15 DECEMBER 1900, Page 1

The week ends in South Africa with De Wet still

at large, but evidently much harassed by the indefatigable pursuit of General Charles Knox, whose crossing of the Caledon River when in flood at Karreepoort must be reckoned amongst the achievements of the campaign. De Wet's attempted raid into the Cape Colony has been headed off, but he has managed to extricate himself from the triangle formed by the Orange and Caledon Rivers and the Basuto frontier, and according to the latest despatches was trekking in the direction of Re ddersburg, with General Knox still on his heels. The surprise of a mounted infantry post near Barberton, the holding-up of three trains, and the recapture of a certain amount of cattle, represent the successes of the Boers during the week, but there have been no serious British casualties, though Lord Kitchener reports the treacherous murder of two Highlanders, and the prisoners taken at Dewetsdorp have all been released and come in to Bethnlie. At the moment of our going to Press news arrives of an engagement in the Magaliesberg, Delarey, with two thousand five hundred men, after severe fighting, in which Colonel Legge and three other officers were killed, having captured a position commanding General Clements's camp, and forced that General to withdraw. Botha's commando is said to be solely kept together by the personal influence of its leader, and it is generally believed that with the surrender or capture of De Wet armed opposition would entirely cease. Above all it seems necessary to bring home to the Boers in the field the real state of affairs, many'of them believing that Mr. Kruger is still in Africa, and Lord Roberts killed. De Wet's legends have done almost as much mischief as his activity.