Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1900-02-18
THE OPERATIONS REVIEWED.
The Weeks Work of the British
Forces Under General Roberts
Explained by Spencer wilkinson.

me weeks Work of the British
Forces Under General Roberts
Explained by Spencer wilkinson.
LONDON, February 1S.-A. Spencer
Wilkinson, the military expert re-
viewing the situation in South Africa
for the Associated Press, at midnight
says:
Lord Roberts has begun his cam
paign by striking at the principal
Boer force in the western theatre of
war-that of Commandant Cronje,
covering the siege of Kimberley.
In little over three weeks Lord
Roberts had completed the organiza-
ton of his force. He then quietly
massed some fifty thousand men. four
infantry divisions and cavalry diyis
ion near the selected point, reaching
Modder river station ON Friday Feb
ruary 8. He must have put his troops
in motion with the least possible delay
Tor on Monday the action began. 1t
was an attempt to turn the Boer posi-
ton by march round it's left or
eastern flank.
On Monday Gen. French's cavalry
seized the passages of the Riet river.
southeast of Jacobsdal. and were at
once followed up by two infantry divis-
ions. On Tuesday the cavalry moved
north and seized the crossings of the
Modder river, the infantry following
at their heels. On Thursday when
one division of infantry was on the
Modder and the other close behind it
between the two rivers, the cavalry
moved forward toward Kimberley. dig
persed the besiegers from the south
eastern front and opened connection
with the town.
The same day the troops from the
old camp at Modder river station open
ed communication with Jacobsdal.
which had already been taken. Thus
Lord Roberts had a semi-circle around
the Boer position of the Magersfon-
TEN, from Kimberley on the north to
Modder river station on the south.
and possibly the line was prolonged
from Modder river station to the
northeast so that Gen. French might
hope by passing through Kimberley,
complete the circle and enable Lord
Roberts to envelope and capture
Cronjes whole force.
This was the result hoped for. The
plan was brilliantly conceived and Wig
orously executed, but Cronje has been
able to evade the blow When Gen.
French reached Kimberley it was
found that Cronje with the bulk of his
force had moved off toward Bloem-
fontein- apparently by the Boshof
road, or by a shorter route along the
north bank of the Modder. The iaasers
and stores abandoned and the convoy
captured prove that Cronje left in
haste and one of Gen. Kelly-Kenny's
brigades was last reported as pursu-
ing and engaging the Boer rear guard
Gen. Kitchener is experimenting the
pursuit, which may be effective.
"Of the First and Ninth divisions
no mention has been made in the tele-
grams and the inference is that a part
of the design is as yet undisclosed. .
Possibly their function is to complete
the circuit on the west. Perhaps, too,
a force is making to the eastward,
south Of the Modder river, to intercept
Cronje. though as the mounted Beers
cover thirty miles day, no infantry
can catch them. If part of the Boer
forces may have retreated to the
northwest, toward Barkly, and will no
doubt be pursued.
There can be no doubt that Kim
berley is relieved and that the rail-
way will soon be reopened. This is a
success, but the more valuable result
the destruction of part of the Boer
army-has not been secured. 1t can
not be said, in the circumstances that
this is attributable to weakness in the
British generalship which seems to
have been excellent"