The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, February 27, 1900, Page 1

\ - The —— VOLUME LXXXVII-NO. 89. SAN FRANCISCO, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1900. PRICE FIVE CENTS. UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER OF CRONJE IS ANNOUNCED LONDON, Feb. 27, 8 a. m.—It is officially announced that General Cronje surrendered with his whole army unconditionally at dawn this morning. LONDON, Feb. 27.—The War Office has received the following dispatch from Lord Roberts: “PAARDEBERG, Feb. 27, 7:45 a. m.—Gen- cral Cronje and all of unconditionally at daylight and are now . prisoners in my camp force will be commu that her Majesty’s Government will con-*: sider this event satisfactory, occurring as ¢ . * it does on the anniversary of Majuba.” Sl ONDON, Feb. 27.—Dis- patches containing lists of casualties were the only of- ficial news received from Gen- eral Roberts yesterday, and down to a late hour this morning the situation at Paardeberg, with Cronje securely held prisoner, was apparently unchanged. The precise point reached by General Buller in h urth ad- iysmith is not ce towa reported to progress is ubstantial 1 1 tly been attend- ed by severe fighting, as the cas- issued yesterday by show that on and Saturday killed, one as e officers thirty-four wounded and Not a single word unters has yet been correspondents the last position which be carried before Lady- by the relief exceedingly strong 7 cost the Brit- The Boers are a d fight, but hey know that the Lady- is reached perate rison are utterly unable to co-operate with Buller, which y be the case, they are run- great ks in contesting strong British them dnd an- ng ound w forces in front of other in their rear. In well-informed circles it thought that no official word likely to be received of the Na- tal fighting until the last and hardest gain the great ridge south of Ladysmith has been decided. is is struggle to There were the usual rumors | at the clubs last night that Cronje had surrendered, but the War Office announced after mid- night that it knew nothing of this reported collapse. From Ladysmith come reports | that the Free Staters have left the neighborhood and that the 3oers are retreating. Yet it is believed here that the 1 fighting of the entire r confronts both Roberts and er. The Daily News has a atch from Lourenzo Mar- ies which stites that 3000 burghers have left Ladysmith for the Free State; that the Boers are concentrating thirty miles outside of Bloemfontein; I 1e Free State Government is moving to Winburg, and that forcements from all parts are pressing through Bloemfontein President Steyn, ac- g to this story, has tele- hed President Kryger that Lord Roberts is within a few hours of Bloemfontein, and urges that every male, irrespective .of nationality, should be comman- deered. President Steyn is said to favor peace. According to unofficial re- ports which reach London the Boer commander’s position is rei | Colonel Plumer that, fearing the natives his force capitulated . The strength of his L R e S i R * 23 + ¢ + ! L4 + @ * P nicated later. 1 hope| | (@t eIt e e bed ed el | ¢ |® L B o R S = B 2 e L R R R R R ol ) e R S B Sk e o LONDON, Feb. 27.—The Dally 1 has the following dispatch »m Paardeberg, dated Sunday: “There are about 4000 belgaguered General Cronje’s camp, exclu- of the losses he has ditherto ained. His wife is not with | [ | 44444494244 9490 2 22000050 him, although there are women and | Iren in the camj. | he Boer position 1s now almost + | ely confined to the river 4| bed. The enemy are entirely at | sercy, but Lord Roberts is 4 | g them with great consider- 4 | G | | from motives of humanity. | &0&00#00006000&0%. | hourly growing worse. British engineers are sapping up to his position from both sides of the| | river, making regular siege | trenches, which will bring the British closer to the Boers daily until they are near enough to make an assault. Lord Roberts’ | | guns mow command every point | | of the Boer position. One thing | seems clear—that Cronje took | away with him the big guns that used to reply to Methuen’s na- | val weapons along the Modder River. That is no small feat of itself, for if they could be taken back to Pretoria they would strengthen materially the defcnse| | of that city. | o 5 Mot | CHIEF LINCHWO MADE REPRISALS LOURENZO MARQUES, Monday, Feb. 2.