The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-03-02

LonaOs February 28.-From John
oGreafs to Lands End there has
been cheering today for the queen and
d universal singing of the national an
phem- This was mutual c~ongratula-
lions day and the Briton's way of cell
ebrattes the most cheerful day of the
war.
Already he is taking stock of the
situation n measuring the future.
There is no disposition to over-esti-
mate the success. The government en-
tertains no illusion. As announced in
the house of commons, 10000 addition
al troops will Immediately go out and
the effective will be kept near 200, 900.
ord Roberts has done more than to
capture 1900 Beers and a few guns. He
Is within striking distance Of one of
the Seer capitals and is master Of a
large district of the Free State. He
has given a shock to Boer confidence
and ~immeasurably restored the spirit
OF his own troops. In capturing Cen
erdt CrOnje he has taken a leader
whose presence alone was worth thou
sands to the Boer cause.
The best opinion here is that the
T~ransvaalers are certain to continue
the fight with undiminished yalor. but
1t is not so certain about the Free
StaterS.
ROBARTS' REPORT OF THE CAP
TURE.
London. February 81, $40 D. M
The war office has received the follow
ing dispatch from Lord Roberts:
"Paardeberg, IL o'clock Tuesday
morning. From information furnished
daily to me by the intelligence de-
partHent it became apparent that
General CrOnje's force was becoming
more depressed, and that the discOn-
tent of the troops and the discord
among the leaders were rapidly in
~creasing. This feeling was doubtless
accentuated by the disappointment
caused When the Boer reinforcements
which tried to relieve General Cronje
were defeated by our troops on Feb
ruary 23rd. l resolved, therefore, to
bring pressure to bear on the enemy.
Each night the trenches were pushed
toward the enemy's lager so as to
gradually contract his position. and
at the same time 1 bombarded it heav-
lily with artillery, which was yester>
day materially aided by the arrival of
four six-inch howitzers which 1 had
ordered up from De Aar. In carrying
out these measures a captive balloon
gave great assistance by keeping US
informed of the dispositions and move
ments of the enemy.
A DASH.NG ADVANCE.
At 3 a. m. today a most dashing
dvaRce was made by the Canadian
regiment and some engineers, uppOr
ed by the First Gordon H~ighlanders
and Second Shropshires, resulting in
our gaining about eighty yards of his
trenches, where our men entrenched
themselves, and maintained. their pO-
sitiOns till mOrning-a gallant deed
~~1
which. 1 am glad to say, was attended
by comparatively slight loss.
r This apparently clinched matters,
for. at dav break today. a letter signed
by General CrOnje, in which he stated
that he surrendered unconditiOnally,
was brought to our outposts under a
flag OF truce.
THE SURRENDER.
In my reply 1 told General Cronje
he must present himself at my camp
and that his forces must come out of
their laager after laying down their
arm. By Z o'clock a. m, / received
General CrOnje and dispatched a tel
egram to you annOuncin" the fact.
In the course of conversation he
asked for kind treatment at our hands
and also that his wife, grandson, pri-
vate secretary, %adjutant and servants
might accompany him wherever he
might be sent. l treasured him and
told him that his request would be
complied with. / informed him that
a general officer would be sent with
him to Cape Town, to ensure his being
treated with proper respect en- route.
He will start this afternoon under
charge of Major General Prettyman,
who will hand him Over to the general
commanding at Cape Town.
NUMBER OF PRISONERS CAPTUR-
ED.
The prisoners, who number about
= nAo will he formed into pOmm3n 6npS
under our own officers. They will also
leave here today, reaching the Modder
river tomorrow, when they will be
rallied to Cape Town in detachments."
The above dispatch was read in both
the house of lords and the house of
The reference to the Cana
dams evoke immense and prolonged
cheering.
NJ. A. J. Balfour, the government
leader in the house of said
he had no information relative to the
Boer guns.
Lord ODE has notified the war
office hat the number of BOer prison
ers approximates 1000, of which about
lao are citizens of the Orange Free
State. The remainder are citizens of
the Transvaal. Twenty-Five Trans
vaai officers were captured and eigh-
teen Free State officers were made
prisoners.
The guns captured from the Trans
vaai forces are three rs centimetre
KruppS. nine 1 Founders and one Max
i'm gun. From the Free Staters the
British captured one rs centimetre
Krupp and one Maxim gun.
FOREIGN OFFICERS CAPTURED.
The officers captured by General Rob-
erts, besides General Cronje include the
following we'll known
Chief Commandment M. ]. Wolverans,
a member of the vOlksraad; Field Cor
net Frus. a S~candinavian; Major AL
brecht. the famous German artillery
man. and Major Won Dewet, the dis
tingUiShed German officer responsible
for most of the splendid engineering
works of the Beers since the COM
mencement of the war.
BRITISH LOSSES.
The war office has received the FOL
lowing dispatch from Lord Roberts:
'~Paardeberg, February Pin a very
Sm..assf-l attank made by the ROYAL