While Lord Methuen was engaging the enemy the bombardment of Kimberley, which had been almost incessant from the middle of October, eased off considerably, but after Maaghersfontein it was renewed with considerable vigour. The shells, however, did comparatively little harm.

About the middle of November shells made at De Beers workshops were used by the garrison with telling effect, and early in January a 28-1 pounder gun was manufactured at the De Beers workshops, and was christened "Long Cecil" as a tribute to Mr. Rhodes, who had exhibited the greatest coolness during the siege, devoting his leisure to providing comforts to the wounded, and planting trees to form what will be known in history as Siege Avenue.

Heliographic communication with Kimberley was established on December 4th.

The local paper of December 25th said: Excepting two or three of our inhabitants, who shared the terrible privations during the siege of Paris, few of us have ever spent such a Christmas before, and few will ever care to spend such a Christmas again.

There was a scarcity of turkeys and plum-pudding this time, and of the traditional plenty, but

this only distressed the gourmand. The majority of the people of Kimberley are happily made of sterner stuff, and do not look for luxuries during a time of siege. Nevertheless, Mr. Rhodes has again come to the rescue, and is providing some forty plum-puddings cooked at the Sanatorium, for distribution between the various camps.

Seasonable wishes are freely interchanged by telephone. "Best wishes and a larger range to your guns was received by the Royal Artillery from the Mounted Camp, to which the following reply was sent : "Good wishes reciprocated. May our range be always long enough to be a guardian angel to the Mounted Corps." Notwithstanding the festivities, additional precautions were taken to prevent the enemy from catching us napping.

Later news showed that the bombardment continued, that "Long Cecil" replied to the enemy's attack, and that the garrison suffered little or no loss. On the 9th of February the despatch of press messages from Kimberley was temporarily forbidden, owing presumably to the necessity for reticence as to the initial stages of the progress of General French, so quickly to be attended with the happiest result to the patient and hopeful little beleaguered city.

SUMMARY OF EVENTS SINCE THE RELIEF

OF KIMBERLEY

'HE general narrative of the campaign breaks

TH

interesting points.

Kimberley has been relieved,

and the first step has been taken towards recovering the ground lost when Lord Methuen received his check at Maaghersfontein.

Not a moment was lost by Lord Roberts in pushing his advantage home. On the day following the Relief of Kimberley he pressed resolutely forward and occupied Jacobsdal, which is well within the Free State territory. His strategy was so well planned that the Boers under General Cronje, who had so stubbornly resisted the advance of Lord Methuen, precipitately fled from their trenches at Maaghersfontein, their places being taken by the British Guards. General French, with his cavalry, and Kelly-Kenny, with the Sixth Division, at once started in pursuit, and a general movement was developed by means of which Cronje's force was, on the 7th February, overtaken and completely surrounded at Paardeberg.

The Boer General, with rare sagacity for one who was already in a hopeless position, established himself in the bed of the Modder River, and there entrenched himself within an area of one square mile, in the hope that reinforcements would come up either from Ladysmith or Cape Colony and rescue him from his pursuers. But his hope was vain. Lord Roberts commenced a terrific bombardment of his laager. It is said that no fewer than one hundred and ten guns were concentrated upon him and his unfortunate forces.

Lord Roberts beat off comparatively small bodies of reinforcements which ventured into the neighbourhood, and on the 19th General Cronje, apparently realising the futility of further resistance, asked for an armistice. To this request Lord Kitchener gave the now historical reply, "Not a minute," and the bombardment was continued more furiously than ever. The British General's final defeat of the Boer reinforcements took place on the 20th. The indomitable Cronje still held out, however, and during the next seven days showed a tenacity of purpose which marks him as one of the most stubborn soldiers who ever lived.

On the 27th he abandoned his last hope, and,

by a happy chance on the anniversary of Majuba Day, surrendered to Lord Roberts with over four thousand officers and men.

The news, as may be imagined, was received in Great Britain and throughout the Empire with the wildest enthusiasm, especially on account of the fact that the chief honours of the final rush which settled Cronje's fate were shared with the Gordon Highlanders by the Canadians.

General Cronje was sent as a prisoner to Capetown, in charge of General Pretyman, and Roberts continued his march on the Orange capital. On Tuesday, March 13th, the first part of the campaign from Cape Colony was brought to a glorious conclusion, Lord Roberts being able on the evening of that day, in a dispatch which will long be memorable, to telegraph to his Government :

"By the help of God and by the bravery of her Majesty's soldiers, the troops under my command have taken possession of Bloemfontein.

"The British flag now flies over the Presidency, vacated last evening by Mr. Steyn, late President of the Orange Free State."

Meanwhile great events were happening in Natal. The main narrative closed with the failure