THE WAR IN SOUTH AFRICA.

New Zealand Tablet, Issue 43, 26 October 1899, Page 19

THE WAR IN SOUTH AFRICA.

THE BATTLE OF GLENCOE. DEFEAT OF THE BOERS.

Since we wrote last week hostilities have commenced in earnest in South Africa. Several skirmishes have taken place, both in the eastern and western frontiers, and one big battle took place on the north of Natal on Friday last, when the Boer forces were badly beaten and forced to retire. The following are the principal items of war news since our last issue : — An armoured train, whilst reoonnoitring near Spyfontein, killed five and wounded seven Boers. The railway between Kimberley and the Orange river, a distance of over 80 miles, is held by the Orange Free State troops. It was reported during the early part of last week that the forces under Commandant Cronge were bomdarding Mafeking and that they had captured Taunga, a email town on the railway between Kimberley and Vrybury. The attack on Mafeking was unsuccessful and the Boers admitted that they lost 70 killed and wounded in the attempt. A report reached Capetown, but it has not been confirmed, that Colonel Baden-Powell, who is in command at Mafeking, feigning retreat, drew the Boers over lyddite mines, which he then exploded, killing 1500. General Hore then made a dashing sortie and killed many more with maxims. Up to latest 'accounts Mafeking and Kimberley were safe, but Vrybury has fallen into the hands of the enemy. The Free State forces opposed to the Britishers outside Ladysmith commenced hostilities on Tuesday of last week. Several cavalry shirmishes took place in the early part of last week in the neighbourhood of Blaanbank and Besters, in which the Free State troops suffered severely. The Boers captured a Ladysmith train carrying several British officers and men for Glencoe. On Thursday General Joubert's main column, 7000 strong, with headquarters at Dannhauser, to the north of Glencoe Junction, sent out an advance body, 2000 strong, but a British force checked their advance at Hattingspruitt. On Thursday night 2000 Free State troops reached Actinhomes, Blaanbank, and Besters from Mintiva Pass, Van Reenen's. The railway at Elandslaagte had already been destroyed by a handful of Boer cavalry in order to prevent Ladysmith assisting Glencoe. On Friday morning at six o'clock, in clear weather, 4000 men with four guns, from Utrecht and De Jagaar's Drift, ocoupied Impati Hill, 8000 ft high and three miles east of Glencoe, also overlooking Dundee General Joubert's plan was for the Free State troops to attack General White's main body at Ladysmith, while tha Utrecht force and main column attacked Glencoe, but only the Utrecht force was engaged. General Symons ordered the 13th, 67th, and 69th Batteries into action. They made splendid shooting practice, a majority of the Boer guns being dismounted within an hour, causing consternation in their ranks. Many Boers descended the slopes of the hill to attack tho infantry, and the cavalry were ordered forward, preventing these men from getting behind Glencoe, another section preventing the enemy's connection with the main column at Dannhauser. The 2nd Dublin Fusiliers, Ist King's Royal Rifles, and Ist Leicesters advanced under cover of the artillery fire. Taking advantage of the cover they splendidly stormed an almost impregnable height. The Boers fled precipitately, their guns being captured. During the rout many Boers surrendered. The battle lasted five hours. A large proportion of officers was killed through their refusing to seek shelter like their men. General Symons was mortally wounded, Lieutenantcolonel Yule, of the Devonshire Regiment, succeeding him. Ten British officers and 35 rank and file were killed. Thirty officers and 150 rank and file were wounded. A private cable message received in Christchurch states that the Boer losa at the battle of Glencoe was 1000 men. Later news is to the effect that the Boers lost 800 at Elandelaagte, and from 1000 to 1200 at Glencoe. The British loss at the former place was 160.

The fight at Elandslaagte was a brilliant engagement, as the Boers occupied a very strong position on the hills, and fought with bravery and determination. They oould not, however, stand the bayonet charge of the British forces. Several leading Boer commanders were taken prisoners. The battle was directed by Maior-General French. The Boers have captured the Kimberley waterworks, but have been compelled to retire from Mafeking. „,.,,,.. . . Commandant Pretorius and Colonel Schiel (chief organiser of the Boer armaments) were wounded and made prisoners at Elandslaagte, and Commandant Viljoen was killed. The death roll of British officers includes Colonel Scott Chisholm, LieutenantColonel Sheraton and Colonel Gunning. The main Boer column under General Joubert, whose headquarters are at Dannhauser, commenced shelling Glencoe on Saturday but tog and rain prevented the continuance of the attack. It is officially announced that 42 British were killed at Elandslaagte, 205 wounded, and 10 are missing The Gordon Highlanders' casualties amounted to 118, including four officers killed and nine wounded. v v T •», «,i A correspondent points out to us that the English Liberal papers have been twitting Mr. Chamberlain over his change of front in connection with the transvaal crisis. In 1896, before he lent the influence of his talents and official position to the Jingo and capitalist party who forced an internal difficulty of the Transvaal into a war Mr Chamberlain, according to the British Weekly of September 7, of the present year, said : 'A war in South Africa would be one of the most serious wars that could possibly be waged. It would be a long war, a bitter war, and a costly war, and, as 1 have pointed out already, I believe generations would hardly be able to blot out die memory of it, and to go to war with President Kruger to enforoe upon him reforms in the internal affairs of nis State in which Secretaries of State, standing in their place, have repudiated all right of interference— that would be a course of action which would be immoral.'