Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1900-02-27
.Cronje's Forces Have Ear More
Protection Than Was First
" Believed.
British Balloon Discovers a Sys-
TEN Of Borrowings B in the 4
River Bank.
Expected Surrende It Is Ad-
mitted, Is Several Days in
IS. & the Future.

By IONDONs EoD. ~ Ill Gh6 laGeSC 8Q1S-l
patches from Paarde deberg throw any
light on the situate on, they show that
General Cronje's IS forces have far more
protection from Field Marshal Lord
Roberts heavy fire than the first dis
patches indicated. A special dispatch
from Paardeberg published in the sec
3ond edition Of The Daily Chronicle and
dated Saturday, Feb. q, says:1
"a balloon has discovered the enemy
well covered by a system Of borrowings
Ii the river bank, which resembles a
rabbit warren and affords shell proof
positions" D" vi
This, perhaps more than any other
circumstance, explains why what is
looked upon here as General Cronje's
death struggle, is prolonged. Thus it
will not be much Of a surprise if q day
or two pass without being marked by
the surrender or annihilation of the
gallant band SO overwhe elmingly hemmed
in, though the closeness Of the invest
ment appears open to criticism. Small
bodies Of Beers, apparently are able to
make their escape, causing comparison
here between the Beers methods Of in
vestment, with their quickly dug, sur
rounding trenches, impossible barbed
wire, etc, and those Of the British. rs
Opinion of the Critics.
The military cities, though little bet
ter informed as to the commander r-in-
chief 3 motives than the public, are in
cined to the view that though the main
cause Of the prolong CATION Of the Paar-
deberg tragedy undoubtedly consists in
Lord Roberts being unwilling to risk
the great loss Of life which an assault
would entail. His delay is also prompt
ed by the subsidiary motive Of attract
ing to Paard eberg as many reinforcing
and relieving Boer units as viii come,
feeling strong enough to treat them as
General Joubert treated General Bull
ler's attempts to relieve Ladysnith. In
other words, Lord Roberts holds a posi-
tion almost analogous with that held SO
long by the Beers at Iadysmith. AS
General Cronje is reported to have
plenty Of food, the plan Of starving him
out can scarcely avail, So Lord Roberts
must either wait until his ANN ton,
which is said to be short runs ont, Or
those Of General Cronje's forces who
are counseling surrender, prevail. So
inde efnite is the information that either
of these alternat tives may occur at any
moment. In the meanwhile, Lord Rob
erts' engineers are sapping steadily to-
wards the Boer laager, and, according
to special from Paarde deberg dated Sum
day, Feb. 25, the Gordon is gradually
drawing closer. .ss I'LL 58
BuIler Discovers q Hornets Nest.
II General Butler 's march on Lad ysmith
4 is being marked by sharp fighting. a
Pieternaritz zburg dispatch Of Mondays s
date says he is still heavily engaged in
fighting In Grobler's kloof, General
Butler seems 30 have discovered q hoir-
nets nest. S#s4ss
IL Cape Colony, the British arms are
steadily advan cling.
n BarkIy East Is now ii their possession,
according to d dispat from that dis
Iict, the Beers evacua ting the place, re-
treating Oh Lady Grey and wiring Pres
ident Steyn for reinf forcements to pre-
vent their suTren
The Pretoria government proclaimed
Feb. % and Feb. ~ days of thanksgiy-
Ing and prayer, presumably il memory
|of the battle Of MajUba Hiil
IA dispatch from Kimb berley says it's
inhabitants have planned to erect q
statue to Cecil Rhodes, ia recogn nition Of