MAKING RELIEVED.

Otago Witness, Issue 2412, 24 May 1900, Page 24

MAKING RELIEVED.

END OF- A SEVEN MONTHS' SIEGE.

SUNDAY'S-ATTACK.CEUSPIMGLYEEPULSED.

EFFECTED ON WEDNESDAY,

i FLYJjN'G COLUMN FROM KIMBERLEY.— NOX-PLUSSING THE - BOERS.— THE EMPIRE REJO-ICttS.— SPLEKDID ENTHUSIASM EVERYWHERE.

ENTIRE BOER FORCE CAPTURED.

GUK.3 ALSO SECURED.— A GLOBIOUS DAY FOR J3ADEjN t -POWELL.— THE BOER /STORY OF THE RELIEF.

LONDON, May 1&. The bill of fare now issued for the Mafeking garrison includes the following : — Horse sausage, curried locusts, roast mule, 'hide brawn. May 17. Portuguese officiate at, Delagoa report rthat the relieving force cut off the party storming Mafekin'g, which -has been relieved. . e~ ' There is nothing official to hand. Sunday's Boer attack on Mafeking was crushingly repulsed. The- Boers report Ihtrt the relief column fought at Ivraaipan on Tuesday. _V correspondent of the Express states that General Hunter, with a large force, including General' Barton's, leached Wegdraai. The Boers retreated. General Hunter, proceeding, entered Lhristiania. .•The. Scots Fusiliers, as the last to evacuate the Transvaal' in 1881, were- allowed theiionour of hoisting the Union Jack. : ~- • ' ' May- 18. I Mafeking nas been relieved. _ i . A secret relief column from Kimberley j compelled- the- Boers to raise the siege of | Mafeking. • I LONDON," May 19. j Details of the relief of Mafeking show that a "flying column, with led horses and light mule waggons carrying the baggage, ] left Kimberley secretly, via Barkly West, j They left Taungs and Vryburg to the right, i nonplussing the Boers, who retired east,vard. A few were met afterwards. The column captured abundance of cattle. They inarched 20 miles daily, and reached Maritzani on Friday, 11th inst., without incident. The Daily News states that .Delagoa Bay reports , that 80 of the German corps were Ivinea at Mafeking. The popular demonstrations are described as unparalleled since the siege of Lucknow. 'The procession in^ London was so great (throughout the night- that traffic was divei'ted. - The dominant note was of thanksgiving and joy, and the celebration of a moral, not a military, triumph. t The Lord Mayor cabled to Colonel Baden-Powell that /fche citizens of London were relieved and 'rejoiced at -the good news of the gallant defence, which would long live in the anlials of the British. ' Mr Balfour informed the House of Commons at midnight that although there was no distinct information there was good reaBon to believe the news was true. "A telegraphist at Malopo reported that feharp fighting round Mafeking was in progress on Thursday. it was officially announced at Pretoria on Friday that what laagers and forts were around Mafeking had been severely bombarded. The Boers abandoned the siege, "and a British for"? from the south had entered the town. Mention of the laagers is Interpreted to mean that the relief force /was the attacking party, and compelled the {Boers to raise the siege. Lord Salisbury was at Windsor when the iiews of the relief of Mafeking reached the CJueen. X Thousands serenaded Colonel Baden[powell's mother and sister at their residence at Hyde Park. ' Processions and cheering crowds block London streets today.* There is enormous enthusiasm everywhere in the provinces. Churched, public and private buildings, and all .vehicles are decorated with flags, and everyone is wearing the national colours. Canada, many American cities, the jolonies,.anti India are participating in the

[ Empire's rejoicings. Intense excitement ' prevails at Capetown. I ' There is the greatest rejoicing and excitement throughout the British Empire at ' I the relief of Mafeking. i j - May 20. I ; Reuter's telegram from Pretoria announc- j ing the relief of Mafeking is confirmed un- ; officially from other sources. j j Major Baden-Powell, brother of the hero ( of Mafeking, accompanied the relief column, j numbering 1500. j The enemy withdrawing, the column ; entered unopposed on Wednesday. London, within a few days, subscribed ; £10,000 towards the fund for illuminating j the streets of London in honour of the ' relief of Mafeking. An tndless procession j crowded the streets for hours after mid- j night. • The Queen expressed her yieatest grati- ! fication and thankfulness at the relief. j . The Lord Mayor, attended by ihe j sheriffs, was present at tho "Te Deum " j service at St. Paul's yesterday. The , clergy knelt at the altar, the congregation ! also kneeling, during the singing of the ! service. J The members of the Stock Exchange i sang " C4od Save the Queen," and invited | the Paris Bourse to listen to them by means j of the telephone system between the two '■ institutions. j May 21. j Commandant De la Key 'telegraphed to , : Pretoria ' that he successfully engaged the i relief column during the whole of Wednesday, but one of his officers withdrew in the evening without his knowledge, and left the way open into the town. Advices received at Delagoa Bay state that the Lritish captured the entire Boer force and guns outside Mafeking on the" 17th inst. "It is understood the relief column was commanded by Colonel B. Mahon. The column covered 210 miles in 12 days. The Queen was serenaded by a torchlight, procession, headed by the First Life Guards' Band and Eton boys. .On Saturday the "Te Deum" was sung as an anthem in most of the churche-s. The Benchers of Gray's Inn invited the federal delegates, who heard . Lord William Cecil preach. PARIS, May 21. The English visitors at the Paris Exhibition assembled and sang " God Save the Queen when the news of Mafeking's relief was announced. The French spectators applauded the Boers, but the police silenced both parties. NEW YORK, May 20. Colonel Baden-Powell's achievement is the chief wienie of the American press. The Democrats and the Tammany Hallites alone are feting Fischer and his colleagues. MELBOURNE, May 20. Yesterday was the greatest day ever known- in the city. The scene in Collins street when the news arrived was one of bewildering excitement. Fifty different processions were formed and quickly paraded the town singing songs of jubilation. The display of flags was the finest seen. Traffic was practically stopped by the great masses, who flocked from all parts of the suburbs. A movement is afoot to invite Colonel Baden-Powell to visit Australia, and a fund has been started for the purpose. Included in yesterday's celebrations was a great demonstration on the Stock Exchange at 3 o'clock. Several speeches were attempted, but the joy or the noise, or both, prevented the speakers being heard. Congratulatory cables were despatched to Colonel Baden-Powell by a number of local

