New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-02-18
THE BOER RETREAT.

The salient feature of the days news from
South Africa is that the fighting general of
the Beers, with his whole army, is in full re-
treat General CrOnje has from the first been
known as the most aggressive and stubborn of
the Boer leaders, surprising even General Jou-
bert in those qualities, though scarcely his equal
in strategy To Lord Methuen at Magersfon-
TEN he gave of the most decisive and dis
heartening checks the British army has ever
suffered. But now he has abandoned his fort
resses at Magersfonten, his base of supplies at
Jacobsdal and his siege of Kimberley, and is
retreatiDg upon Bloemfonten. 1t might not be
an eyaggeration to use the word fight instead
of retreat, for he seems to be making for the
Orange capital with a haste that necessitates
the leaving behind Of his wounded and prison
ers and the loss of some of his trains of food
and ammunition. 1t is, indeed, much like the
fight of the British from Dundee to Ladysmith
And ii is fastened by the fact that General
KelIy-Kenny-whose name is so reminiscent of
Kilkenny 70 suggest almost infinite pug
nacity-is hot upon his trail with a force SUI
perior to his own and constantly growing
The interesting revelation is likewise made
that Lord Kitchener-whose whereabouts has
been for some time profound mystery-is with
General Kelly Kenny. That apparently indi-
Gates the purpose Of the movement after Gen
erdl bTODge 10 De something more IMAM 10 chase
the Beers away from Kimberley. 1t will not be
surprising If IL turns out to be movement with
Bloemfontein and Pretoria as its detectives
General kelly-Kenny we are told started with
the Sixth Division. General Tucker with the
Seventh Division. has crossed the Riet River
east Of Kofyfontein, which is itself dozen
miles east of JacObsdal and is hurrying I'D TO
join General Kelly-Kenny. That Junction when
effected, If not already effected will presum-
ably be still further east, perhaps In the neigh
borhoOd Of Petrusville. And General ColyilIe
with the Ninth Division, is following closely
after General Kelly-Kenny, TO overtake and
join him. That will mean, then, that midway
between Jacobsdal and Bloemfontein say fifty
miles from the latter place, Lord Kitchener of
Khartoum will be at the head of twenty-five
thousand men, in pursuit of General Cronie and
his ten thousand who must choose between
fighting and fleeing. If he does the former-or.
as well may be, is forced TO do 1.-THE chances
Will be against him, for he will have to fight q
superior force In a country where the natural
will be with his foe rather than
with him. For the country between JacobsdaI
and BlOemfontein is open and level. II he
chooses the latter, he may get safely across the
Kaal Spruit and into BloemfonteIn, there IA
sustain a siege by a superior force In place not
well fortified and not susceptible of good forti-
fcation. The result of either course can scarcely
fail to have depressing effect upon the Orange
State men in the field They have all along felt
that they were dragged into the war TO serve
Transvaal interests rather than their own They
VIII not relish the idea OF remaining around