New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-02-23
TO A FINISH.
Continued from first page.

sions with heavy losses. fifty prisoners being
taken
The natural inference from General Roberts's
message was that Cronje's forces were beset
On all sides and that the British artillery was
Smelling the position effectively "Wednesday,
while General French's cavalry division and
horse artillery were driving back the COM
mandoes which endeavoring to rescue the
beleagured army. A portion Of these reinforce
ments came from the hills around Ladysmith,
as was admitted by the prisoners taken by
French's troopers. 1t is also evident that the
commanders from Colesberg lowering
among the hills not far from Cronje's lager,
east of Paardeberg. French's losses were trivial
in these skirmishes with Ladysmith and Coles
berg commanders.
THINK CRONJE WILL BE CAPTURED.
Press dispatches meagre. but they encour-
age the Englishmen TO believe that Cronje's
force will be captured. One received by the
Central News states that there was severe
fighting Monday and Tuesday. and that a Wig
shell fire maintained Wednesday
upon Cronie's position. Cronjes force de-
scribed losing heavily in men, and doomed.
Another correspondent refers to continuous
hghting throughout Sunday and Monday, and
TO the stubborn resistance offered by the Beers,
and ADDS that Cronje asked for armistice
Tuesday. The armistice was not granted If 1t
was asked for, since Lord Roberts describes the
bombardment of the enemys position that day
and French's successful operations against the
Boer reinforcements. While a temporary truce
was needed for the burial of the dead and the
care Of the wounded the obvious effect would
be to give the Boer renforcements time to
come up
Sundays action is described by Reuters and
other correspondents an all day fight, not
unlike that Of General Methuen at Modder
River. General Kelly Kennys division caught
up with General Cronje at Koodoosrand Drift,
drove in the rear guard. maneuvred on the
flank and attacked the lager on the north
bank OF Modder River. The British guns
in action throughout the day, and three brigades,
including the Highlanders. were exposed on
open ground. where there was no cover. The
battle was renewed Monday, and fifty guns
were directed against the Boer position. The
losses were heavy both sides. the Dutch
casualties being estimated at 500 A kopje held
by the enemy taken Wednesday with
fifty prisoners. but this apparently an ad-
vance guard OF a considerable body of reinforce
ments. which had been beaten back
General Roberts's telegram to Lord Salisbury,
read in the House OF Lords, is proof that the
situation was unchanged yesterday. General
Cronie had been cut off from his renforcements
from all directions. and surrounded and I'M
der heavy artillery fire. General Roberts had
net only relieved Kimberley. but had put the
besegsns under siege the way to Bloem-
fontein. and temporarily, at least had beaten
II ck the Boer relief forces. The campaign had
suddenly become a problem of concentration
both sides. General Roberts had massed five
divisions, including his cavalry, where the
enemy had been reducing their forces. This
concentration had compelled General Cronje to
raise the siege of Kimberley and retreat The
second advance of Lord Roberts, eastward
forced the Dutch to draw off their forces from
Coiesberg and Stormberg and abandon the whole
campaign In Natal The Dutch concentration is
now going Oh. with the advantage of internal
lines Of communication. 1t will involve, sooner
or later. the massing of all available British
Teinforcements first at Paardeberg and thence
on the line OF advance northward.
RELIEF RUSHED TO KIMBERLEY.
There was no fresh information at the War
Once at midnight except report from General
Roberts that food. forage and coal going
rapidly TO Kimberley; that the mines would soon
he In operation, and that the population of the
adjacent district was settling down.
There was no news from General Butler yes
terday. but his silence attributed to delay in
completing a bridge and obtaining supplies for
IGcysmith. The relief of the garrison is conf
IDENTITY expected to-day. If the town has not al
ready been reached by Warrens brigade. While
u q BOer forces were still IN sight to fight rear
guard action and obstruct the passage OF Bull
lcr's column, IL was hardly credible that serious
assistance would be offered TO his advance Cen
eral Roberts had virtually deprived the Dutch Of
iheir objective points east and west, and COM
. peeled them to mass their forces in the Free
i "tate for the rescue of General Cronje and for
the defence Of Bloemfontein and Pretoria
The total casualties of the war on the British
t5e are officially reported as l02S4
The record Of charities was broken last
night at Covent Garden, where q concert organ
lied by Lady Lansdowne and Alfred Rothschild
yielded over $4,000 Boxes ran I'D to f25O and
stalls ranged at five guneas. Programmes were
sold by dozen pretty girls of the West End
dressed as vvandieres in crimson and white.
with gold braiding and blue ribbons Nine.
Patti was the chief singer, but Edward LLOYD.
Johannes Wolff and Alvarez were on the pro-
gramme novel feature was the performance
Of an amateur banjo. mandolin and guitar band
enthusiasm reached its eliminating point when
Nine. Patti sang the national anthem to the
accompaniment Of a big orchestra and massed
bands IN
PROGRESS OF BULLER'S RELIEF COLUMN
MORE SIGNS OF BOER RESISTANCE NORTH
OF THE TUGELA