The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-02-17
CR0NJE BEATING A RETREAT.
GEN. FRENCH WENT THROUGH
KIMBERLEY IN PURSUIT,

Where Rhodes Was shut I'm
brought JOY to English Hearts.
Roberts supply Line in Danger.
british Defeated and Driven Back
From Rensburg-TerrfbIe Fight
Before They Withdrew.
London. Feb. II, 4:45 a. m.-Gen. Cronie.
with a start of day or two, is seemingly
IN full retreat from Lord Roberts, moving
northward.
Gen French, with the cavalry, simply
etayed over night at Kimberley and then
pushed on to get in touch with the retir-
ing enemy.
A long Boer wagon train is moving to-
ward Bloemfontein, followed presumably
by large force of British infantry. In
their hasty departure the Beers lost guam
titles of supplies and ammunition.
Military opinion here is that Lord Rob-
erts will not push far after the Beers inl-
mediately, because of the present problems
and the need of rest for the troops. He
has to feed 10000 persons in his army and
the whole Kimberley population He must
rebuild the railway from Modder river 10
Kimberley and revictual the latter place.
Gen. French lost few men only In
action, but the forced marches and heat
have probably made many i'll. Numbers
OF remounts must be provided.
Enough for the Present
Lord Roberts has wrought a genuine
preliminary success, and the impression
is that he has done enough for the pres
ent. He viii not need to prepare for an
other strike.
All over England tonight there have
been evidences of public joy. In every
theater and public meeting, around the
railway stations in the streets there have
been expressions of gladness and jubila-
ton over the news. The newspapers are
edtorally rejoicing.
Those who read the news closely see
only one disturbing factor in the Cape sit
uation, and that is the pressure of the
Beers toward Lord Roberts line of supply
through DeAaar, which was never more
important than now.
The Beers, under Commandants Delarey
and Gobler, are making a persistent effort
to penetrate to the railway. They have
pushed Gen. Clements back 10 Arundel and
navy OQtilduhCu illI1 All are " W4lIlAL BLK
ty miles. or two days hard march of the
Central Railway. Doubtless, Lord Rob-
erts has left considerable forces along the
line and can send back more if necessary.
In the House of Commons last evening
it was rumored Gen. Butler had again
crossed the Tugela.
Driven From RensburG.
The Daily Telegraph has the following
dispatch from Naauwpoort dated Feb. 49,
and delayed in transmission:
Very severe fighting occurred on both
cur flanks near Rensburg, the enemy
greatly outnumbered our troops, being
about 1900 in number. They attacked the
WOrcest stershire regiment on their hill, and
with desperate determination charged
home, only to experience such a heavy
Maxim and rifle fire from our men that
the death roll of the assailants must have
been considerable.
"A patrol of the Enniskilen Dragons
was surrounded by some 500 Beers and
Sahanty cut its way through without los
ing man, but a company of New South
Wales mounted infantry was unfortunate
ly annihilated, most of the mems bayonets,
however, bearing the impress of sanguin-
airy conflict with their foes.
Col Conyngham was shot through the
heart at the outset of the engagement.
The enemy chose the time of the moons
setting for their onslaught out of hve
colonial officers only one returned to camp
strategic and concentrative move
pack TO Arundel has been decided on. Our
guns from Coles kop have been safely
reached, ore Maxim being destroyed to
prevent its falling into the hands of the
enemy. Nine wounded officers and thr-
qy-hve men were brought into the Naauw-
pooN field hospital. Our death roll at
present is not known"
Two Companies Missing.
correspondent of the Daily Mail at
Nauuwport, teIegraphing Wedsneday, and
describing the evacuation of Rensburg
says:
Two companies of the Wiltshire regi-
ment in Withdrawing from Kloof Camp,
Iost their way and are missing. Their
whereabouts, however, is pretty well
known, and they viii probably be relieved
Tonight
The Beers losses around Colesberg ON
monday are reported extremely heavy"
Barbed Wire Fences.
The Pietermaritzburg correspondent of
The Daily Mail under date Of Feb. To- says:
There are indications of decisive
movement at Colenso l hear that the
boers rely on their entertainments and
Oarped wire cntanglements along the
principal roads to check Lord Roberts
Ptosramme into the Free States. Tho
road to Ladysmith is studded with these
formidable barriers.
British scouting column blew up the
contents of the magazine OF Nkandkla.
Luuland, TO prevent its falling into the
nands of the Beers. The magazine con-
,a.ned a large supply of dynamite and am