The evening times., 1900-02-17
CRONJE'S RETREAT.

The latest news from the Modder River
country teSlsAas that Cronje is in iuli Ie-
treat toxatd Bloemton'ein, and that
Kelly Kenny'ss division is attacking him.
This is the most important information
possible. II shows, what We had suspected,
that the Boer general had withdrawn most
! of his forces from Magarsfontein before
the movement Of Roberts began. Probably
he had previously reno Ied his heavy gins,
although it is possible tnat he did not eX-
pect his opponent to move as soon or as
! swiftly as happened, and SO there is
! bare chance that if BADLY defeated in re
treat Cronje's. artillery may fall into the
hands of the British.
If Lord Roberts is in a position to fol-
low Cronje closely. to do which the caval-
ry division must be employed, it will be
| highly useful line of action. Because. as
| Cronje retreats he will destroy any wire
entanglements or other distractions which
may have been prepared for the invaders,
and will have no time to replace them. The
| net result will be that the British march
across the veldt will be rendered vastly
easier than might have been expected. We
are not strongly impressed with the idea
! that Cronje has all or most of his old Mod
der force With him. We fancy that as lately
/ as ten days ago he sent strong column
| from Magarsfontein to re-enforce Delaraye
| and Grobler at Colesberg and Stormberg.
| He may finally have left only enough men
| in front of Methuen to keep up appear
| ances.
| One exciting element In the situation is
| furnished by the steady retreat Under
/ attack of General Clements from Rens-
| burg. 1t appears that he had to leave that
! town so hastily as to force him to aban
/ don his supplies. The Boer movement is
| plainly aimed at the British railway com
munications and a large force may be
| needed to check il. As things look, We
may have TO wait a day or two before we
can secure The data needed TO estimate the
military value of the successful prelimi-
| nary British advance.
Nothing of much Importance reaches us
| from Natal. Butler appears to have with
drawn completely from the upper Tugela
region Reports from Cheveley indicate
the imminence of some movement, and
! colonial opinion rather favors the idea
| that the British general may make an
! other Ranking movement against Joubert
| this time 10 the east. Anything may be
! true of a situation concerning which We
! are permitted to know but little and that
! not reliably. IL we were to theorize at all
| on the matter we should say that the
time is hardly ripe for Butler to strike a
! serious blow, unless il should happen that
| his adversary became weakened by drafts
! upon his force to defend BlOemfontein. In
that event, of course. it would be his bus
! mess to assume the offensive as vigOr-
ously as possible In the course of the
! next two or three days we shall probably
be able 10 see how important the Boer
movement toward the Central Railway
may be, and to learn how considerable a
force of Beers, il any. have been shut in
| al Maesrsfontein. If the menace TO his
base lines is not a grave one, and he has
no enemies 10 fight on the Modder, then
Lord Roberts ought to be able to produce
developments rapidly and force the Boer
hand generally. II Ladysmith is relieved
it Is more likely to happen in consequence
of Jouberts withdrawal to resist the in
vasion OF the Free State than on account
of anything Sir Redvers Butler can do by
! way Of direct attack.