The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1900-02-23
CRONJE HEMMED IN s?
War Office Said to Be Keep
ing Good News.
BUTLER ALSO REPORTS VICTORY.
Captures HInngwane Hill, a strong
Position Occupied by the Beers.
The Burghers Tell of the Cap
ture of British Provisions.

Position Occupied by the Beers.
The Burghers Tell of the Cap
ture of British Provisions.
LONDON, Feb. 2O.-A member of the
cabinet told Mr.. Ii. w. Lucy last night
that the war office had received tele-
gram announcing that General Cronje
was hopelessly surrounded.
Mr.. Wyndham was beset by anxious
meIlbers of the house, but would only re-
ply that the governments news was ex-
tremely satisfactory. The sole explana-
ton of the government Withholding good
news is that confirmation and more de.
tails are awaited.
The situation as disclosed by CORE
spondents over the Free State border is
fShtalizing to the public expectation. The
Elementary facts are that the Beers are
trekking eastward toward Bloemfontein
with slow moving baggage trains and
that they are pursued by Lord Kitchener,
with General KellyKenny's division.
General Macdonald, with the highland
ers, made a forced march to KoOdoo's
Rand ford and on Sunday pushed 20
miles eastward. General French left
Kimberley Saturday, going east along the
Modder river. Lord Kitchener is trying
to outmarch and to outfank the Beers,
thus checking their retreat if possible
and driving them back into the hands of
Macdonald and French.
The war Office message communicated
TO Mr.. Lucy seems to indicate that Lord
Kitchener has either got ahead of the
Beers or is about to realize his plan and
that the war office waits to announce
decisive result.
Meanwhile Commandant Delarey, with
the Beers from Colesberg, is hanging on
to the right flank of the British pursuing
columns, seeking to delay their movement
and so to assist the Boer wagon trains to
escape.
Students Of topography think the Beers
will hardly risk fight until they get into
che rough country.
The Chieveley correspondent of The
Daily News, telegraphing yesterday,
says:
1--WE now occupy all the hills to the
right OF Colenso on this side of the Tuge-
Ia, including Hlangwane, which the
Beers evacuated last night
This capture of Hlangwane hill Is of
great strategical Importance, as the hill
commands the flank of the BOer defenses
at Colenso. A successful advance and
the recapture of the railway may be ex-
pected.'
A dispatch to The Daily Mail from
Leurenco Marques, dated Monday, says:
According to advices from Pretoria,
the Beers are expecting a big battle on
the Tugela. They claim that 20 of the
Wiltshires were killed at Colesberg and
that 80 wagons with forage and provisions
were captured, but no ammunition. They
TINS describe the lighting at Kimberley:
. "Hhe British came through Blaun-
bank and attacked in two columns. While
the Beers were busily engaged with
Lord Roberts General French, with
1000 cavalry and six guns, succeeded in
breaking through the Boer lines. The
Beers did not seriously oppose General
Prench's advance, but confined their eff
forts to preventing the provisions get
ting through In this they succeeded,
capturing 1000 head of cattle, 100 wag
ons of provisions and 100 men,
A dispatch from Jacobsdal, dated Feb.
16, says:
Lord Roberts combinations for the
movement Of the corps dOvetailed with
precision, although obstacles that had not
been foreseen hadsto be overcome.
"The execution of his design began at
3 a. III. Sunday. General French rode
into Kimberley Thursday afternoon just
when he was due according to the field
marshal's timetable, having in four and
half days marched 80 miles with artil-
bery and having fought two small engage
ments. The relief of Kimberley was ac-
complished with the loss of only so men.
Twenty thousand infantry made splendid
marches under a subtropical sun and
through a duststorm to hold the positions
which General French took.
1.-The rapidity of Lord Roberts move
ments away from his base has solved one
of the problems, perhaps the chief prob
lem, of the war. He and Lord Kitchener
have created a mobile force able TO move
in exterior lines and to outflank the
Beers, themselves so wonderfully mobile
THE position of the Boer army at
Spytfontein being untenable, General
Cronje ordered retreat. At the mo-
ment this dispatch is written it is I'M
certain whether his whole force or only
portion has gone toward Bloemfontein.
1t is possible that a part Is going north
of Kimberley.
TT is supposed that % ton gun is still |
in the neighborhood of Kimberley. The |
road from Jacobsdal to Modder station
is now open"