CORNERING THE RETREATING BOERS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 63, 15 March 1900, Page 2

CORNERING THE RETREATING BOERS.

LONDON, February 21

A private telegram received from Berlin this afternoon declares that Cronje is in a bad position, this bearing oat yesterday's Berlin rumour that he was surrounded and that a time limit had been given him within which to capitulate. The War Office announces that Generai Hector Mac Donald, commander of the Highland Brigade, was severely wounded yesterday. Mac Donald and his Highlanders were pursuing Cronje.

5.47 p.m, —The following despatch has been received at the War Office from Lord Boberts: —

"Paardeberg-, Tuesday, February 20. —Between. February 16 and February 19, Major Knox was wounded, Major - General Hector Mac Donald severely wounded and LieutenantColonel Aldworth killed."

The War Office adds that no details of the fighting have yet been received.

These casualties occurred in fighting near Paardeberg.

The War Office has received the following from General Buller:—

"Chieveley Camp, Wednesday.—The Fifth. Dlivision -ciroissed /fehe Tkigela river to-day by pontoon, and drove back the enemy's rear g^uard, our naval 12-pounder silencing all the

enemy's grins."

The War Office this eveningl announced that it had no news from other soui'ces. There is yet nothing to throw light on the main issue.

Regarding military conditions the critics in the afternoon papers express the keenest Siatisfactkra at the phase of the campaign, as revealed by the latest news drawing attention to the fact that, whether or not Roberts succeeds in effecting a decisive defeat, he ■has forced the Boers to release their grip on Ladysmith, Kimberley, Zululand and Lower Natal, though admitting that the siege of Mafeking may be made more severe by the arrival of a portion of the Boer force driven off from Kimberley, endeavouring to avenge itself on Colonel Baden-Powell

A dispatch from Pretoria, dated Tuesday, announces that Commandant Ferrerairas was killed Monday, adding that his death was believed to be the result of an accident.

A portion of the official report from Cronje, dated Sunday, has been o-iven out as follows:—

"Yesterday morning, about 6 o'clock while removing the laager near Scholtz Nek. we were attacked by the British. The fight lasted until 7.30 in the evening. Although on the whole the British were driven back, they each time resumed the attack. The loss i o the British must have been considerable Thus far the Boer loss has been 8 killed and 12 wounded. This morning the British shelled us with cannon. Chief Commandant Ferrerairas' force was too small to stop the cavalry from entering Kimberley.".

Berlin evidently believes the report that General Cronje is surrounded as large German buying occurred in'the Stock Exchange to-day. News has so often reached the Continental capitals ahead of England that it is possible

the reports are true. { Commandant Stein says that on" Satiurday, February 17, and Sunday, Feb. 18, near Koodoosrand, he fought 1 jthe British, who tried to encompass ' i General Cronje's laager, and drove «. 'them off. They fought until late Sun- I ; day evening. The Boers had one man V 'killed and one wounded and captured I j booty and twenty-one horses and | mules. General JDe Wet says that on ■ ! Sunday afternoon he arrived before I I Pardetsberg and Koodoosrand, i v .... | which direction there had been heavy 'firing since morning-. He stormed ■several kopjes which the British vacat- •' jed, leaving their dead and wounded = |and forty prisoners in the hands of 1* the Boers who captured the kopjes I' The Boer loss was two killed and four «■ wounded. The fight lasted until late F in the evening. |i

PRECISION OF BRITISH TACTICS;

JACOBSDAAL, February 16,".

General French's magnifleeit march is still The subject of 'admiration, especially in view of the M§ storms and thunder storms that; all experienced.

.Lord Roberts' combinations for tlwi movements of the corps clove-tailed with precision, although obstacles,, thai had not been foreseen had to be overcome. The execution of his ■ design began at 3 a.m.; Sumtay, : ; General French rode into Kimberlev on Thursday afternoon, just when he - was due, according to the .fteklmarshal's time-ta.ble, having- in four and a half flays marched ninety^ miles with artillery, and having fought two small engagements.

The relief of Kimberlev was accomplished 'with the loss .of only fin v men. Twenty thousand infantry made a splendid march under a- subtropical sun and through a ctyist storm to hold the positions whicli' General French took. . - j

Lord Kitchener was with Genera) Tucker's division. In consequence of his transport arrangement, tire four divisions moving- over the sandy Veldt are fed and watered. It is.hardly possible to appreciate adequately tie mathematical precision with ■ which every part of the Transport Depart" ment has worked, inarching through the day, toiling almost sleeplessiy; through the night, victualling, the army and evolving- every hour results; from seeming- chaos. ; -^

Everybody did wihat was expectedl: of him cheerfully, though enduring;; frightful fatigues. Few slept more i than three hours. The battalions?;' honr after hour, toiled through tlie.3 heavy sand uncomplainingly, and/ when now and then a man fell out of the ranks exhausted he would rejoin^ his coanpa.ny later after he had rested.': Some fifty or sixty were overcome Ay: the heat and had to be sent to the; rear in the backward defile of emptv^

wias"o-ons.

The rapidity of Lord Roberts', move; ments aiway from h's base has solvM ofne lof thef problems, perhans the chie<f problem, of the war. He and Lord Kitchener have created a rriob'ijft; fire, a.ble to move in exterior lines and to outflank the Boers, themselves-so wonderfully mobile. * ''■