Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1900-02-16
KIMBERLY RELIEVED
General French Said to Have Made
a Dash to the Beleaguered
Town.
BRITISH APPEAR TO DOUBT
A Report From Paris Is That General
French Did Not Steal a March on the
Enemy, But Was Trapped By
the Beers.


Enemy, But Was Trapped By
the Beers.
London, February 16.-The following
from Lord Roberts reached the war Of
flee this morning:
'Jacobsdahl, February 16. 2 a. m.-
French, with force Of artillery, caval-
ry and mounted infantry. reached
Kimberley Thursday evening""
FRENCH SURPRISED BOERS.
Riet River, Orange Free State, Feb
ruary A.-General French, with a cav
airy division and a strong artillery de-
tachment left Sunday for Rahmah,
twelve miles east of Enslin, where the
whole division lis concentrated. Next
day he made a rapid march to the Riet
river, where a party of Beers contested
his passage at Dekil and Waterfall
drifts. After some hours of Smelling
French drove the Beers away and
crossed the river. Yesterday the col
umn continued It's march to Kip and
Romdaval drifts on the Modder river,
where again a short engagement en-
sued, General French Smelling the Beers
and vigorously forcing passage. The
Beers precipitately retired, leaving five
laagers in the hands OF the British, be-
sides great quantity Of cattle and
1000 sheep. The rapdity Of French's
ma ynh 10 ND tho nuaru1, q l,,oi mo- piatt11ro IF
his force enabled him In spite of the
difficulties Of water transportation to
thoroughly outwit the surprised Beers.
The British casualties were slight.
Colonel Hannay, ON the way to Rah-
NAH, encountered 500 Beers with two
guns holding a kopje commanding
valley leading to the drift. The fighting
lasted all day. The Beers disappeared
during the night. Thirteen men report
ed missing from HannIay's force are
prisoners.
French now holds both the Modder
and Riet rivers, between the Beers at
Magersfontein and their base at Bloem-
fontein. Throughout the march the
Free State farms were respected, but
the owners almost invariably fled, TAX
ing their effects The health of the
troops is excellent, but sickness is prev
alent among the horses.
WAS FRENCH TRAPPED?
London, February 16, LAS p. m.-
While there is tremendous satisfaction
here at Field Marshal Roberts and
General French's success, those best
suited to judge of the situation are in
clined to an opinion, pending more def
mite information, that the news should
be regarded as assuring rather than
accomplishing the relief of the be-
leaguered city OF Kimberley. The ra-
pidity of Frenchs march indicates that
he was unable to take provisions and
whether he left the Tines behind him
open Is only a matter of surmfse. The
remarkable feature of Roberts laconic
cablegram is the fact that 1t is dated at
Jacobsdahl, which was General Cronje's
advance base of supplies. Had Lord
Roberts inflicted decisive defeat on
the Beers it is believed he would have
mentioned 1t. as such success would be
paramount Ito the relief of Kimberley
or throwing into that place garrison
which could assure its holding out.
French's force is estimated at be-
tween 5000 and 5000 men. What hap
pened to Cronje and the whereabouts
Of his forces puzzles the experts.
A dispatch from Cape Town, dated
February H. received this morning,
says 1.-The Beers are leaving Magers-
>fontein to re-enforce other positions. 1t
is estimated that between 1000 and 10,-
900 men remain there"
Lord Roberts wide turning move
ment via Jacobsdahl may have cut of
these troops from Bloemfontein, but
while the British forces are endeavor-
ing to intercept the Boer communica-
tions, There Is q parallel Boer column
trying to cut off the British from Deaar,
and 1t is apparently meeting some sue
cess, though later dispatches referring
to Clements retirement to Arundel say
the movement was undertaken for stra-
tegic purposes, and during the march
the Beers were driven off by "a heavy
fre, the Inniskillings charging bril-
liantly and inflicting great loss on the
burghers.
A Boer dispatch from Lorenzo Mar
ques, dated February 15, says the ini-
tial attack on Colesberg February IL
resulted in a federal loss Of nine men
killed, fourteen wounded and five pris-
oners. The British were driven out Of
their camp and one or both OF their
maxims captured.
News of French's entry into KIM
berley was received on the stock ex
change here with rousing cheers. De
Beers rose 1N, but subsequently fell ~
on Paris runor that General French
had merely fallen into a Boer trap.
y LONDON HAS NOTHING LATER.
London. February 16, 4:S0 p. m.-The
government leader, A. ]. Balfour, has
just announced in the house OF COM
ri1orls that the war office has no further
news from the seat OF war
KIMBERLEY RELIEVED.
Cape Town, February 16.-General
French, with cavalry. relieved Kimber.
ley last night.
NAVY GETTING READY,
London, February 16.-A Telegram
from Portsmouth says the admiralty
inquiries at naval ports resulted In th<
assurance THAT forty-seven addtttona
battle-shaps. cruisers and torpedo-boat
destroyers could forthwith hoist tht
,nosnsonnA fl.xn nxauad ltos. ,ssAau.ol