The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-02-23
Cr0njs Refuses Roberts De-
mand TO Surrender.
BOERS In A DEATH TRAP.
Asked for an ArmistiGe, But II
Was Refused Them.

Terrible Fight Stin in Progress
Around Paardeberg-FuriO Bonn
bardment Maintained on the Boer
POsitioDs-CrOnje's ReinfOrcements
Cut OG-Must Continue to Fight or
Lay Down His Arms-BattIe Sunday
and Monday WAS "A Repetition of
the Terrible MOdder River En-
counter.
London, Feb. 2S.-The Daily News has
The following dispatch from Modder river,
dated Wednesday Feb. 211
The Boer forces under Gen. Cronje are
estimated az 5000 men AT p O'Clock he
asked an armistice for twenty-four hours,
which was refused Later he sent mes
eenger to say that he would surrender.
The British general sent a reply telling
him to come into camp. Cronje refused,
saying there had been a misunderstanding
and that he would fight to the death.
The bombardment was then reopened,
and our lyddite shells set fire to the Boer
wagons. We continued shelling the Boer
lager through the night, and in the morn
ing we resumed with Maxins and rifles,
piihCApdliy AApAl tlAC i4Ot IL S4SN-
"On Sunday there was much waste of
life in attacking, as the same result could
have been achieved without it.
During Monday night seven Beers
made an attempt to break through our
lines, but they were captured and their
leader was killed Four were carrying
letters. 1t is believed that there is one
other who got through.
"Our prisoners say that Gen. Cronje
marched from Magersfontein here with
out outspanning, a distance of thirty-three
miles. Had he succeeded in escaping it
would have been one of the finest perform
ances in the annals of war.
The Canadians made gallant chargs
at the lager but were driven back with
loss. Gen. Macdonald and Gen. Knox
are slightly wounded"
Dodge to Gain Time.
The Cape Town correspondent of the
Daily Telegraph says:
Gen. Cronje's request for an armistce
was mere dodge to gain time to make
trenches. Lord Kitchener refused, but
gave him half an hour to consider wheth-
er he would surrender unconditionally or
that their intention had been misunder-
stood, and that they would fight to the
end, the battle was resumed"
To n Finish or Surrender.
Cape Town. Thursday Morning, Feb. %
In reply to Gen. Cronje's request for an
armistice of twenty-four hours, to allow
him to bury his dead, Lord Kitchener told
the Boer commander that he must fight
TO a finish or surrender Internationally.
Gen. Cronje's position is reported hope
less.
The British have occupied Barkly West.
CrOnje Making Last stand.
London. Feb. 90, a. m.-Gen. Cronje is
seemingly making his last stand. He is
dying hard, hemmed in by British infan-
Try, and with shells from sixty guns fail
ing into his camp.
on the third day of the fight the Boer
chief asked for an armistice to bury his
dead.
Fight to finish or surrender uncon-
didonally," was Lord xitchener's reply.
Gen. Cronje Immediately sent back word
that his request for truce had been mis-
understood and that his determination
then as before, was to fight to the death.
The battle went on.
This was the situation of Gen. Cronje
Tuesday evening, as sketched in the scan
~ kilograms that have emerged from The
semi-sienoe of South Africa.
officially Lord Roberts wires that he
has scattered the advance commanders
OF the reinforcements that were striving
to reach CrapiA II ie repa rda1 as simon
lar that Lord Roberts wiring Wednesday
should not mention the appeal for an
armistlce on the previous day, and also
that the war office should withhold good
news II it has any.
Without trying to reconcile even the
saanty materials at hand. it seems plain
chat Gen. Cronje is in a bad and even
desperate situa ton, and that the Brit
ish are pressing their advantage.
Race for Concentration.
While the attack on Gen. Cronje pro-
ceeds there is a race for concentration be-
tween the Beers and the British.
The engagement with Gen. Cronje's five
70 eight thousand entrenched men is like
ly TO become an incident in a battle be-
tween the masses. The separated fac
tions Of the Boer power are rapidly draw
ing together to attack Lord Roberts.
VIII Gen. Cronje be able to hold out un-
VI the Boer masses appear, or, IL he
tdoes, will they then be able to succor
him? The British are facing the Beers
on grounds where the arms, tactics, and
training of the British are expected to
give them the advantage.
Gen. Rullar accordtag M a dfsna trf