The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-02-18
VICTORY FAR FROM
BEING COMPLETE

London, Feb 17.-Spencer Wilkinson,
/ the military expert, reviewing the sit
uation in South Africa for the AssO-
ciated Press, at midnight says:
Lord Roberts has begun his cam
paiSn by striking at the principal Boer
force in the western theatre Of war,
that OF Commandant Cronje, raising
the siege of Kimberley.
In a little over three weeks Lord
Roberts had completed the organization
Of his force. He then quietly massed
some $4,000 men, four infantry divisions
and a cavalry division, near the Sc
fected point. reaching MOdder River
station on Friday. Feb. s. He must
/ have put his troops in motion with
the least possible delay, for on Mon
day the action began 1t was an at
/ tempt TO turn the BCer position by
march around its left or eastern flank.
on Monday General French's cav
airy seized the passages of the Riet
river southeast Of JacObsdal. and were
at once followed up by two infantry
divisions. On Tuesday the cavalry
moved north and seized the crossings Of
the AIOdder river, the infantry follow
ing at their heels. On Thursday, when
one division Of infantry was on the
MOGder and the other close behind it
between the two rivers, the cavalry
moved forward toward Kimberley, dis
persed the besiegers from the south
eastern front and opened connection
with the town.
Encircled Boer Position.
"The same day the troops from the
old camp at NIodder River station
opened communication with JaCobsdaI,
which had already been taken. Thus
Lord Roberts had a semi-circle around
the B0eT position Of the MagersfOntein.
from Kimberley on the north to Mod
der River station on the south, and
possibly the line was prolonged from
MOGGeT River station to the northwest
so that General French might hope, by
passing through Kimberley, to com
plete the entire circle and to enable
LORD Roberts 20 envelope and capture
Cronjes whole force.
This was the result hoped for The
plan was brilliantly conceived and Wig
orOUsly executed, but Cronje has been
able to evade the blow. When General
French reached Kimberley 1t was
found that CrOnje, with the bulk of
his force, had moved off toward BlOem-
fOntein apparently by the BoShOf road.
or by a shorter route along the north
bank OF Ile MOQGeI. Inc IddgeHS ana
stores abandoned and the convoy cap
tured prove that Cronje left in haste.
and one Of General Kelly-Kenny's bri-
gades was last reported as pursuing
and engaging the BOer rear guard.
General Kitchener is supporting the
pursuit which may be effective.
"Of the First and Ninth divisions no
mention has been mace in the tele-
grams. and the inference is that a part
of the design is as yet undisclosed.
Possibly their function is to complete
the circle in the west. Perhaps. too.
a force is making to the eastward.
south of the MOdder river, TO intercept
Cronje though as the mounted Beers
cover thirty miles a day, no infantry
can catch them. A part of the Boer
force may have retreated to the north
west. toward Barley, and viii no
doubt be pursued.
But Beers Got Away.
There can be no doubt that Kim
berley is relieved and that the railway
will soon be reOpened. This is a sue
cess but the more valuable result-the
destruction of part of the Boer army
has not been secured. 1t cannot be