The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-02-27

February 23-YesterdAy the Brts1A
crossed the Tugela In large numhogA
with cannon and over sixty wag0A
They attacked the Ermelo and At60e
burghers' commandoes. but were fore-
ed TO retreat under heavy Man1er
fire A renewed attempt to storm tAe
Ermelo men was made this morning.
but the British were again riven e.
The fighting continues. The Britain
losses were very heavy. Eight amno-
lances were employed In collecting eAE
dead and wonded. The generals repese
bravely. Ladysmith fred a few shells
this morning at our outposts uAtA
silenced by Long Tom"
KRUGER SAYS ALL Is WE'LL
New York. February "A oaA2e
dispatch from The Hague to q pro0H
nent Dutch resident Of New Yosk
printed In the Evening Journal says:
dispatch from President KrlgeR.
Free State and Transvaai forces -
gether south OF Paardeberg Rem
forced and well entrenched.'
Mr.. wILKINSON'S RESUME OF
THE SITUATION.
London. February 24-Spencer VII
kinson. summarizing the weeks events
in the war in South Africa for the As
sociated Press said tonight:
''On the night OF Thursday. February
18th. General Cronje marched out forlh
Magersfontein between French. Whe
had just entered Kimberley. and Gea-
eral Kelly-kenny. then at Kip drtct
on the Modder river The next day
General Kelly-kenny pursued hi0.
attacked his rear guard and delayed
him until the Highland brigade was
on its way to stop him on the sousA
bank OF the Aodder and Genersa
French could pass him on the norsh
bank.
After a three days running fight.
General Cronje was stopped at Koo-
| doosrand, near Paardeberg where De
was surrounded. His force was be
tween the river banks. which gave him
| defensive position facing either way.
| so that attacks on him involved heavy
| loss, but he was held until Tuesday
when Lord Roberts arranged TO grp
| upon him with girdle OF infantry -
| his position, while cannonading him
! with fifty guns enfilading the river bed
| In the meantime Lord Roberts with a
| spare division or two beyond the three
| brigades holding Cronje, set himself ID
| intercept and drive away any Boer re-
| Inducements.
| I'VE have little news beyond We'd
| nesday. OnThursday the shelling sf
| Cronje was continued at intervaA
continuous shelling probably involving
too lavish use of ammunition. Boees
have been giving themselves up by
fifties a day. On Tuesday Lord Rob-
erts drove off reinforcements coming
| from Colesberg and from Natal.
| "A Berlin representative declares
| that Cronje has forced his way
through This is improbable. but may
| refer to a small party who may have
escaped in the night.
Lord Roberts advance has drawn
| away some Of the Boer forces from
| Colesberg, Sterkstroom and Natal. a
Is seen from the diminished resistance
| to the British at all those points.
General Butler, after taking I'M
| lave hill, has crossed the Tugela river
and, according to the latest kilograms,
has been fighting continuously since
Thursday morning. This looks like a
decided attempt TO relieve LadysmftA.
| wherein I expect General Butler W.
| succeed IL he does not as before. n
| terrupt his advance by stopping %
count his losses and declaring that y
has lost enough. A general has nev>r
lost enough to justify the giving ~
of Ais enterprise. so long as his troops
are willing TO go on with him. Lady
smith can probably hold out for severn
weeks longer and in that time the 81
feet of Lord Roberts advance WI
probably be even more marked than h
| hos y.t been