The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-02-17
EARLY AFRICAN WAR NEWS
JOY IN LONDON OYER GENERA L
ROBERTS, SUCCESS.
Good Judges mt First Rather Careful to
Accept the News That Kimberley Had
Actually Been Relieved-Mystery as to
the Whereabouts of CroDje.


l. London. February 16.-1:45 P. NJ
It There is great jubiation over the sue
cess of Field Marshal Lord Robert
and General French.
e Early in the day the best judges O
y the situation were of the opinion tina
" Penclng more definite information, tn
= news should be regarded as assuring
rather than as accomplishing the relic
OF the beleaguered city Of Kimberley
careful study of the wording of Lore
Roberts's despatch leads to the belle
that the actual relief of the place i.
sui matter of time. Kimberley, it il
POINTED out, can scarcely be termed re.
lleved until it is feasible to take pro.
visions there. The rapidity of Genera
,, French's march indicates that he was
unable to do this, and whether he left
his lines behind him open is only a
matter of surmise. 1t is considered
most probable that this brilliant tao
tlcal success, for such it is under any
circumstances resembles the first re-
lief of Lucknow when the dispersal of
the enemy'S forces was by no means
Immediately effected.
Another remarkable feature of Lord
Roberts's cablegram is the fact that
1t is dated from Jacobsdal, which was
General Cronje's advance base of sup
plies. Yet there Is no word explaining
the British commanders presence
there, nor word of any opposition
which he or General French encounter
ed. Had Lord Roberts inflicted de-
| pjGiUa on, hn /
| ed he would have mentioned it, as such
a success would be paramount to the
rellef of Kimberley or the throwing in
to that place a garrison which could
insure it holding out. However, the
entry has been effected, and doubtless
brings joy to the hearts of those who
have been shut up in the city for 1922
days. Their defenders numbered
about 1000, while General French's
force is estimated at between 5000 and
5000 men. The Sixth and Seventh Di-
visions have already crossed the river,
and are probably with Lord Roberts at
Jacobsdal.
What has happened to General Cron-
je, and the whereabouts of his forces,
puzzles the experts. A despatch from
Cape Town dated Wednesday, Febru-
airy IA, received this morning says
The Beers are leaving Magersfon-
TEN to reinforce other positions. 1t is
estimated that between 1000 and TO-
900 men remain there.
Lord Roberts's wide, turning move
ment via Jacobsdal, may have cut off |
these troops from Bloemfontein. But, |
while the British forces are en- leavor- |
ing to intercept the Beers con:munica-
ton there is parallel Boer column
trying to cut off the British lines to
De Aar, and is is, apparently, meeting
with some success though latter des-
patches referring to General Clements's
retirement to Arundel say that the
movement was undertaken for strate-
gical purposes, and that during the
course of the march the Beers were
driven off by heavy fire, the Innis-
killings charging brilliantly and in
fiicting great loss on the burghers
A mutilated despatch from Cape
Town, dated Wednesday, February d. !,
says some grenadiers went through a
body Of eighty Beers four times and
that only seventeen of them escaped.
AS the grenadiers form part of the !
Modder river column this bayonet
charge may be connected with Lord
Robertss movement.
A Boer despatch from Lourenzo
Marques, dated yesterday, says the
initial attack on Colesburg, on Feb
ury II, resulted in Boer loss of nine
men killed, fourteen wounded and five
prisoners. The British, it is said, were
lriven out of their camp and one Of 8
heir Maxims captured.
despatch from an escaped cores
ondent referring to the condition of
is regarded as reassuring.
here is no further word from General
'uller, and nothing startling is ex- r
ected to take place in Natal in the
future.
According to a despatch from Chieve- Sc
~, dated Wednesday, February H. it r
as been ascertained that the British a
rtilery, during last weeks fighting, al
Andered two large Boer guns and one
ordenfedt ineffective. al
A Sterkstroom despatch of Wednes- Fl
ay, February H. says that Colonel al
ager, who was wounded and captured er
, Stornlperg, died on February 10. The
oers turned his body over to the hi
ritish at Molteno.
Riet River, Orange Free State, We'd
esday, Feb. 14-General French, in
Of the cavalry division, and re
it'll a strong force of horse artillery, tel
fl Modder River on Sunday morning w
r Rambam twelve miles east OF Ems AZ
l, where the whole division concen- de
ated. The next day he made rapid fee
arch to Riet River, where a party of
1ers contested his passage at Dekiel w
i'd Waterfall Drifts. After some str
urs' Smelling General French drove
e Beers away and crossed the river Pr
On Tuesday the column continued it's
arch to Kip and Rondaval Drifts on Ur
e MOdder River, where again a short of
gagement ensued General French at
ellings the Beers vigorously and fore ins
: passage. The Beers precipitately TO-:
ired, leaving five laagers in the hands Re
the British, besides a great number fur
cattle and 1000 sheep.
rhe rapidty of General French's NE
rich and the overwhelming nature of
force enabled him, in spite of the T
dculties of water transportation to His
-wit and surprise the Beers. The Mo
itisl casualties were slight o'cl
'olonel Hannay, while on his way to rea
mbam, encountered five hundred tur
srs, with two guns, holding a kopie
the valley leading to the "A
Tho fol oil ~