Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-02-27
cRoNJE suRRENDERs.


The capltulation OF Gen. Cronje Is now
officially announced Dramatic inter-
ert Is added to the important event by
the fact that the surrender took place
on the anniversary day OF the Majuba
hill disaster. and While the Beers were
having a day Of prayer and thanksgly-
ing. presumably IN concentration Of
that historic battle. General Cronje IL
charged with unnecessary cruelty dur
Ing the first war for independence. he
Is accused Of having deceived an Eng.
llsh garrison at that time by with.
holding from them the news Of an arml.
stice, and forcing them TO undergo the
humiliation Of a surrender Now he
himself. after most heroic struggle
has had 10 lay down his arms. Is
this merely coincidence N is 1t an
other case Of sowing and reaplngg
The result now achieved has been
long anticipated The size Of Lord
Roberts army enabled him 70 divide his
forces and set carry on effective opera,
lions az separate points Probably
Cronie stayed too long In the vicinity
Of Kimberley. II he had broken up
a day earlier, he would perhaps have
had ample time TO get away. II is
easy now to understand the motive Of
his desperate resistance lie would
delay Lord Roberts as long as possible
IN order TO give the Burghers time to
concentrate and inirench themselves,
probably somewhere near Bloemfonteln
And this object is now gained. Every
thing Indicates that great number Of
Cronje's men have escaped and Joined
the concentrating forces, But the loss
OF CronJe is in itself the loss Of a big
army.
/. There is no probability that the war
viii end with this capltulation. Those
familiar with the formation Of the
country expect that the scene Of opera
tons now will be laid to the hills north
OF the Free State capltaland the noun
tain passes. where numerically small
forces may successfully oppose large
armies. The war from now on may
assume the phase 1t was thought it
would have from the beginning.
Intense interest has been centered IN
the heroic struggle Of Gen Cronje
against the Overwhelming force around
him. Cronie has been called the zion Of
South Africa and he has long been
known as a master Of military strategy.
Cronje was actively engaged In the
so-called war Of independence. At that
time he defeated British force at
Potchefstroom, and 1t is said that the
skin with which he misled the enemy
attracted the notice OF European mill
tary experts.
~ the time OF the jameson raid Cron-
je again became prominent The raid
ers were opposed By this general. whose
strategy and rifle fire proved too much
for them. II was Cronje who accepted
their surrender and who guaranteed the
lives Of jameson and his men, although
many Of the Boer commanders demand
ed that they be treated as criminals.
In the present struggle Cronje estab-
lshed the Siege at Mafeking and then
went to Kimberley. When Gen. Butler
appeared at the Tugela river he made
a trip TO Gen, Joubert's headquarters
at Ladysmith. and no doubt, a plan OF
campaign was then agreed upon, OF
which, perhaps, the present retreat
from all the besieged cities is a part
II Is remarkable that the Beers In
their retreat have proved themselves as
good soldiers, as they have done in their
defense of intrenched positions. In
every respect they have shown them
selves worthy opponents OF British
valor and chivalry, The delay cronje
was making IN the onward march Of
Lord Roberts may give Gen. Joubert the
needed opportunity OF establishing him.
self in a position from which he cannot
soon be dislodged.