A word must be said as to the reasons which
finally forced General Cronje to surrender. It was a case of the triumphant spade. When Lord Roberts found it would cause too great loss of life to storm the laager, he began to sap. On Monday night the trenches were brought right up to within eighty yards of the enemy's position. This was accomplished by the Canadians, who, with the utmost gallantry, crawled up on their hands and knees a distau ce of some six hundred yards under a hot fire, to which, with all the steadiness of veterans, they made no reply. Meantime the Engineers were busy digging a trench behind them, in which they took shelter as soon as it was ready. Thus to the Canadians belong the chief honours in forcing on the surrender. It is not too much to say that the fact that the stain of Majnba Hill was thus wiped out by a Colonial force has been received with universal delight and exultation. It was exactly what every true Briton would have asked for had he been on the spot.
