THE PROGRESS OF THE WAR.

Evening Post, Volume LIX, Issue 45, 22 February 1900, Page 4

THE PROGRESS OF THE WAR.

Cronje has at latest managed to elude his pursuers, though his rear is being harassed. If he has but 6000 men with him, it seems odd that General French with 10,000 of cavalry and field artillery cannot head and hold the " fire-eater" until Lord Kitchener with General KellyKenny can come up and quench him. And if Cromje has moved with only 5000 men from Magersfontein, what has become of the restV Either the number of the garrison was greatly over-estimated or many must have scattered to all points of the compass to make their way to Bloemfontein or Pretoria. It may be, and not unlikely, that during the time that Cronje hod Methuen " bailed ud " a

large part of the Boer force was diverted to Cole&berg, and these are now, under Delarey — 10,000 strong — hanging on the flank of Kelly-Kenny. At Magersfontein it now appears - that the British only found one poor forlorn " ten-pounder," Cronje and his burghers, though not having time to eat their dinners, stopping long enough to get away with all their heavy guns. Surely if the Boer leader with but a poor 5000 men, dragging heavy ordnance and a huge train of supplies, can move 130 miles across open country and get clear of the 50,000 British who aie more or less upon bis heels, he nyist be a wonder. And he oannot be now far from Bloemfontein, probably not more than two days' march. 'As we have said before, we do not expect him to get there without sacrifice of all the impedimenta of his army ; but if we do not get news of this or of his defeat or surrender within 48 hours, we shall be prepared to learn that he has thrown himself into the town with all h|s military train intact. The Free State capital is not fortified, as are Pretoria and Johannesburg, but if it has been decided to make a stand there the heavy guns that were put in position south of Norval's Pont to check the advance of French from Colesberg are probably by this time ready to speak for Bloemfontein. In Natal things are going well, so well indeed that we may soon expect to hear that Ladysmith has been relieved. At last General Hart was crossing the Tugela at Colenso — where Sir Redvers Buller met his first reverse— find the Boers were falling' back northwards. As Buller commands the lower drift of the river, and the enemy is withdrawing from all these outlying positions, it would seem certain that Joubert is moving his forces by way both of Van Reenen's Pass and Majuba to the defence of the Free State and the Transvaal respectively. Still, the Boer general may yet have a surprise in store for Buller, and we shall not be surprised if Grobler's Kloof has something to say before Ladysmith is reached. Otherwise that town will, unless the unexpected happens, be released from durance lust so soon as the enemy have made their dispositions to draw off their guns, munitions, and commissariat supplies in safety. It would, of course, be a great achievement could Buller get 'twixt Joubert and his "back-door" in the Drakensbergs, because with the aid of the men of Ladysmith he might quite well, after trying conclusions with his adversary, pass though the "back-door" himself, and lock it behind him. Broadly applied, that would mean the end of the war, as the Transvaalers would be locked up in Natal, while Buller commanding all the passes could move with utmost expedition to join Lord Roberts in his invasion of the Free State and the Transvaal. The likelihood is, however, that Joubert will move off when it suits him, and will hold the passes in his rear in such force that Buller may find that the least costly and most expeditious way to transfer his troops to the Free State will be by transport from Durban. However, there is small doubt that Joubert, with the greater part of his army, will get there first, and this it is that makes it of so much importance that Lord Kitchener should catch and keep Cronje now.