The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1900-02-24
.CR0NJES DESPERATION
Britons Admire the Magnificent
Courage Of Boer Commander.
HEMMED IN ON ALE SIDES,

Exposed to the Terrific Fire of the
British Troops, the Sturdy Old
Fighter Refuses to Yield, Though
His Wife Urges Surrender.
London, Feb. 24.-Mr. Balfour an
nounced in the house of commons al
1890 this morning that no further
news regarding General Cronje had
been received by the government. He
had sent to the war office during the
hour, and he asserted that nothing
had come to hand there.
General Cronje, therefore, is pre-
sumably still unbeaten. No other con-
struction is placed upon the three days
silence Of Lord Roberts. Yet no one
sees how 1t is humanely possible, judg-
ing from the descriptions of his sit
uatioh Wednesday morning, for him to
resist SO long. Great Britain does not
withhold admiration for the valor of
losing fight against such odds.
"Englishmen feel something like
pride in Cronje, even as a foe," says
The Daily News. in position COW
,ering only a square mile. hemmed in
on all sides, circled with chain of
fire from rife. maxim and howitzer.
played on by deadly lyddite, bursting
in its own sickly green light, his
hastily built trenches enfladed by a
stream Of lead sweeping down the
river from the north bank, General
Cronje still elects to fight. 1t is mag
nificent courage"
General Cronje's wife is described by
the prisoners as urging him to sur
render In order to save the lives Of his
men, but he would not.
The British cavalry patrols sent by
Lord Methuen nor of Kimberley dis
covered the Bo IS concentrating,
whether for offense or defense is
simply conjecture.
The Beers seem to be retiring from
General Gatacre's front at Sterkstroom
in order to reinforce the Free Staters.
Ladysmith had not been relieved
when the latest news left Natal two
days ago. The Beers had then retired
half way between Ladysmith and Co.
lenso. II only 5000 went TO the Free
State, as both the Boer and the Brit
ish accounts assert, the 1900 who are
left may purpose to maintain the siege
and to resist General Butler within
contracted lines, although the impress
sion General Buffers headquarters
is tina. the Beers are merely covering
a retreat.
The following official war bulletin
was issued Wednesday at Pretoria:
"A report was received this morning OF
cannon firing west of Colesberg. At
Petrusberg cannon firing commenced
at in the morning. A big fight was
expected today. Dewet telegraphed
yesterday from Petrusberg that all was
quiet. except several cannon shots anu
small skirmishes Yesterday evening
the British stormed the federal posi-
lions as far as Schauzer, but were
driven back. A message from General
Cronje is to the effect that his loss
yesterday was IA dead and wounded.
Dewet's loss was nil.
"Commandant Fronoman reports
that from Feb. Is to Feb. 20 he was
almost surrounded by the British at
Modder River, when, with small
number of men he hro,,e tbroueh tho
river.
"On Sunday tbere WAC n be,vv Aobt
The British nronared IN Law sieoe tn
The BOer lager, with fighting general.
i've milcs from tho chjef Iaaper A.
night we cut our wav tbroueb with
he loss of seven dead and IN w~und-
Id The loss Of the British was heavy
we emf onr wav throneh r.
each Dewet who was in the Neigh