The Wilmington daily Republican., 1900-02-28
CR0NJE'S SURRENDER
has Caused General Rejoicing
Throughout Great Britain.
FOUR.THoUsAND BoER PRISONERS
To BE Taken to Cape Town Escorted
by british TrOops-British Govern
to the Front.

by british Troops-British Govern
Mcnt VIII Continue Sending Men
to the Front.
London, Feb. 2S.--From John
O'Groats to Lands End there has been
cheering today for the queen and
universal singing of the national an
them. This, with mutual congratula-
tons, is the brightest way of celc-
brating the most cheerful day Of the
war.
The cause of the rejoicing is General
Roberts dispatch from Paarderberg,
Feb. q, in substance as follows:
From, information furnished daily
to me by the intelligence department,
it became apparent that General
Cronje's force was becoming more de-
pressed and that the discomfort of the
troops and the discord among the lead
ers was rapidly increasing. This feel
ing was doubtless accentuated by the
disappointment caused when the Boer
reinforcemenIs which tried to relieve
General Cronje we're defeated by our
troops on Feb. %. l resolved, there
fore, to bring pressure to bear on the
enemy. Each night the trenches were
pushed forward towards the enemy's
laager, so as to gradually contract his
position, and at the same time bonn
barded it heavily with artillery, which
was yesterday materially aided by the
arrival of four 6-inch howitZers, which
l had ordered up from De Aar. In
carrying out these measures captive
balloon gave great assistance by keep
ing us informed of the dispositions and
movements Of the enemy.
"At a. m. today a most dashing
advance was made by the Canadian
regiment and some engineers, sup
ported by the Eighteenth Gordon High
landers and Second Shropshires, re-
sulting in our gaining point some 900
yards nearer the enemy and within
about so yards Of his trenches, where
our men entrenched themselves and
maintained their positions till morn
ing, gallant deed worthy Of our CO.
lonial comrades, and which, am glad
to say, was attended by comparatively
slight loss.
This apparently clinched matters.
for at daylight today letter signed by
General Cronje in which he stated
that he surrendered Internationally,
was brought to our outposts under a
flag Of truce.
"In my reply I told General Cronje
he must present himself at my camp
and that his force must come out Of
their laager after laying down their
arms. By a. m. | received General
CrOnje. In the course Of conversation
he asked for kind treatment at our
hands and also that his wife, grandson,
private secretary, adjutant and SER
wants might accompany him wherever
he might be sent. | reassured him and
told him his request would be COM
piled with.
"The prisoners, who number about
1000, will he formed into commanders
under our own officers. All, including
General Cronje. will be sent to Cape
Town. General Cronje is in charge of
Major General Prettyman."
There is no disposition to over esti-
mate the success The government en-
tertains no illusion. AS announced in
the house Of commons yesterday, 10000
additional troops will Immediately go
out and the effective will be kept near
100000.
Lord Roberts has done more than to
capture 1000 Beers and few guns.
He is within striking distance of one
of the Boer capitals and is master of a
large district Of the Free State. He
has given shock to Boer confidence
and immeasurably restored the spirit
of his own troops. In capturing Cronje
he has taken leader whose presence
alone was worth thousands to the
Boer cause.
The best opinion here is that the
Transvaalers are certain to continue
the fight with undiminished valor,
but it is not SO certain about the Free
Staters.
3 Tomorrow the whole Of Lord Roberts
army, say $4,000 men, will be ready for
a fresh advance, if indeed, the start
be not made today. The objective must
be the next Boer army of importance
which is in Natal The next move,
therefore, with a view of drawing the
Boer army from Natal, implies an ad-
vance on Bloemfontein or some point
on the railway between Bloemfontein
and Winburg, which would sever the
connection between the Beers in Natal
and those south of the Orange river.
The effect of the Paardeberg victory
will probably be movement north
ward of the Boer forces south of
Orange River. In Natal the effect will
be moral rather than strategical. The
effect Of elation on one side and OF
depression on the other will be equal,
for the moment, to the addition of a
brigade to General Buffers forces.
Lord Roberts has not allowed the
corps Of descriptive writer's with him
to supplement his. plain narrative as
yet, and there are some points in
doubt. 1t is not clear whether the
1000 prisoners include those taken in
small parties before the capitulation or
what has become of the rest of the
Beers who held the Magersfontein