GREAT TRIUMPH FOR LORD ROBERTS.

Manawatu Herald, 1 March 1900, Page 2

GREAT TRIUMPH FOR LORD ROBERTS.

Lord Roberts has cabled to the War Office that General Cronje and all his force capitulated at daylight on Saturday. They are now prisoners in Lord Robert's camp. This is the anniversary of Majuba Hill-

I hope the Government will consider the event satisfactory, occurring as it does on the anniversary of General Colley'e deteat a* ffsEjuba Hill.

It is supposed there: anr 4,000 prisoners. The Queen has congratulated Lord Roberts.

Great enthusiasm prevails in London and throughout the provinces. ' The above telegram, dated London, February 27, 12.20 a.m., was received by the Premier, who is at present in Auckland at an early hour on Tuesday morning, and immediately repeated through every telegraph office in the colony which was open. KOODOOSKAND. At latest information General Cronje was sending up rockets from the river bed in which his troops have been trapped, in the hope of attracting a«aistance: x His forces had burrowed into the river banks, which they have converted into a shell-pffcof warren. Field-Marshal Lord Roberta allowed a German ambulance to go to the assistance of the wounded of Cronje's force. The British Engineers are sapping— i.e., advancing by means of mining works—towards Cronje's laager. By an observation made by one of the war balloons, the British officers ascertained the position of four of the Boers* ammunition waggons in the river bed. Within half an hour afterwards the waggons had been exploded by shell-fire. The cordon around Geueral Cronje's force is daily being drawn closer. When the Shropshire regiment advanced a day or two ago to a position nearer the river bed the Gordon Highlanders rushed to a point two hundred yards beyond them. News has been received that determined but ineffectual efforts were made by several thousand Boers to relieve Cronje's position, but they were everywhere repulsed with loss. BOERS HASTENING TO THE FREE STATE. Boer commandoes are hastening from all directions towards Bloemfontein, and are concentrating at a point thirty miles outside the town. \ The Free State Government is moving its headquarters from Bloemfontein i to Winbiirg. FIGHTING IN CAPE COLONY. Information has reached the War Office that early on Sunday MajorGenera! R. A. P. Clements, in command of a force of Inniskilling Dragoons, supported by field artillery, and a strong detachment of Australians, under Colonel T. Price (of the second contingent of Victorian Mounted Infantry) dislodged the Boers' from ; Vaattum, compeflfaf ffiem tareteeat to 'Kuißbnfcjin <? WfkHbntefn, to the North-west of Naauwpoort). British troops have m-occopied Barkley East, to the north, oiDorfrecfat* and are now threatening the town ot Lady Grey, in the same district some miles northward.

The landrost of Lady Grey has telegraphed to President Steyn that he will surrender unless reinforcements are sent to him.