Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-02-17
Has Resulted in Great Joy
Throughout England.
LARGE CONVOYCApTURED
Generals Kelly : Kenny and
French Are Pursuing the
Beers and Have Shelled
Their Lager.

London, Feb. 17.-With General Cronje
IN full retreat and General Kelly-Kenny
harrassing his rear, hopes run high that
a decisive action will occur if it has not
already been fought.
Dispatches from Jacobsdal confirm this
belief, saying that General Cronje has
been obliged to "outspan," in other
words, form laager or camp in order to
rent his oxen.
This explains -Kenny's latest dis
patch referring to shelling the laager,
which also brought the long expected
word Of Kitchener's whereabouts. That
the general who so relentlessly pursued
the Khalifa to his doom is supervising
the pursuit Of Cronje adds greatly to the
confidence of the nation so eagerly wait
ing further news.
If General Tucker with the seventh
division is able to effect the projected
Junction with the forces of Kelly-Kenny,
while the ninth division under General
Corville is rapidly coming up from the
rear, the hero Of Khartoum should have
sufficient force to decisively engage
Cronje and prevent him from reaching
Bloemfontein with an effective force.
In the whole Modder district there is
sueh tremendous military activity that
it IS hard to realize the area covered or
q ssp the full meaning Of the move
me1ts.
The Beers, though retreating from Ma
ger sion tein are active elsewhere. "A spe-
cial dispatch from Orange river dated
Friday says. They are attempting to
cut the British line of communication at
Graspan but it is said they are not likely
to effect serious result. They are, how
ever, undoubtedly making a strenuous
effort to cut the British lines to De Aar.
On the other hand comes news that
General Macdonald has again occupied
Koodoosberg. What precautions Rob-
erts has taken against counter attacks
are not yet known, but the war Office and
public are thoroughly convinced that he
Is fully able to cope with all contin-
gencies and that If it is within human
possibility he will inflict a defeat on
Cronje that is so much more important
than the relief Of Kimberley, brilliant
as was the latter achievement
While Kelly-Kenny's or rather Kitch-
ener's dispatch, referred to the Boer rear
guard as being Cronjes it is still doubt
full IL that general is personally with 1T
more than one line of retreat.
The reported capture Of large British
convoy by Beers is still not mentioned Of
ficially. There is no news Of importance
from elsewhere at the seat OF war.
Dispatches from Capetown announce
that enthusiastic demonstrations followed
the announcement of the relief of Kim
berley. The government house was sur
rounded by huge crowds and the British
high commissioner and governor of Cape
Colony, Sir Alfred Miner, received an
ovation. The relief of Kimberley was
similarly celebrated in other towns of
Cape Colony.
The first unit of the special corps of
yeomanry called the Duke of Cambridge's
Own, left London this morning to en-
bark at Southampton for South Africa.
The corps is composed entirely of men of
good social position. Lord Abinger
wears a corporaIs stripes while Lord
Aylesburys son is trooper. Each man
had to pay f12O for the privilege Of join
ing, the money going to purchase their
outfits, while their pay is donated to the
fund for the relief of widows and child
rem of killed soldiers.
Immense crowds ovated the Gentle
men Rankers." as they were termed, on
their way to the station and the train
started amidst remarkable scenes OF en-
thusiasm. The Duke of Cambridge and
other titled remarkable scenes Of enthus-
iasRn, The Duke Of Cambridge and 9TH
er titled persouages went to Southamp-
ton to bid the yeomanry farewell.
Roberts reports the British casualties
during the fighting at Jacobsdal as fol-
lows: One killed. fourteen wounded AMI
three missing.