21 SEPTEMBER 1901, Page 1

Besides these losses a severe engagement is reported from Cape

Colony, where Smuts, in order to break through a cordon of columns hemming him in, rushed the 17th Lancers at Eland's River Poort, and killed three officers and twenty men and wounded one officer and thirty men. The loss of the enemy is, however, reported to be equally heavy. To these we must add a mishap to a small body of men of the Grenadiers on Tuesday. There is not the slightest ground for thinking that either officers or men behaved any- how but extremely well in these actions, but it is curious to note that in all-three cases the men belonged to the Regular forces. Suppose chance had thrown the disasters on the new Yeomanry, what a torrent of abuse would have been showered upon that much-maligned force As a matter of fact, the new Yeomanry seem to have behaved in all the actions they have been in with great courage, and we most strongly depre- cate the attacks that have been made on them.