—A. dispatch from Gaberones, dated Thursday, Feburary 22, says: “Chief Linchwo has reported that he made reprisals from the Boers near Sequant, killing a few men and capturing | several wagons and oxen. There were some casuaities on both sides. “The Boers at Crocodile Pool- notified AR RS ® + . The Ascent of Majuba Saturday Night. ANNIVERSARY DAY OF THE BATTLE OF MAJUBA HILL. t Each Side Will Make Herculean Efforts To-Day to Crown the Event With a Victory That Will Go Down in History. et e e e e ) The Tescent of Majuba Sunday Morning. (From the London Illustrated News, 1881.) THE ANNIVERSARY OF MAJUBA, FEBRUARY 27, 1881. “Remember Majuba,” the British Battlecry. ] Feb. 26.—It 1s said that Lord Roberts and General Buller have concerted together to strike heavy the anniversary of the defeat of the Britishat Majuba Hill in the British-Boer war of 1881 LONDON, home blows on February 27, PRETORIA, February 27 as a day of thanksgiving and prayer. is the anniversary of the defeat of the British at Majuba Hill, Feb. 27, 1831; which ended the last Transvaal war. “Remember Majuba,” the Boer Inspiration. Feb. 26.—President Kruger has proclaimed The day The memory of Majuba Hill is cherished by both Briton and Boer—by the former to avenge the disgrace, and by the latter as an inspiration to like deeds. direful day have - cooled none of The nineteen vears that have elapsed since that eventful and, engendered. the feelings that were then for the British, Majuba Hill is a prominent and peculiar height, a few miles south of the Transvaal border, standing 2000 feet above the plain below and 7000 feet above the level of the sea. On his defeat at Laing’'s Nek a short time before, Sir George Colley, the British commander, decided upon occupying the summit of Majuba, as giving him an Impregnable position, commanding all the approaches to and from the Transvaal. Brigade, the Fifty- plateau about 1000 yards long, with a saucer-like depression in the center. Boers under General Joubert, and after five hours’ hard and incessant fighting, during which they lost more than half of their number, the British troops broke and fled. Sir George Colley was killed as he followed his men, and Sir Hector Mac- Donald, now commanding the Highland Brigade, with Lord Roberts, was taken prisoner. prominence in the present war were at Majuba Hill, as were many of the rank and file now fighting in South Africa. General Sir Redvers Buller was then on the staff of General Sir Evelyn Wood, the commander in chief of the British forces, and took part in the negotiations and signing of the treaty of peace which followed on March 10 and ended the war. would attack the wounded, they had placed their hospital within the ‘laager. Colonel Plumer replied that the ambu- lance would of course be respected, but the Boers, he said, could not expect good behavior from the natives while they were invading the territory of the natives. Wt g g LUMSDEN’S HORSE DEPARTS FOR THE WAR CALCUTTA, Feb. 26.—The departure of Lumsden’s Horse to South Africa to-day was a brilllant event. Immense crowds assembled to bid the troops farewell, the docks were profusely decorated and the highest officlals were present, the Viceroy % | dispute the invasion of Lord Roberts. Lady and Lady Curzon arriving In state. In his Curzon received a royal welcome. farewell speech the Viceroy said: ou go as the tide of fortune seems to have turned in our favor. May it carry you on its crest to Pretoria.” —_— CRONJE'S MEN WOULD NOT LET HIM SURRENDER NEW YORK, Feb. 26."Even if General Cronje wanted to surrender his men would not let him do so. Every one is deter- mined to fight to the bitter end. There- fore American newspapers are in error when they state that the general is fool- hardy in resisting so desperately. On Saturday night, February 2, with detachments from the Gordon Highlanders, the Rifle ighth Regiment and the Naval Brigade, he ascended and occupled the top of the hill, which is a They were attacked at daylight by a force of Many other British officers of i an e ot o e ols Sl e o o o B R e SHCS SR This statement was made to a reporter by Philip Lenter Wessels of Bloemfon- tein, brother of the President of the Volksraad of the Orange Free State, who arrived here several days ago to raise funds for Boer widows and orphans. “And even if General Cronje’s forces should surrender,” added "Mr. Wessels, “that would not end the war. We have done the British no wreng and we have never deserved the underhanded tricks they have employed upon us since the first.” George W. Van Siclen, president of the American-Boer Council, announces that he has just forwarded $2000 for Boer widows and orphans to Treasurer C. de Villlers of the Afrikander Committee of the Legislature at Cape Colony. i @ BOERS ASSEMBLE NEAR BLOEMFONTEIN TO DISPUTE THE BRITISH INVASION ¢ ONDON, Feb. 27, 4:20 a. m.