The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1900-02-24
COLENSO CAPTURED.
Beers Retire After a Slight Brush
with Hart's Troops.
South African Forces Yachting Britt
ish Territory Occupied by Them,
and Concentrating to De-
fend Their Own.

AAAGAA SSSAs
London, Feb. 21.-The Beers are
leaving all the positions held by them
on British territory and are concentrat-
ing for the defense of their own. Sir
Redvers Butler thinks they are about
to raise the siege of Ladysmith and
this is the important news of the day.
Force Greatly Diminished.
Gen. Clements reports that the
force confronting him has been great
ly diminished. Ten thousand men are
estimated to have gone from the
Colesberg district alone. The Beers
are also retracing their steps from
Zululand. Thus they are relaxing
their hold on all sides in order to as
semble to oppose Lord Roberts. lie is
pressing on steadily towards Bloem-
fontein. This is shown by his incon-
sequential telegram from paardcberg,
so or 60 miles away. Doubtless he is
miles behind the column that is pur-
suing the Beers and the next impor.
tant news may be the occupation of
Bloemfontein.
The Pursuit of Croni".
Nothing has been heard from the
chase of Cronje for two days. AL
though the last words of the war Of
flee Tuesday night were that there
was no news for publication, there is
a strong disposition to believe that
favorable information has been re-
ceived, but is being withheld until
the operations eliminate in some-
thing more conclusive. There is an
equally strong disposition to think
that Gen. Cronie has got away.
Hampcred by Lack of Transports.
Owing to the lack of transports the
British are not likely to invade Boer
territory, except where Lord Roberts
is operating. Gen. Butler will have to
stop at the Drakensberg mountains.
Probably part of his 10000 men will
ultimately join the legions of Lord
Roberts.
With the casualties just reported,
the British losses in killed wounded
and captured now aggregate 11,1O2.
British Take CoIcnso.
London, Feb. 21.-The following dis
patch has been received at the war
office from Gen. Butler:
Blows Farm, Feb 2O.-'rho fusileer
brigade yesterday took HlanSwana hill,
the right of the enemys position and COM
mandlng Colenso, the rest Of the force adj
Vancing towards the Tugela. This morning
the enemy has withdrawn all The troops
north OF the Tusela and had practically
evacuated Co.enso. To-day Gen. Hart oc-
cupied Colenso after very slight resist
ance by weak rear guard, and we hold
the line of the Tugela on tn" south side
from Colenso to Eagles Nest. The enemy
seem to be in full retreat and apparently
are only holding the position they occupy
across the Colenso- Ladysmih railway,
where 1t is close to the angle OF The Tugela,
Win a weak rear guard. Hunt's advance
guard is crossing al Colenso.
Our casualties yesterday and to-day
have, hope. been few"
Cronjc's Retreat.
London, Feb. 21.-A correspondent
of the Daily Chronicle, 1elcgraphing
Sunday, thus describes Gen. Cronje's
retreat with the Beers ut Magersfon-
tein, on learning OF Gen. Frcnch's
success.
ION Thursday at midnght. headed by
Gen. kronje, 5000 Beers with their heavy
guns and OK wagons, evacuated the Mag
ersfontein lines. AT dawi on Friday the
retreating Boer army WIS seen from the
British naval gun station on Kip Drift
kopje trekking eastward across the Brit
lsh front, at distance of 5000 yards Our
guns opened on them and a force of mount
ed infantry crossing the river made
dashing charge in the attempt to cut off
the head of the cnemy's column. But in
naI1 an hour their whole force had gained
shelter under a line of kopjes.
Meanwhile two of our batteries had
come up and the Oxfords. Bluffs West Rid
lngs ana Gloucesters. Our infantry crossed
the drift and for three hours were en-
gagged with the enemy while our batteries
shelled his position. The mounted infan-
try kept hard at work.
unable to Withstand our CALLING fire.
the enemy retired, dsputing every inch
OF the way, ard took up Il second position
on the koples to the eastward. It was a
magnificent spectacle TO see The Boer army
thus at bay. Their rear guard, 1000 strong,
dought US, while the main body trekked
further cast and then brought their guns
into action, while the rcar guard retired.
The action lasted through the day. Our
infantry fought splendd!y, but the enemy
neld his ground under the continued bonn
pardment. Later on the l'oor commander
ventured on a bold stroke. Leaving 1000
or MS men under cover, he withdrew the
rest IRON his main position and headed
80 mp I'M daI uIlll SlA ii.lcS 10 l1e east,
Ih1s movement was soon discovered
our mounted infantry came back across
the drift and marched along the south
Dank to endeavor to head off the enemy
When they reached the reighLorhood Of
Kip kraal drift, night had fallen and
halt the Beers were already across to the
south side. Our mounted infantry har-
assed their movements.
Meanwhile, the Boer rear guard, hav-
ing covered the crossing OF he main body
retired slowly and successfully passed the
drl1t The rear guard fought desperately,
and as it fell back to the RIVER II was har-
assed on the flank and rear by the British.
Having thus passed the Modder under
cover of darkness the Eoers trekked
throughout the night in the direction Of
Bloemfontein. Gen Keliy-Kenny, with
the Sixth division. pursued them at day
light, Gen. Macdonald, With the High
landers, following him. Macl lonald reached
Kip Kraal drift by forcpA marches Sun
day. Gen. Kelly-Kenny. moving from
Kip Kraal drift, was cl.dr"Voring TO out
flank the enemy and to cut them off from
Bloemfontein, SO as to drive them back
into Gen. MacDonald's !Al DIS. When
left the front Gen. Kclll Kenny had not
come up with the enemy"
Gold Coins for Costa Kica,
New York, Feb. ALA shipment to
Costa Rica of 50O,OVO colonies in gold
was made Monday by a New York
banking house. These pieces were
coined at the Philadelphia mint for the
Costa Rican government, and form
part of the new coinage of that coun-
try, resulting from its operations to-
wards the establishment of q gold
standard.