Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1900-03-01
BOER AND BRITON
British Under Lord Roberts Sur.
round Cronje.
The BOER COMMANDER FOLDS OUT
Large Numbers Of Beers Gathering
Nenr BIOCmiontcIn to Dispute the
Invasion Of Lord Roberts -Ad.
nlirRtIOn for the ROcrs' Pluck
'HE BOER COMMANDER FOLDS OUT

London, Feb, 21,--Thc operations by
Lord Roberts In the last ten days have
aroused great enthusiasm In England,
Ills successful sortes against the
Beers, his feat in surrounding General
Cronje and the new lace that his work
has put upon the whole situation has
changed gloom TO JOY, AT one time
IL was reported that General CrAje
had surrendered, but at latest REPORTS
he was still yallantly holding out,
The Beers are assembling un army
near Bloemiontein, with which to dis.
pute the invasion of Lord Roberts.
This intelligence comes from Pretoria
by way Of Lourenzo Marques, The
commanders are described as "hUsten'
ing iromNll quarters Of the republics
No estimate is made Of their mum.
bers, but the withdrawal of the Beers
from most Of the places where they
have been in contact with the British,
except the district near Ladysmith,
may raise the resisting force to 10000
men. The figure assumes that the
Beers have between 10000 and 10000
men in the field.
The gathering of this army across
the path of Lord Roberts gives signd-
canoe to General Cronje's steadfast de-
fence. lie has engaged the corps of
Lord Roberts for ten days now, and,
whether he is relieved or not, he has
given time for the dispersed Boer
fractions to get together and to pre-
pare positions to receive the British
advance when Cronje Is overcome and
Lord Roberts moves forward.
1t is difficult to conceive that the
Beers are strong enough 10 take the
offensive and TO rescue General Cronj e
from his precnrous situation.
The war Office had nothing after
midnight TO indicate his collapse and
he may hold out for u few days. The
correspondents seem TO have no exact
Information respecting his resources,
Some say he has plenty of food but is
short of ammunition. Others assert
that he abandoned his food supplies,
but kept abundant supplies Of car
tridges.
General Butler on Saturday faced
the last and strongest positions Of the
Beers who bar his way to Lndysmith,
The sterenous fighting indicates bat
lie between armies, rather than guard
actions protecting a retreat.
On Thursday and Friday he lost 40
officers killed and wounded, repre-.
senting probably total loss of from
400 to 500
General Whites guns worked on
Saturday upon tn" Boer positions, and
u heliogram from Ladysmith reported
that the Beers were rctrcating and
that larger rations were being issued
in view Of the fact that relief seemed
at hand.
Nothing has been heard from McfeI-
king since February IL. The movement
on the veldt away from the railway Is
becoming increasingly dilicnlt for
large bodies of troops, MS the grass is
burned up, General French has to
wagon forage for his horses, and even
the infantry finds the long marches
harder than before, as forage for the
transport animals must be carried.
This requires the formation of garri.
soned depots,
The ordinary campaigning season is
over, and the sickly season for both
men and animals has set in.