bodies. Several showers fell. To-morrow j will probably bo appointed a general holiI day, and thanksgiving will be held in the Town Hall. The city was brilliantly lighted during the night. A great thanksgiving service was held in the Town Hall Tor the relief of Mafeking. SYDNEY, May 17. The various colonies are preparing for public celebrations when the news that Mafeking is relieved arrives. On Mr Lyne's suggestion, the Queeensland Premier is communicating with other Premiers with a view to declaring a public holiday for the relief of Mafeking. He suggests the day after the news is published. May 19. The flag has just been hoisted on the post office announcing the official confirmation of the relief of Mafeking. There i? immense enthusiasm. The Premier has received an official cable confirming the relief of Mafeking. The hoisting of the flag and the chiming of bslls at the post office were the first announcements of the relief. Immense crowds quickly gathered, and the whole city rushed into the streets. The scene is now one of intense enthusiasm. There are cheering, singing, bands playing, bells ringing, salutes firing, and bunting everywhere. The Telegraph department has received a message from Adelaide that the news of tha relief of Mafeking is authenticated. The news of the relief of Mafeking reached Cootamundra at 3 in the morning. The firebell was rung, and a half -dressed, shivering crowd paraded the streets. Then they dispersed to their beds. At Goulburn the jubilation concluded with the burning of an effigy oi Kruger. Everywhere the spirit of patriotism is at fever heat. May 20. The city is delirious with enthusiasm. Yesterday numerous bands paraded the streets playing patriotic airs. The streets were decorated with flags and streamers and were thronged with citizens wearing red, white, and blue favours. The Governor drove through the streets, and was enthusiastically received. The various regiments turned out and paraded the streets. The shipping was decorated, including German vessels. The French mail packet hoisted the English Ensign. The Premier sent congratulatory messages to Lord Roberts, Colonel Baden-Powell, and General Hutton. In the country the greatest enthusiasm was exhibited. The joy of the inhabitants of Bourke was expressed by laconic telegrams, "Bourke -drunk." In yesterday's jubilations the Stock Exchange and Merchants' Exchange were crowded. There was much singing of the National Anthem and patriotically-flav-oured ballads. H.M.S. Royal Arthur and the Permanent Artillery fired Royal salutes. The. harbour steamers kept up a perpetual serenade with whistles. Tho Merchants' Exchange cabled congratulations to the defenders of Mafeking. The Premier wired to Lord Roberts, congratulating him on the relief of Mafeking and the accuracy of his fixing the date to Baden-Powell. There is immense enthusiasm at tho relief of Mafeking. The colony is en fete. The hearty congratulations of the Ministry and people were sent, and also to General Hutton, congratulating him on his successes and the capture of General Botha. In the evening the city was again crowded. There were various illuminations. The Herald facade had an enormous shield of electric lamps with the words " Honour to Baden-Powell, Mafeking." A large military procession went through the town at night. May 21.' The Daily Telegraph accuses the telegraph authorities of furnishing the Government with a transcript of the press cable, thus enabling the Government to announce the relief of Mafeking ahead of the papers. The paper stated that this is not the first time important information has so leaked out. . Wednesday will be observed as a general holiday throughout Australia in honour of Mafeking's relief. ADELAIDE, May 20. Relief right royally celebrated. When the telegram was received business was suspended. The streets were lined with flags, and there were illuminations at night. BRISBANE, May 20. Rejoicings were general throughout Queensland. Congratulations were cabled by the Premier to Colonel Baden-Powell. PERTH, May 21. The colony put up a record in the way of jubilation. Boisterous enthusiasm prevailed till long after midnight. HOBART, May 21. Business in the colony is at a standstill in presence of the Mafeking rejoicings. Congratulatory cables have been sent.