The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-02-28
GEN. CRoNJE,s SURRENDER.

General Cronje's surrender has been so
clearly foreshadowed for several days that
it's effect has been partially discounted
both by the combatants and the public
generally. The dispatches have shown
that since he was pursued to standstill
and surrounded by General Roberts's
forces his position has been hopeless and
his surrender inevitable, unless he chose
the alternative of allowing his entire
force to be annihilated, thing modern
generals do not do if they can avoid It.
1t is possible General Cronje may have
thought there was a slight chance Of re-
lief from outside, and it is also possible.
as suggested in the dispatches, that he
held out as long as possible In order to
hold General Roberts's forces in position
and give the Beers time to complete other
movements. Either of these motives would
have justified him in holding out as long
as he did, even with inevitable surrender
staring him in the face, especially as it
will probably appear that his losses from
the British artillery firing were not very
great. Cronje. according to all accounts,
is shrewd and long-headed, as we'll as
brave and able. and it may turn out that
by deferring his surrender as long as possi-
BILE he has gained some important point
for the Beers.
The effect of the surrender will be two
fold-first, in the actual reduction of the
Boer fighting force, and, second. it's effect
on the morale of both sides. AS the Beers
probably have in the field every last man
they can raise, the capture of three or
| four thousand men, who cannot be re-
will be severe loss to them. 1t is not
as If they had a reserve force or teem-
| ing population to draw from. They can
not raise any more men. On their side,
| therefore, the moral effect in the way of
| encouragement will probably be greater
| justify. But 1t must be remembered that
| all the early victories of the war were in
| their favor, and If they have no reserve
| force Of men to draw upon they have a
| large surplus Of confidence. Perhaps,
| therefore. their disbursement from this
II =
| lived. AS for the British, there is moth
| ing in 1t for them greatly to exult over.
| 1t is the first important success they have
| gained, 1t was gained with a greatly SUI
rerior force and the enemy is still on
British territory. For the British it is a
| partial recovery of ground lost since the
| beginning of the war. 1t leaves General
Roberts free for other movements that may
smith and the retreat of the Beers north
ward, but there are Boer forces all about
| him and his movements will not be unob-
| structed. Yesterdays dispatches stated
/ General Roberts's vicinity might amount
| to $4,000 men, with 10000 to 200 more In
other parts. Thirty thousand men armed
| as the Beers are, fighting from one range
Of hills to another. might make General
| Roberts's further movements almost as
difficult as those of General Butler have
been near Ladysmith. On the whole. the
surrender Of General Cronje, though an
change the aspect Of the war nor bring
the end in sight. The Beers still have left
Il considerably larger force than the Brit
ish thought they were able to raise. and
if they adhere to the plan they have fol-
lowed hitherto, defensive warfare from
kopjes and trenches, there may be a good
deal of hard fighting yet.