The news from South Africa during the week has been
fragmentary and not altogether satisfactory, but we have little doubt that Lord Roberts's apparent inactivity, as on former occasions, indicates the necessary preparations for some rapid and sweeping movement. Despatches from Lord Roberts received on Tuesday contained details of the mishap to the convoy on June 4th, in which fifty waggons and a hundred and sixty details of the Highland Brigade were captured, and of the surrender of the Derbyshirea on the 7th north of the Rhenoster. On June 23rd De Wet attacked the railway in two places, shell- ing the camp of the Canadians and Shropshires south of Honing Spruit, and making a determined attack on the released prisoners from Waterfall under Colonel Bullock at Honing Spruit Station. Though hard pressed, and without artillery, Colonel Bullock refused to surrender, and main- tained a. stubborn resistance for seven hours until reinforce- ments arrived from Kroonstad, when the Boers made off. The Standard correspondent states that there are four commandos at large in the Orange River Colony under Piet and Christian De Wet, Limmer, and Olivier. They are mainly recruited from those who signed the oath of neutrality, and return home imme- diately a commando leaves their district, but are still capable of doing mischief.
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