—The Boers are assembling an army near Bloemfontein with which to This intelligence comes from Pretoria by way of Lou- renzo Marques. The commandos are described as ‘“hastening from all quarters of the two repub- lics.” No estimate is made of their numbers, but the withdrawal of the Boers from most of the places where they have been in contact with the British, except the district near Ladysmith, may raise the re- sisting force to 30,000 men. This figure assumes that the Boers have between 60,000 and 70,000 men in the field. The gathering of this army across the path of Lord Roberts gives significance to Gen- eral Cronje’s steadfast defense. He has engaged the corps of Lord Roberts for ten days now, and whether he is relieved or not he has given time for the dispersed Boer factions to get together and prepare posi- tions to receive the British advance when Cronje is overcome and Lord Roberts moves forward. It is difficult to conceive that the Boers are strong enough to take the offensive and to rescue General Cronje from his precarious situation. The War Office had nothing after midnight to indicate his collapse, and he may hold out for a few days. The correspondents seem to have no exact information respecting his resources. Some say he has plenty of food, but is short of ammunition. Others assert that he abandoned his food supplies but kept abundant supplies of cartridges. ¥ B o B e e e e a L a2 e o0 Goschen Declares the Peace Con- vention at The Hague a Thing of the Past so Far as War- ships Are Concerned. In Introducing the Naval Estimates in the Commons the First Lord of the Admiralty Says Great Britain P S S Pedebede P 0'94r0A0-1M4 ‘4-“—0—0—0—’04— R R M&H*—Q—o—o—o—‘—o—o—o—w *o -t \ L SS9+ LONDON, Feb. 26.—The War Of- fice to-day Issued an additional list of the casualties sustained by the Fifth Brigade, under General Bul- ler, February 23 and 24, which in- cludes seven officers killed, twenty- three wounded and one missing. General Buller's death lists con- tain the names of three licutenant colonels—Thackeray of the First Royal Inniskilling Fusillers, Still- well of the Second Royal Dublin Fusiliers and Thorold of the Royal Welsh Fusillers. An additional list of the British casualties at Paardeberg, February 18, is issued and gives a leuten- ant and eight men killed, a lieuten- ant and seven men missing and thirty-eight men wounded. AR e e B e o e e e e ] AR aas s St S R § | | NOT RAISING THE SIEGE. LONDON, Feb. 27.—Winston Churchill, in a dispatch to the Morning Post from Frere Camp, dated Sunday, says: ““The idea that the Boers are raising the slege of Ladysmith is premature. - The advance Is being pursued in the face of the most stubborn opposition and of heavy loss. President Kruger's grandson is among the Boer killed.” Mr. Churchill then proceeds to describe the heavy fighting of Friday, in which the Inniskillings approached within 500 yards of the summit of a rocky Boer position and then gallantly charged in the face of a hall of bullets. He says: ‘“After repeated attempts, however, and having lost heavily, they recognized that they were unable to prevail. Neverthe- less, they refused to retreat, but lay down on the slope behind a shelter of walls. The Connaughts and the Dublin Fusileers were sent to their support, but the light faded and the night closed in before the main attack had developed.” — - TO DEFEND BLOEMFONTEIN. CAPE TOWN, Sunday, Feb. 25.—The Boers are concentrating to defend Bloem- fontein. Lord Rosslyn, who has ob- tained a commission in the Thorneycroft Horse, has gone to join Sir Redvers Buller. PIRAES S RS COULD NOT MOUNT GUNS. LONDON, Feb. 21.—A dispatch to the Dalily Chronicle from Paardeberg, dated Friday, February 23, says: t‘General Cronje’s attempt to mount zuns was frustrated by our artillery.” Must Keep Up With the Pace Set by Other Powers. ONDON, Feb. 26.