NEWS OF THE WEEK.
ON Friday the welcome news was received of a successful engagement fought by Lord Methuen's command at Belmont. Lord Methuen, whose force numbers about thirteen thousand men, is believed to be engaged in the work of relieving Kimberley. At any rate, he is operating in that direction from his point of concentration at Orange River. Barring his way towards Kimberley was a considerable Boer force entrenched on a line of hills and provided with artillery. At daybreak on Thursday he attacked the Boers and carried three ridges in succession at the point of the bayonet,—" the last attack being prepared by shrapnel." The enemy behaved, as usual, with skill as well as great courage, bat our victory was complete. We took forty prisoners and buried many Boers, but the majority of their wounded were taken away by the retreating force. We also cap- tured a large number of horses and cows, and ammunition. Our casualties were three officers killed and twenty-two wounded, and of the rank-and-file—killed, fifty-six; wounded, one hundred and thirty ; and missing, twenty-two. The regiment which sustained the severest loss was the 3rd Battalion of the Grenadier Guards. Oar troops seem to have shown the most splendid pluck and "go," and once again to have done what has hitherto been regarded as almost impossible. They carried by assault bill positions strongly held by some of the best marksmen in the world, supported by artillery.
