir Alfred Milner. Tho doctor who haß charge of PresidentKruger's health and neryes is a Canadian, Dr. Gillespio by name, who was noted in Ontario for his tact and persuasive powers. A troopar of the Imperial Light Horse describing Colonel Ghisbolrae's death at Elands Laagte, writes, "Our poor little colonel fell just after saying,' Splendid, lads!'" " English officers," says a Bußsian paper, "are courageous but, they are too fond of comfort. Every transport is followed by a private steamer carrying officers' luggage, cigars and champagne," General Hildyard, who is commanding at Estcourt, began his career with five years' service in the navy. Subsequently, though a Nottinghamshire man, he became adjutant of a Highland Regiment. "Remington's Scouts" are a corps ciWbsed of English and Scotch ■fanners from the Orange Free State, wearing a Boer hat, with green puggaree. With a view to their commissariat tbey have enlisted a hotel "chef." Further large orders for shell, cordite, and small-arm ammunition, Lave been giyen by tho War Office to various firms in the provinces. It is rumoured that in consideration of his couspicuous bravery at I'Ayi' Laagte, Colonel Inn HamilitoThas been recommended for the V.C. One effect of the war is the immense Bale of lockets, which are exchanged between the "absentminded beggar" and tho friends he leaves behinds him. Home Office officials and their

friends have sent n Christmas present of over 2100 quarter-pound tins of tobacco, accompanied by briar pipes, to the troops at the front. Dr. Ward, who is in charge of the Boeryirisoners recently kept in MflJrourg gaol, gave an order one day which filled them with digust. Ha ordored them to haye a bath. The Duke of Argyll on being asked whether President Krugor could be forced to disgorge some part of bin illgotten £2,000,000, replied that ho would bo very glad to see him heavily lined, At the battle of Dundee the Dublin Fasil jern had with them a civilian who fought alongside until wounded. This me Mr X Stewart, a member of the Dnudee Town Guard. Tho New Zealand second contingent badge, which is printed by Mr Alex, .Ferguson, of Wellington, in aid of the Mayor's patriotic fund, is bavin" a large 6ale. It is an exceed- ] ilHy neat aud artistic production. When theNewZealand contingent arrived at the British camp at Maitland, Cape Colony, the Inniski.lljng Dragoons took charge of their horses, and baggago, pitched their tents, aud : .cooked their rations,