The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1881-02-22 00:00:00

WAR IN THE TRANSVAAL.

DECISIVE FRUITING EXPECTED.
DURECLN, Saturday.
Newa I, anxiously awaited from the front, as a
decisive battle is believed to be imminent. The British
troops ara massing at Mount Prospect preparatory to
the attack on Laing' Nek, where the Boers are
assembled in force, detsrmined to resist to the last
extremety. It is thought that the fighting will take
place intl.:. Snuday or on Monday. The rapidity of
General Wood's forward movements appears to have
entirely frustrated the efforts of the Boers to out off
the reinforcements.

A lengthy document has been published, addressed to the
Volicpraad. and signed by Kruger,' Vice• President of the
South At rican Republic, " setting forth the grievances of
th, lki re and declaring that, whether they win or lose in
the sti ugfile with England, the resu.t of the war will be
freedum for Africa such as enjoyed by America.

SUCCESSFUL MARCH OF SIR E. WOOD.
INGAGANII itIVBR, WIDNICLIDAT.--General Wood arrived
at Biggarsberg yesierday, and started at once. with a
Cavalry recoit to examine the position of affairs in front. .
Ile found that a body ot the enemy, estimated at MO
strong, hal just eons along the rail, after plunderiug
several wargous, containing private as wales Government
property. -The column, consisting of Ham anflui!ry, the
naval guns, Me Human, and the mounted police, left
Bigeareberg on 'Tuesday at five o'clock in the evening, and
near die I eight miles. A halt was then called taU midnight,
when they again set forward, and madee forced mama t
the river, which th.y.reaclre I before daylight. They crossed
the river and seised the commanding position beyond,
which they fortunately iolui uuoccupied by the enemy.
The tagged° is now Gros i .g the river under the protec-
tion of the infantry and OW. The caveriry are ut
as
vedette on all the cur ounding heig .ta We move on this
afternoon to the Horn river, five miles she id, and shall
camp there. To-morrow, if all gose we I, we she I at ive
at Newcastle. The tr ops ar, in splendid condition and
Spiriti, and only anxious to meet the anew • .. The moon-
light nights favour night marches like that j ist carr el
out so SniCA.ll/111 ly. The B ere at: plundering the Natal
colonita of their catt • and property—a course which is
greatly embittering the war, ant is the in re inexcusable
since Sir G. Colley has di clined all o:fers of Colonial assist-
ance, in. rder that the D tch might have no cause fur
ill-feeling against. he p-ople of Nate .--Stawdard.
Newcaarbit Tifuesiiar.—The relieving columu under
General Sir Ey. lyn Wood arrived here to-day, to the
iatense delight of the loyal portion of the population of
Newcastle, wh me position since the rover-e at Laing's
Neck has been critical in the extreme. Yesterday the
enemy's vedetti were seen on thr tills on all sides as the
column advanced bet amen Biggarsherg and toe 'embalms,
River, but to-day they have entirely diesappeared. It is
suppowol that Sir E. Wood's rapid march from Ladysmith
entirely disconcerted their plans, and that, tlialing their
force insufficient to dispute the passage either at Biggers
-
berg or lagaganr, they have ether made for the Free
Sloe, or have ra-enterei the Tracuivaal with the view of
makiag for Laing's Neck. The road between Ingagane
and this place is e rewn with detoir of wacons p undered
an I burned by the Boers. Large numbers of cattle belong-
ing to the Colonists have been driven off and their houses
looted, the native kraals have also suffered much from-
it as depredations, and the natives everywhere warmly
empathise with our cause. Hitherto they have been in-
clined to remain neutr .1; but toe conduct of the Boers has
so excited them that they would all be ready to take p .rt
t.e war if called to do so. Owing to the hasty organisa-
tion of the 'lran-sport and Comm.saariat train for the
upward march the Column will be obliged to halt for a few
days to allow of the complete reorganisation of these
del artments. The vicinity Newcastle is now clear, as is
also the road between this place and the camp. General
Colley and his Staff have ridden in. The former is in
consultation with Gen cal Wo d. It is believed that the
who.° Boer force is concentrating at Leone's Neck, with the
view of • desperate resistance there. There is a great
meeting in the Free State to-day ti rdmide whether they
wi I openly declare war w thus. A very .trong party is in
favour of this step being taken at once. The Dutch Preis
are inflaming tee people of that nationality throughout
South Africa, and there are the very gravest grounds for
fear that if the Free State declares against us the
Dutch in ow Co onies will follow suit. A ready many
of the Natal Boers are in Hi- ranks against us. —Standard.
IltatoAN Tif r ono Ar . particulars of the affair at
Schein/ lloogte place the conduct of the 60ta Rifles in •
sp endid light. One and all fought gallantly. Sergeant-
Major Wilkie. tired 143 rounds. The British troupe can
only beat the Boers by sword and bayonet. Sir George
Co ley left his position because the men had neither water
nor food all day. Ammunition was short. The river was
rising in the rear. The cries of the wounded for water
were painful to hear. The men licked the moisture al the
box covers or chewed the damp grass. The march ha k
was wretched, as they were expecting an attacks every
minute. The night was pitch dark, and the track was
broken. Two companies of the stith Regiment, sent for by
the Generic, were stopped on their way by the swollen
river, and the Boers were in force new them. The Boers
were disgusted at losing toe gut,e whica they believed
would fall into their hands. They talked boastfully to the
burying party of driving back the reinforcements and all
time English into Cape Colony. There is no doubt that
they have sought to win over all the Northern Zulu chiefs.
It is reported that they have destroyed the Kainhula Rut
and desecrated the graveyard. These men were probably
the %% akkeritroom Doers, who were always • turbulent
lot. The Zulus are disquietal, being told false stories est)
the British defeat-I.—Titus