The silver blade. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1895-1903, 1900-03-03
GEN. CRONJE SURRENDERED
TERMS WERE UNCONDITIONAL
Hemmed ina by q Superior Force,
With All Chance Of Escape Cut on
Gen. Cronje Yields to the Inevit-
able-Between Three and Four
Thousand Men-Will BE Sent ia
Cape Town.

London, Feb. 28.--The war office has
received the following dispatch from Lord
Roberts:
'Paardeberg, Feb. 27.-General Cronje
and all Of his force capitulated uncondi-
tionally at daylight and is now prisoner
in my camp. The strength of his force
will be communicated later. ! hope that
her majesty's government will consider
this event satisfactory, occurring as it does
on the anniversary Of Majuba."
Three Thousand Prisoners.
London, Feb. 28.-The secretary of
state for war, Marquis Lansdowne, an
nounced in the house of lords this after
noon that the prisoners captured with
General Cronje will be sent to Cape Town.
The Officers Captured.
The officers captured by Roberts besides
Cronje include the following well known
commanders: Chief Commandant VOL
verans, member Of the volksraad; Field
Cornet Frus, Scandinavian; Major Al.
brecht, a famous German artilleryman;
Major Won DEWITT, distinguished Ger
man officer, responsible for most of the
splendid engineering work of the Beers
since commencement Of the war.
Twenty-nine Transvaal officers were cap
tured and Is Free State officers were made
prisoners. The guns captured from the
Transvaal forces were three IS centimeter
krupps, nine one-pounders and one Maxim
gun. From the Free Staters the British
captured one IS centimeter Kr,,pp and
one Maxim gun.
Lord Roberta story.
London, Feb. 28.-The war Office has
received the following dispatch from Lord
Roberts:
"Paardeberg, Feb. 27.-From informa-
ton furnished daily to me by the inteli-
gence department it became apparent
that General Cronje's force was becoming
more depressed and that the discomfort
OF the troops and diseord among the lead
ers were rapidly increasing.
"This feeling was doubtless accentuated
by the disappointment caused when the
Boer reinforcements which tried to relieve
Cronje were defeated by our troops on
February %. l resolved, therefore, to
bring pressure to bear upon the enemy
Each night the trenches were pushed for.
ward toward the enemy's laager so as 10
gradually contract his position and at the
same time l bombarded it heavily with ar
tillery, which was yesterday materially
n I'D Nv ba 90 f,,, a.
itzers which had ordered up from DeAar.
In carrying out these measures the cap
tive balloon gave great assistance by keep
ing us informed of the movements of the
enemy.
The Canadiann.
A most dashing advance was made by
the Canadian regiment and some engineers
supported by the First Gordon Highland.
ers and the Second Shropshires, resulting
IN our gaining point some 600 yards
nearer the enemy and within about sol
yards of his trenches, where our men EN-
trenched themselves and maintained their
positions until morning. gallant deed
which l am glad to say was attended by
a comparatively slight loss.
"This apparently clinched matters, for
at daylight the letter signed by General
Cronje, in which he stated that he sur
rendered Internationally, was brought 10
our outposts under a flag of truce.
I'm my reply told Cronje he must pre-
sent himself at my camp and that his
forces must come out Of their lager after
laying down their arms.
Il received Cronje and dispatched tel.
egram to you announcing the fact. In
the course of conversation he asked me |
for kind treatment at our hands and also
that his wife, grandson, private secretary,
adjutant and servants might accompany
him wherever he might be sent. reas-
sured him and told him that his request
would be complied with. l informed him
that general officer would be sent to Cane
Town to insure his being treated with
proper respect while en- route. He will
start this afternoon under charge of Major
General Prettyman, who will hand him
over to the general commanding at Cape
Town.
"The prisoners, who numbered aboutl
1000, will be formed into commandos under
our own officers, They will also leave
here today, reaching Modder river tomor.
row, when they will be rallied to Cane
Town in detachments."
The above dispatch was read in both
the house of lords and the house of CON-
mons. The reference to the Canadians
evoked immense and prolonged cheering.
Balfour, government leader in the house
Of commons, said he had no information
relative to the Boer guns.
General Butler has reached the last
strong position OF the Beers, but his adj.
vance is slow. He has lost nearly 500 men
IN the last three days. The Beers are still
IN large force and enough were left in the
Natal to put up stubborn resistance At
every point.