The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1900-02-20
THE SITUATION REVIEWED.
The British Success is Attended b.
Disquieting Features.

he military expert, reviewing the Sltua
ion III South Africa for the Associated
Press 1T midnight says:
Lord Roberts has begun his cam
align by striking at the principal Boel
'orce in the Western theatre Of war
hat Of Commandment Cronje, covering
he siege of Kimberley.
In a little over three weeks Lord
Roberts had completed the organization
If his force. He then quietly masScl
ONE fifty thousand men. four i~nfantr.
divisions and Il cavalry division, near
he selected point. reaching Moddel
.tiyer Station on Friday February 9th
lie must have put his troops in motion
With the least possible delay, for Of
Monday the action began. 1t was an
lttemIit to turn the Boer position by q
narch round its left. or eastern flank.
q Monday General French'S cavalry
.eiZed the passages of the Riet River.
outhe3St of Jacobsdal, and We're at once
ollOwed up by two infantry divisions.
On Tuesday the cavalry moved north
nd seized the crossings Of the Modd2I
River, the infantry following at thei1
reels. On Thursday when one division
# infantry was on the Modder and the
,thtr close behind it between the two
.iyers, the cavalry moved forward to
ward Kimberley, dispersed the besiegers
rom, the southeastern front and opened
Connection With the town.
The same day the troops from the old
amp at Modder River, station opened
communication with Jacobsdal which had
lready been taken. Thus Lord Roberts
4ad Il senli-circle around the Boer posi-
:n,, ~ Y ,Ay,f,,t4; fra,, !. -, l,,,I,,
II the North to Mot,ler River Station
II the South. and possibly the line was
.rolon@ed from Modder River Station to
he northwest SO that General French
light hope, by passing through Kimher
ey To complete the circle and to enable
4or- Roberts to envelope and capture
'~ronje's whole force.
CRONJE NOT TO BE TRAPPED.
This was the result hoped for. III,
Jan was brilliantly conceived and Wig
lously executed. But Cronje has been
BILE TO evade the blow. When French
cached Kimberley it was found that
ROME, with the bulk OF his force, had
moved off toward Bloemfontein. appar-
Htly by the Boshof Road, or by a short
T route along the north bank of the
IoGder. The laager and stores aban
,oned and the convoy captured prov.
nat CronJe left in haste and
ieneral kelly-Kenny's brigade was last
eported as pursuing and engaging the
,oer rear guard. General Kitchener is
experimenting the pursuit, which may
G effective.
There can be no doubt that kimber-
ey Is relieved and that the railroad
rlll soon be r~e-opened. This is a sue
ess. but the more valuable result-the
estIHctlon OF q part Of the Boer army
as not been secured. 1t cannot be said
a the circumstance that this is attribu-
able to weakness in the British gen
ralShir, which seems to have been eX-
client.
There are disQuietins features in the
pews. The capture by Beers said to
ave come from Colesberg. of Il large
British convoy, may diminish the mo-
ility Of the British force and is a proof
f the judgment and energy of the Beer
eaders. The vigorous attack on the
British post at Rensburg shows that the
}oers mean to reply to Lord Roberts
,dvance by striking at his communica-
ions.
Until this issue of the operations
round Kimberley is fully known, it is
seleSs To speculate upon the next move
f Lord Roberts. The fact that Kinbor
~ has been relieved and that Cronjo
as to make q hasty retreat are to the
cod side Of the account. but the fact
hat Cronje8 has not, at amy rate up to
he date of the latest kilograms | have
cen. been we'll beaten in a fight is j
isappotntment. The opinion is wide.
Iread that the invasior of the Free
state will bring the Boer army, or al
east the Free State contingent, out OF
Natal. Upon this point / am less san
5uine than most of the English obser
ers. even those whose judgment mos
deserves confidence. but the news o.
| Lord Roberts advance will encourag,
| White and his men to prolong their de
fence"