Mexico weekly ledger., 1900-03-01
A FoUR-DAY BATTLE.
The Modder River the Theatre Of q
Great Struggle Result In
Great Doubt

LONDON, Thursday, February IA
great battle has been raging along
the line of the Modder river from
Paardeberg to Koodoo's Rand for the
last four days.
TIE genius Of Roberts has been
pitted against the strategy Of Oronje.
No official accounts Of the engage
ment have bsen received In London,
except the incomplete list Of casualties
among the British soldiers, which Is
exceedingly heavy and indicates tierce
fighting.
Dispatches from Cape Town state
that the Boers were surrounded, and
that their discontinue 10 assured, but
official messages published In Prsto-
ria state that Cropje 10 holding his
own and has rspulsed All British at
lacks so far, initiating heavy loss,
while suffering only slightly himself.
In the absence OF definite news
from Roberts, Kitchener and the cor
respondents with them, the result OF
the fighting is enveloped In doubt.
From scattering dispatches, from
both British and Boer sources, Il ape
pears that Roberts plan worked ex-
cellently so far IS his troops were
concerned, but that Cronje, who bad
been re-enforced from Natal and
Northern Cape Colony, was able to
put up q much stronger resistance
than had been expected.
When the Beers marched east from
Kimberley toward Bloemfontein,
Kitchener and Kelly. Kenny started
to head them of, and succeeded in
doing so by reaching Paafdeberg first.
Oronje then turned toward Koodoo'a
Rand Drift. 1t appears that Mac
Donald forestalled him there, but the
appearance of DeWet with O force OF
Burghers gave the Beers chance.
Koodoo's Rand is Just north of the
Modder river and due south Of Boshof.
Cronje seems to have held his own
there with an inferior force up to
yesterday. He has made the British
pay dearly for getting him In trap.
"Fighting Mac,n as General Mac
Donald is called, and Major General
Knox have been wounded, nine off,
GERS have been killed and nearly forty
wounded, which means hundreds Of
casualties among the men. 1t 10 con-
sidered strange that Roberts, In send.
Ing the names OF the officers, had not
a word to say on the course OF the
fighting.
Since Monday Roberts 10 sure to
have drawn up from Cape Colony all
available troops for the attack, while
from the outlying districts the Boers
would naturally come to assist the
force that is re-enfoFcing Cronje. 1t
ir quite probable @ final attempt was
made by the British TO capture the
Boer lager, a. every hour brings the
Burghors sent by Jonbert nearer. The
speed at which the 10000 men who
left Ladyemith for the Free State can
travel may be the deciding factor In
the battle.
In Natal 1t looks as though the
siege Of Ladysmith is about over.
BulIer sent division across the
Tugela yesterday, driving In the weak
Boer rear guard and advancing leis-
urely. 1t is also announced that Jon-
bert has given orders to throw up the
investment, but there Is not much en-
thusiasm felt here over Whites early
release. Attention is centered upon
Roberts movement and one paper,
which has been among those lashing
the government for not sending more
men to Buller, says this morning that
had he been able to hold Joubert's
army in its trenches another fortnight
he would have done better service
than by achieving the relief of Lady
smith. But Whites troops have not
Joined Buller's yet and the announce
ment Of the rellnquishment OF the
seige, which comes from Brussels, may
prove another trick to draw Butler
into trap and cause Roberts to
weaken his offensive strength.
ALI the London papers this morn
ing consider the situation on the Mod
der serious. The Telegraph says:
"The price already paid Is a heavy
one, but it is worth paying II Roberts
can force Cronie into decisive action
before be receives e-enforcements."
The Netps says: ave all talked Of
Uronje's fight. As q matter OF fact,
the Beers acted with remarkable skill
and alertness'"
The Chronicle thinks the public must
prepare itself for weeks Of hard fight
ing, and the Grdphic "would not be
surprised II Cronle escaped