Official:—On the @ist General Smuts ousted the Germans from the strong positions on the Ruwu River to which they had retired after their previous defeat, inflicting heavy losses and capturing a 4.1 inch gun belonging to the the German cruiser Koenigsberg.
The enemy retired south along the Tanga Railway.
Lord Kitchener has telegraphed to General Smuts congratulating him on his brilliant success, After their defeats at Lumi River and Kitovo Hills, the Germans retired to defensive positions they had constructed in the forest belt along the Ruwu River.
Heavy rains delayed our pursuit, but, on the 18th, our forces were in close contact with the enemy. On the following day there was deal of bush fighting in the vi ity of Kahe, the enemy resisting stubbornly. On the night of the 20th-21st the enemy made a night attack in strength, but was repulsed with severe losses.
Meanwhile the South African she arrives at some port in Australia, London, March 24.
Reuter's Agency is informed that a wireless despatch reports Ernest Shackleton's ship adrift from her moorings in Ross Sea, leaving shore Captain Mackintosh and nine members of the staff, who thus are stranded.
Hence, if Sir Ernest Shackletoa crosses the Antarctic Continent and arrives on the shores of Ross Bes, there is no ship to mech him and he will have to remain another year in the Antarctic.
March 25.
A wireless message received in London shows that a blizzard drove the Aurora from her moorings on May 6, 1915, and she drifted, locked in pack-ice, till March 14, 1916.
Melbourne, March 25.
A wireless message has been received from the Aurora which states that her hull is severely strained. The ship was released from the ice on March 14 after drift of 500 miles and is proceeding to Port Chalmers, in New Zealand, under a jury rudder, with no anchors and short of fuel, and expects to arrive there early in April. Reuter.
Later.
The wireless station at Awarua, in New Zealand, was in communication with the Aurora last night She was proceeding under ber own steam and assistance apparently is not needed. mounted troops, by a night march from Moshi through thick bush, captured Rangani railway station with many stores. This threatened the enemy's line of retreat.
The enemy, reinforced by the railway, obstinately held his positions in order to cover his retirement. We were thus enabled to inflict heavy losses on him, which would have been impossible had the enemy been free to abandon his positions earlier.
On the night of the 2ist-22nd, however, the entire line along the Ruwu River had been evacuated by the enemy who retired along the Tanga railway leaving a 4.1 inch gun from the Koenigsberg in our hands, The operations continue.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.