Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-02-24
CRONJFS SURRENDER
IS HOURLY EXPECTED.
THE ONLY WONDER IN ENGLAND IS
THAT HE HAS HELD OUT
so LONG.
HAMMERED BY FIFTY BIG GUNS
THE TRAPPED BOERS FOR DAYS
HAVE SHOWN DESPER-
ATE VALOR
While Hoping for Reinforcements
From JOubert's Army-In Face OF
q Storm of Lyddite Shells They
Refused to Surrender, Although
the. Only Alternative Appeared to
BE Annihilatfon.
WAR BuLLETIN,

WAR BULLETIN,
DURHAM, February %, evening"
The rumor gains credence that
Ladysmith has been relieved. 1t Is
also reported that Gen. Cronje has
surrendered 5000 men and that
Gen. Kitchener has been slightly
wounde in the left arm. Crowds
throng the street singing and
cheering because of supposed VIC
tories. Seventeen hundred Beers
have been killed or wounded, the
latter is reported including Gen.
Cr0nje.
CHIEVELEY, Thursday, February
22.-The main body of the Beers has
fed, evidently with the object of
stemming the advance of Lord Rob-
erts.
LONDON, February PA dispatch
to the Daily Telegraph from PETER
harrisburg, dated Thursday, says;
uFighting is proceeding in the
vicinity of Pieters this morning.
Gen. Buffers advance is being op-
posed by both big gun and rifle fire."
LONDON, February "a, AIS a. M
Mr.. Balfour announced in the House
of Commons at half-past twelve this
morning that no further news re-
garding Gen. Cronje had been re-
ceIved. He had sent to the War Of
fee during the hour and he assert
ed that nothing had come to hand
there.
Gen. Cronje, therefore, is presum-
ably still unbeaten. No other con-
structiOn is placed upon the three
days silence of Lord Roberts.
Yet no one sees how it is humanity
possible, judging from the descrip-
tions of his situation Wednesday
morning for him to resist so long.
Great Britain does NOT withhold adj
miratfon for the vaIOr for a losing
fight against great odds.
"The Englishmen feel something
like pride in Cronje, even as a foe,"
says the Daily News.
GIN a position covering only
square mile, hemmed in ON all sides.
cfrcIed with q chain of fire from
rife, maxim and howitzer, played
on by deadly lyddite, bursting in it's
own sickly green light, his hastily
built trenches enfiladed by a stream
of lead sweeping down the river
from the north bank. Gen. CrOnje
still elects to fight. 1t is magnif-
cent courage"
Gen. CrOnje's wife Is described by
The prisoners as urging MIN to. sur
render in order to save the lives of
his men, but he would not.
LONDON, February 23.-Eyery hour
T. 10 hyiv, Nf Gc.Y, Orion
les surrender On all sides wonder is
expressed that the gallant yet CHASTITY
battle at Paardeberg drift has not yet
ended in what is considered to be the
inevitable. With fifty guns bearing
upon the devoted band within the ter
ribly short range of 1000 yards, sur
render or utter humiliation can be the
only result, unless all reports of the
strength of the Boer achievements
are wrong. The critics canvas every
untoward contingency that can affect
Field Marshal Roberts and see moth
ing that can save Gen. Cronie from the
terrible wise in which he has been
caught. Even an Unexpectedly strong
attack on Lord Roberts lines of COM
munication could scarcely, according
to these experts, materially alter the
result. Rumors were current this
morning that the end of the struggle
had actually come, but these emanated
from information received by the
Rothschilds, which they subsequently
discovered to be utterly without found
alton.
The severe losses incurred by Gen.
Kelly-Kenny, Sunday, have produced
IL 1@,,4 to- @;,,t
ed out that had he fought less furi-
0usly he would have given the Beers
The opportunity to entrench themselves
and perhaps effect further flight to
more advantageous position.
Gen. Buffers progress toward Lady
smith is so slow that it scarcely ap-
peals to public interest. Gen. White
appears to be still full of fight and to
be endeavoring to assist Cen. Butler
by vigorous bombardment.
Advices received at Cape Town yes
terday said it was reported the British
were gradually driving the Beers out
CT Northern Cape Colony and that
many of the burghers had recrossed the
Orange river.
PAARDEBERG, February 20.-To-
day was the third day of Gen. Cronje's
Imprisonment and grim resistance.
Carly this morning the infantry en-
gaded the. enemy in the bed of the
river, driving him back short dis
lance. The morning sun disclosed the
Beers toiling like ants on entccnch-
ments around their lager. 4 few
shells were fired to prevent them from
continuing the work, but most of the
day was quiet.
Gen. French's artillery was heard off
to the east, presumably engaging the
Beers reinforcements.
Every opportunity was given the
Beers to surrender, but when toward
afternoon there was no sign of such
intention, Lord Roberts determined to
crush once and for all Gen. Cronje's
resistance. On the south bank of the
river at a range of about 1000 yards.
three field batteries and two naval p
Founders were positioned. On the
north bank, and enfilading the whole
river, one howitzer, three field bat
tories and three naval Al guns were
placed. Then followed the most won
derful scene 1t was ever my lot to
witness. Once before, in Thessaly, I
esnd sSoan IN puma In ocfiou hat Yevar