—In ntroducing the naval estimates In the House of Commons to-day Mr. George J. Goschen, the First Lord of the Ad- miralty, sald there was nothing spasmodic or sensational therein. Ths total, with the expected additions, would be £30,000,000. There had been complaints that the estimates would be sensational, but the Government fully realized the sit- uation and knew the natlon expected the navy to be prepared for all emergencies, and the estimates were framed on that footing. Nothing, he continued, had been put down for the mobilization of the fleet. If mobilization should be necessary the Government would not hesitate to mo- bilize and come to Parliament for the money, but he thought the time had not arrived for taking that course and he hoped it would not arrive. Continuing, Mr. Goschen sald that Great Britain was not menaced by any naval power. Europe knew her strength and the number of ships she possessed. There were times when a demonstration was ad- visable, but the Government did not think it advisable upon this occaston. Goschen also sald that hereafter ships of the reserve squadron. instead of going singly for firing practice, would act to- gether and adopt protective tacties in ad- dition. Regarding the export coal, Mr. Goschen announced that the Government could pot prohibit it unless at war with a foreign power or in an emergency very different from the present ome. The Ad- miralty, he further asserted, was consid- efing how It could organize a naval re- serve in conjunction with the colonies. He explained that with an adequate organi- zation the Government could get a very valuable contingent from Canada and Australia. The negotiations with Canada were very well advanced. Canada asked that the perfod of training be reduced, but a final decision on the subject had not been reached. Dealing with the construction of fresh fronclads. Mr. Goschen remarked that The Hague convention already seemed a thing of the past. When the peace con- ference was called he suggested that pos- sibly the begining of further buflding of battleships might be suspended with the view of ascertaining the sentiments of the conference. Great Britain alome, he added, suggested a reduction of arma- ments, but nothing was done, and in the six months slace the conference more gi- gantic programmes stretching forward eight, sixteen and eighteen years had been put forward than ever before had entered the minds of the powers. Great Britain proposed to spend in 1900-1901 £8.460,000; Russia £4.300,000 and France £4,154,000, the two latter countries spending £8,454,000, or £6000 less than Great Britain. The re- port of the French naval committee had asserted that the material was 4 per cent and labor 10 per cent higher in France than in England, and Mr. Goschen there- fore judged that the cost of shipbuilding in France and Russia averaged 20 per cent dearer than in Great Britain, “Therefore,” he explained, “our expen- dafture of £8,460,000 gives Great Britain an advantage of £1700,000, or enough to build an additional ironelad and a cruiser. These large foreign programmes must not alarm the country, but we must keep abreast of these great developments of naval power which have occurred not only in Europe, but in the United States and Japan.” —- WORK OF FUSILEERS. LONDON, Feb. 2I.—The Times has the following from Pletermaritzberg, dated Friday, February 23: “The Dublin Fusileers have again dis- tinguished themselves by voiunteering to take Groebler's Kloof, which they did. This gallant battalion, which began the campalgn 80 strong, can to-day be said to muster on parade only between 100 and 200 of its original members.” SR e In Memory of Majuba Hill. LONDON, Feb. 2I.—The Pretoria Gov- ernment has proclaimed February % and February 27 days of thanksgiving and prayer, presumably in memory of the bat- tle of Majuba Hill ——— WITH CANADIAN TROOPS. CAPE TOWN, Feb. 26.—The Canadian transport Pomeranian, from Halifax Jan- uary 25 with another contingent of Cana- dian troops on board, Has arrived here. — BOERS HOVER NEAR. LONDON, Feb. 21.—A dispatch from Paardeberg, dated Friday, to the Times says that several thousand Boers are hovering In that neighborhood. CHINESE OBJECT TO -RAILWAY BUILDING Four Thousand Native Troops Gather ! to Resist the Advent of the Germans. . NEW YORK, Feb. 26.—A dispatch to the ,Heruld from Peking savs: John Fowler, United States Consul at Chefu, prov. ince of Shantung, announces that four thousand native troops have gathered on the border route of the new German rail- way to await the arrival of the German troops. The natives are determined to re- sist the construction of the railroad. —_—— Alcalde at Santa Cruz. SANTA CRUZ, Feb. 26.—The sealing schooner Alcalde arrived in port to-day from British Columbia for water and pro- | visions. She has 120 seal pelts aboard.