Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-02-23

| situation OF Gen. Cronje Tuesday even
ing, as sketched in the scanty kilograms
that have emerged from the SEMI
silence OF South Africa.
CRoNJE IN A BAD PLIGHT.
without trying to reconcile even the
scanty materials al hand, II seems
plain that Cen Cronje Is In q bad, and
| even a desperate situation. and that
the British are pressing their adyan-
tage.
While the attack on Gen. Cronje pro-
oeeds. there is a race for concentration
between the Beers and the British.
The engagement with Gen cronje's
| 5000 10 5000 intrenched men, Is likely to
/ become an incident In q battle between
| the masses.
The separate factions Of the Boer
power are rapidly drawing together to
| attack Lord Roberts. VIII Gen. Cronje
| be able 20 hold out until the Boer
masses appear, or II he does VIII they
then be able TO succor him? The Brit
| lsh are facing the Beers on ground
where the arms. tactics and training
OF the British are expected TO give them
the advantage
The Capetown correspondent OF the
| Daily Telegraph says Gen. Cronje's
request for an 0rmistice was a mere
| dodge 10 gain time 20 make trenches.
Lord Kitchener refused. but gave him |
| half an hour TO consider whether he |
would surrender unconditionally or |
fight to a finish. The Beers having said |
that their intention had been mimnder- |
stood and that they would fight TO the |
end the battle was resumed
....,.-,r q oon ,,r->-
The Daily News has the following |
dispatch from Modder river dated |
Wednesday afternoon, February 2lst: !
The Boer forces. under Gen. CronJe, /
are estimated at 5000 men. Al j. o'clock /
he asked an armistice Of twenty-four /
hours, which was refused. Later he
sent messenger TO say that he would
surrender,
The British general sent q reply
telling him to come into camp. Cronje
refused. saying there had been mis-
understanding, and that he would fight
u the death.
The bombardment was the re-
opened, and our lyddite shells set hre
10 the BOer wagons. We continued
shelllng the lager through the night.
and In the morning we resumed with
Maxims and rifles, principally from
the north side.
ION Sunday there was much waste OF
life In attacking, and the same result
viii be achieved without Il. During
Monday night seven Beers made an
attempt TO break through our lines.
bu, they were captured and their leader
was killed Four were carrying letters.
II IL believed that there was on other
who got through.
WHAT Beers ATTEMPTED.
"Other prisoners say that Gen. Cronie
marched from Magerstontein without
outspanning, distance OF thirty-thre
miles. Had he succeeded In escaping
Il would have been one OF the finest
performances in the annals OF war.
The Canadians made gallant
charge al the lager, but were driven
back with loss. Gen. Macdonald and
Gen. Knox are slightly wounded
A dispatch from Paardeberg Drift.
Orange Free state, Tuesday February
goth. via Modder river, Wednesday.
February 2lst, says:
Gen. Cronje's magnificent night
march from Magerstontein now APP
pears likely TO end in disaster The
main body OF the Beers is Enclosed In
a terrible death trap. The enemy are
hiding In the bed OF the Modder, COM
manded by the British artillery and
Enclosed on the east and west by the
British infantry.
WHOLE BRITISH FORCE EN-
GAGGED.
SUNDAY witnessed gallant stand on
the part Of the retreating foe. Tired,
~. stflI atrafu al |
front II Is somewhat difficult 10 ex-
plain the Sunday action In which all
the British forces were engaged, In
which Gen. Cronje, under difficult con
dltions, managed 10 hold his own.
ION Saturday night the British
mounted infantry came in touch with
Cronie's rear guard, driving them back
upon the main body. on Sunday morn
ing the action was renewed, but the
Beers, who had intrenched the river
bed during the night, prevented fur
Cher advance ~ the mounted infantry
in this direction.
Meanwhile the Highlanders brigade,
consisting Of the Seaforths, the Black
Watch and the Argylls, advanced from
the south bank and the Essex, Welsh
and Yorkshres formed a long line on
the left, which rested on the river. the
extreme right being the Welsh. The
whole line was ordered TO envelop the
Beers, who lined both banks OF the
river
THE firing soon became heavy. The
Beers. holding a splendid position, COW
cred the left OF the Highland brigade,
which advanced partly up the river
bed and partly In the open. while the
rest OF the brigade with the other regi-
ments swung around the front Of the
Highland brigade on the level. cover
less ground exposed TO a terrible fire,
which obliged the men to lie upon the
ground as they did for the remainder
Of the day. this being at 1880 In the
morning.
CLOSED IN on BoERs
Through the dreadful heat and a