The war news from South Africa during the week has
been of a somewhat mixed character. In the Cape
Colony Kruitzinger's raid from the Zuurberg, the aim of which—to attack some township and refit—was accurately predicted by the Times correspondent last week, has been attended by a success, Jamestown, garrisoned by some sixty men, having surrendered after a gallant defence to an attacking force of some thousand Boers. Kraitzinger, how- ever, was promptly followed up by a relieving column under Colonel Williams, who recaptured fifty horses and some of the loot. In this context we may note that Lord Kitchener has appointed General French to take over the command in Cape Colony. In the Transvaal a well-planned and entirely successful engagement has been fought by Colonel Wilson near Warmbaths. Information having reached him of the movements of an advance com- mando in charge of Beyers's supplies, he surprised the Boers at daybreak, and with a loss of only three, killed and fifteen wounded, as against thirty-seven Boers killed and nearly a hundred prisoners, captured the entire convoy with eight thousand cattle, and got clear away before the arrival of the main commando. The result of this engagement is that Commandant Beyers is practically left without transport and supplies. The official return issued on Wednesday shows that during last month twenty-five officers and seven hundred and nine men were killed in action or died of wounds or disease,—the heaviest monthly return during the present year. On the other hand, the Boer loss in killed, captured, and sur- rendered for the week May 20th-27th alone is estimated at four hundred. Not the least significant piece of news from South Africa is the general movement among the Dutch in the Graaf Reinet district in favour of a suspension of con- stitutional government, a movement interpreted as indicating readiness to adhere to the principle of British supremacy on the part of those previously anxious for the success of the Republics.
