The age-herald., 1900-02-26


 IlsaHHa,. Hs0u Ftrat 2ase1
 
 correspondent visited it. The position was found to be wonderfully strong naturally, and to form tine real key to the position in the case of defense against Boer rein forcements advancing from the east.
 Our first contact with Ladysmith Boers was sia;-ulsrly unfortunate for them. A great deal of forage. provisions, and equip ment was captured and the kopje was fre- quently dotted with blood, showing that many wounded had been removed.
 The Boer method of removing their dead is to tie couple of reins to the body. which is thus dragged off by two horsednen at full gallop.
 There were several pourpariers to-day on the subject of a short armistice It seems that General Cronje is willing to surrender, but that the young Transvaalerh refuse The other beleagured Boers are anxious to give up.
 A British doctor who visited the Boer lines to see the wounded found the trenches along the river full of wounded and saw many dead.
 A deserter who came into camp last night says that yesterdays bombardment was ap- palling in its effects, especially in the case of the howitzers batteries enf1lading the river. | Position Practically the Same l The position to-day is practically bne same The Boers are strengthening tnelr entrenchmerfts around the laager, but the case is hopeless The capture of the kop9e to-day has given the British splendid po- sftfon, and will prevent relieving force reaching Cronje. Everybody admires the splendid stand of the burghers, but from Humanitarian point of view, it Is considered that further resistance on the part of General CrohJe viii be criminal.
 Every shrNpnel shell finds a. victim, ana ,,nless a miracle occurs his force must pc -uined out or captured. The former result is terrible to contemplate; but although It would require a few days, 1t would be easy to accomplish.
 Today Lord Roberts sent General Cron1e an offer of a safe conduct for the women l and children, together with free pass to | any point for them, and also an oHer or 1 doctors and medicine. Cronje's reply was
 a curt refusal, and desultory sheAing was |
 l resumed.
 Artillery shelling continued during the 1 early part of last night. As soon as the 1 last gun was fired the Shropshires. who had been occupying the rIver bed since Sunday. rushed forward, seized an addi- | ton two hundred yards of near ground, and entrenched a fresh position before day | break. At dawn General Cronje found | rsf
 Shropshires had done excellent work under
 a galling fire since Sunday, and they were relieved by the Gordons today. 1 some Amusing Features 1 The exchange of positions had its anus
 ing features, in spite of the danger. The l Gordons crawled on their stomachs to the 1 trenches, and the Shropshires crept out of
 these fby actually reaching over the Cor dons.
 The scene of the last five days fighting i is one of the prettiest spots in South Af-
 rica. The river at the point where General i Cronje is ensconced and fighting for life resembles some parts of tine Hudson river, l the ground all around sloping toward the i stream. All the highlands are covered by British artillery. Cronje is faced in the
 front and rear from both banks by the
 British, while General Frendh's horses far away on the Hanks prevent a sudden in
 rush of Boers.
 During the artillery firing last evening | the mules of the E5ghty-second battery.
 which had remained hitched to the car
 riages, suddenly stampeded and galloped 1 off en masse. but today the wagons with | one exception were recovered.
 General French has sent in 75 prisoners | A British patrol eight miles to the wes 1 discovered thirty Boers wandering away | and coralled them. Already this force has l captured four hundred and sixty of the enc my, while many dead Boers have been ! seen.
 The Boer prisoners are all depressed al I the present course of the war, and they
 comment bitterly upon General cronje's | persistence, which they call murder"
 Today a German ambulance attached t'
 the Boer forces was allowed to traverse thu
 British lines in front of Jacobsdaal. Quantities of cattle, sheep and trek oxei
 have been captured while wandering iron
 the Boer laager.