The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-03-05 00:00:00

RECEPTION OF THE NEWS AT THE WAR OFFICE.

Sir Garnet Wolseley arrived at the War Office about half-
past ten on Monday morning and the Q4lce of Cambridge
soon after. Subsequently his Royal Ilighness, with Sir
Garnet Wolseley, held a consultation with Mr. Childers and
the heads of departments on the state of affairs.
The announcement of another reverse to the British arms
in the Transvaal has caused some anxiety in official circles,
but the authorities express themselves sanguine of speedily
restoring our supremacy in South Africa. Directly on
Colonel Bond's telegram reaching the War Office on Sunday
night, the Duke of Cambridge was communicated with, and
other leading officers of the Department informed of the
new disaster. A -message was sent to her Majesty, and a.
despatch forw aided to the Secretary of State for War, con-
veying the sunstance of Colonel Bond's telegram. The au-
thorities will, in the first place, otter Sir Evelyn Wood
further reinforcements, but it is uncertain whether he will
accept them.

Orders have been sent to Jamaica to despatch a ship to
Bermuda to order Her Majesty's troopship Orontes, due there
on the Gth of March, to proceed to the cape with the 99th
Regiment, which is now lying at Bermuda. According to
present arrangements, the Orontes will be due at Cape Town
on the list of March, and at Natal on the 4th of April. Her
Majesty's Indian troopship' Euphrates will embark at
Bombay in five or six days the 85th Regiment, and will then
proceed to Colombo, where she will embark six companies of
the 102nd Regiment, and will at once proceed to Durban,
where she may be expected on the 22nd of March. The
Chttpra, hired transport, left Bombay on Saturday, with the
Ist detachment of the 14th Hussars, direct for Durban.

The transport ship Nemegis (Captain Allen), which arrived
in Kingstown Harbour, sailed for Natal on Monday morn-
ing at eight o'clock, having on board ten officers and 171
non-commluioned officers and privates of the 7th Hussars,
and 204 horses, 87 non-commissioned officers and men of the
94th Regiment of Foot, under the command of Captain
Davenport, and One sergeant and two men of the Army Hos-
pital Corps. The Lord-Lieutenant visited the Nemesis on
Monday, and took farewell of the officers.

The Admiralty have arranged with Messrs. Donald Currie
and Co. that their powerful steamship Grantully Castle,
whicli is already coaled, shall be at once withdrawn from
the mail service and placed at the disposal of the Govern-
ment to be fitted without a moment's delay and despatched
to Gibraltar there to embark a battalion of troops
who are to be conveyed to Natal without stoppage
anywhere en route, unless, perhaps, to call otf Cape
Town. This vessel is well known as the ship in which Mr.
Gladstone had his pleasure trip. In all probability the

Granfrully Castle will deliver her troops in Natal by the end
of the present month. She is in perfect order, and her
spaciaus arrangements offer the very best accommodation
for the officers and soldiers who are ordered to the
front.

Major-General Sir F. Roberts, G.C.8., has been
appointed to succeed Sir George Colley in the corn-
mand of the troops in Natal and the Transvaal.

The announcement of the appointment of Major-
General Sir F. Roberts to succeed Major-General Sir
G. Pomeroy Colley as commander of the troops in
Natal and the Transvaal has been received at the
Cape with great satisfaction, it being regarded as an
indication that the Home Government is alive to the
gravity of affairs in the Transvaal, and is determined
to act vigorously with a view to the final settlement of
the matter.
During Monday afternoon Sir Frederick Roberts called
on Sir William Muir, the director of the Army Medical
Department, in reference to the supply of further surgical
appliances for use in the field, the authorities being in
possession of information which leads them to believe that an
extra supply is necessary. As a result consignment of
medical instruments and drugs will be sent in the
Balmoral Castle. Sir Frederic Roberts attended at
the War Office, where he was met in consultation
by the Duke of Cambridge, Mr. Childers, the Earl
of Morley, and Mr. Thompson, Permanent Under-
Secretary of the War Office. The discussion of affairs lasted
for a considerable period, and Sir Frederick Roberts did not
leave until shortly before five p.m. After the consultations
held at the War Office during the day; Mr. Childers and the
Duke of Camaidge remained in consultation until after
seven o'clock, Mr. Childers having immediately returned to
his office from the House of Commons after making his state-
ment. According to the orders given from Pall-mall the force
at present in Natal under the command of Sir Evelyn Wood
will be reinforced by at least 2,500 men of all arms.

The following telegram has been received at the War
Office from the officer commanding Mount Prospect to the
Secretary of State for War :
" 3,IOITNT PROSPECT, March 1, 12 40 p.m.
"Number of troops engaged in action of 27th ult.,
35 officers, 693 men.
"Casualties.—Officers---Killed, three; wounded,
nine; prisoners, seven, missing, one.
"Non-commissioned officers and men.—Killed, 82;
wounded, 122; prisoners, 50; missing, but believed to
be wounded not yet brought to camp, 12.

