The Irish standard., 1900-03-03
THE sURRENDER..oF cRoNJE.

AAA SOANANAANDANkoA NANOANJAs
Alter stubborn fight of ten days
against overwhelming odds, during
which the British enemy lost 1900 in
killed and wounded, General Cronjc,
the lion OF South Africa capitulatcd
with all his force to General
Lord Roberts. Instead of having
an army OF 5000, as reported by the
British, he had only half that number
and few pieces of ordnance OF small
calibrc. The fact that he held out so
long against an army twelve times his
strength stamps him as one OF the great
est military men Of any age. His cap
ture is crushing blow to the Boers
He it was who kept Methuen at the
Modder river dazcd and dumfounded at
the resistance offered to his advance
He was the captor of Jameson and his
consprators, and was hated by the
British and loved by the Beers. Every
sympathizer with republican liberty is
sorry that he is prisoner, and that his
countrymen are deprived of his services
in the field
His gallantry and military skill elected
admiration from even the British them
selves, and it is said that Lord Roberts
complimented him on the defense he
had made. Surrounded as he was on
all sides by powerful enemy, with shot
and shell hurled against him from a
hundred guns, the wonder is that he
held out for a single day. He made a
mistake in delaying his famous retreat
SO long and was forced to give battle
in a spot that afforded him no advan-
tages against the overwhelming force
he had to encounter. A Napoleon
could not have done better than Cronje
under the circumstances. No reinforce
ments came to him, as they we're
checked by General French with his
cavalry. 1t is thought that Cronje held
out longer than he would have done to
enable the Beers to concentrate their
forces for the defense OF the Orange
Free State capital. The fact that no
heavy guns we're found with Cronje
points to the supposition that he had
sent them forward from the Modder
River before he began his untimely re-
treat. The British are sure to hear
from them before they reach Bloem-
fontein.
The surrender of Cronje is serious
blow to the cause of liberty in South
Africa, but the fight is far from being
over. There are six generals still left
who are his equal as commanders. The
Beers do not appear to have as big an
army as was supposed, and if the battle
is to the strong the British will ulti-
mately win. 1t will be at terrible
sacrifice, however,. for every foot OF
ground to Pretoria will be contested by
determined men whose motto is Lib
erty or Death" The British may lose
$4,000 men before conquering the Beers
but what difference does that make to
Chamberlain and Cecil Rhodes? They
are willing to lose ten times that num-
Der for British "paramountcy" in the
dark continent. Unless Russia or
France interferes we see no brilliant
prospect for the Beers at this writing.
The United States will not interfere, for
under the present administration it is
only republic in name. The eagle is
yoked with the lion and liberty will be
crushed out in the Boerland without a
word from tire SUCCESSOR Of 11aiiii1 W W1asii1i11g=
ton, who is deaf to all entreaties to offer
his good Offices as mediator.
AS we go to press the relief of Lady
smith is announced by General Butler,
who has been slowly advancing from
the Tugela for the past ten days. The
greatest loss in his army occurred
among the Irish regiments, which were
decimated en- route, as they were in the
van. 1t is too bad to see them die in
such an unjust cause, but their native
land is we'll rid of some OF them. The
queen thanked her "bravc Irish SOL
diers" for rushing against deadly Boer
trenches, but her sympathy is nothing
less than buncombe. The English SOL
diers have been kept in the rear while
the Irish, Scotch and colonial troops
have been pushed to the front for
slaughter. 1t is good enough for them.
If the statement be true that tobacco