From other quarters of the theatre of war come reports
of numerous skirmishes and large captures of stock. General Clements has dispersed Delarey's commando near Rietfontein; an attack on Brakpan was beaten off by a handful of railway pioneers and mounted infantry, who captured a Transvaal flag ; General Bruce Hamilton has cleared the country between Wilge and Vaal Rivers; and successful actions have been fought at De Wagen Drift and Tiger Kloof. Lord Roberts also reports the "brutal murder" of Lieutenant Neumeyer, commanding the Orange River Police at Smithfield, who was "held up" by Boers whilst driving 1.11 a Cape cart to Aliwal North, handcuffed, and shot in the back. The prisoners taken by General Bruce's column give a curious account of the message sent to the Heilbron commando, when at Thaba. nchu early in the month, in order to keep up their spirits. According to De Wet, the Queen was in Cape Town, whither she had fled to escape the Chinese, who had captured half of England, Lord Roberts had been buried under the Town Hall at Heilbron, and the British had left Africa, as the Volunteers refused to fight any longer. Not the least important news from South Africa is the announcement that Sir Alfred Milner will take up his permanent residence at Johannesburg at the end of the month, Sir W. Hely- Hutchinson succeeding him as Governor of Cape Colony. This announcement, if officially confirmed, probably fore. shadows the transference of the seat of government from Pretoria to Johannesburg.
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