The following telegram has been received at the War
Office from the Assistant-Adjutant-General at Pietermaritz-
burg, dated Feb. 28, 7.50 p.m. :

"Officer commanding troops, Mount Prospect,
reports following casualties among officers in
action yesterday :—Killed—Major-General Sir G.
Pomeroy Colley, Captain Hon. C. Maude, attached
to 58th Regiment. Wounded 58th Regiment,
Captain Morris, Second Lieutenant Hill, Second
Lieutenant Lucy, slightly; 92nd Regiment, Major
Hay, Captain Singleton, Lieutenant Hamilton ; 94th
Regiment, Captain Anton ; her Majesty's ship
Boadicea, Commander Romilly, dangerously. Pri-
soners.—Wounded-94th Regiment, Second Lieu-
tenant Miller; not wounded-58th Regiment, Captain
Homby ; 92nd Regiment, Captain M'Gregor. Lieu-
tenant Wright, Second Lieutenants Macdonald
and Staunton. Missing.—Staff—Lieutenant-Colonel
Stewart (since reported a prisoner unwounded), 3rd
Dragoon Guards; Major Fraser (since reported as re-
turned to camp unwounded), Royal Engineers; Lieu-
tenant Trower (since reported dead), Her Majesty's
ship Boadicea."

Brigadier-General Sir George Pomeroy Colley, who is re
ported to have been killed in the defence of Majuba Moun-
tain, has had a long and distinguished military career.
Both the Duke of Cambridge and Sir Garnet Wolaeley had a
very high opinion of his abilities. He entered the 2nd Foot
as Ensign in May, 1852; was Lieutenant in August, 1854;
Captain in June, 1860; Brevet-Major in March, 1863; Brevet
Lieutenant-Colonet in May, 1873; Colonel in April. 1874;
and lecal rank as Brigadier-General in June, 1879. He
was employed on special mission service on the Cape
frontier in 1858, 1859, and 1861, and was concerned in the
occupation of Kreh's territory and the defeat and death of
Tola, for which services he was twice thanked by the Govern-
ment, and in recognition of which he received his brevet
majority. He next served with distinction throughout the
China War of 1860, participating in the capture of the Taku
forts, and the several actions during the advance on Pekin.
For this he received a medal with two clasps. From 1871 to
1873 he fulfilled the duties of Military Administration and
Law at the Staff College, Sandhurst, but at the close of
1873 he was again in Africa, doing good service in the
Ashantee war, during which he was in command of the
transport and line of communications. Throughout the
campaign he played a prominent part, being present at the
battle of Amoafal, the defence of the posts of Quarman
and Formanah, battle of Ordahsu, and the capture
of Ccomasaie. He was several times mentioned in
despatches, and was rewarded with the brevet of
colonel and the dignity of C.B. In 1878 he was made a,
G.C.B. for his services in South Africa, and for his ser-
vices during the Afghan campaign, when he obtained leave
from Lord Lytton, for whom he was then acting as military
secretary, to proceed to the front, he was made a K.C.S.I.
It will be remembered that when Sir Garnet Wolseley suc-
ceeded Lord Chelmsford during the Zulu war as chief of the
British force, Sir Garnet made a special point of having Sir
George Colley as chief of his staff.

Commander Francis Romilly, who was shot down by Sir
George Colley's side, was one of the oldest friends and ship-
mates of the Duke of Edinburgh. lie was with Count
Gleichen in the Racoon, with the Duke of Edinburgh
throughout the long commission of the Galatea, and was
subsequently Flag-Lieutenant to Sir James Drummond, in
the Hercules and Lord Warden, on the Mediterranean
station. He served with our Naval Brigade in the Zulu war,
as commander of the Boadicea.

The Times of Wednesday said :—From yesterday's
reports, it appears that it was not Captain Maude, of the
90th Regiment, but Lieutenant the Hon. Cornwallis
Maude who was killed at the engagement on the Majuba-
hill. He was the only son of Lord Hawarden, and
on the death of his mother assumed the surname
of Fleeming, but racently changed his name back
again to Maude. He was born in 1852, and enter-
ing the Grenadier Guards, was promoted to
the rank of lieutenant and captain. On leaving the
Guards, Captain Maude was placed in the Reserve of
Officers' and, volunteering for the Cape, was attached
to the 58th Regiment. He married in 1878, Eva
Henrietta, second daughter of the late Mr. Francis
Brooke, of Summerton, by whom he leaves one
child, a daughter."

On Tuesday, in the First Chamber of the Dutch
Parliament, the Minister for Foreign Affairs said in
reply to a question that it was necessary for the
Government in the interests of the Netherlands, to
observe neutrality in the Transvaal, and that no
mediation was possible without the consent of the
belligerents. Holland had not ceased to use her in-
fluence with England, in order to bring the war to a
termination, and the British erovernment was aware
that she was willing to act with that object.