The age-herald., 1900-05-19
LONDON GOES WILD
Crowds Throng the Street Singing Ma
 tional Airs

London, May 19.-4 a. m.)-London's mil- even at o'clock this morning troops of young men are promenading, singing and cheering, and there are crowds in front of the Mansion house, Marlborough house, the clubs on Pall Mall and the war office and fin Parliament square, waving flags and joining in the national airs.
 This sustained believing and uproar of hundreds of thousands amazes the English . man who ceases for a moment to be an &C., tor and becomes merely an observer. Sober, phlegmatic London Is besides itself with emotion. Gusts of patriotism have set the town quivering twice or thrice before the war, but nothing has quite equalled to- nights hundred square miles of almost fur ious demonstrations It was a curious thing for the on-lookers to see solemn, grey hair ed men toss their hats into the air and join in the hurricane of cheers when wreath crowned banner, with the portrait of Col onel Baden-Pewell on it, was borne along Piccadilly. Stout women in broughams waved Union Jacks out of the windows. Conventional family parties stopped at street corners to take part in singing God Save the Queen," and Soldiers of the Queen" Everywhere were abandon, good feeling and astonishing roars of human voices.
 twenty "oTi AclcSrdh
 It was all brought about by a twenty word telegram from Pretoria that Mafeking had been relieved. Although the govern ment has not a word, and although noth- ing confirmatory has been received from any African source except Pretoria, nobody apparently questions the news. MT. Arthur J. Balfour, government leader in the house of commons, speaking from the government bench late last evening, said:
 The only news l have is through the courtesy of the press We have no infor- nation at the war office. Nor would we have it as soon as it would arrive through other channels. Therefore, the fact that we have not received it neither confirms ,or disproves the accuracy of the informa- tion. I need hardly say that we all trust and we have good reason to think that it is probably true" (Cheers.)
 Mr. George Wyndman, parliamentary un- der secretary for war, replying to several members of the house, who had privately interrogated him, said:
 Although the government has nothing, am disposed to believe the Boer bulle- tin It may be tomorrow, and perhaps even Monday, before the government would get dispatches from our military com- manders even if the siege were raised some days ago, as the news would need to be conveyed over a very long distance by messengers on horseback, whereas the enemy would probably be able to avail themselves of telegraphlc communication.
 Colonel Baden-Powells brother in Lon- don has received a telegram from Dutch friend in Pretoria, saying that Mafekine has been relieved.
 Actors Had a Rest
 The performers in the London music halls and theaters last evening had little use for stage business or for the lines of their pieces. The audiences which crowded the Alhambra, the Empire, Covent Garden or the theaters had no desire to attend to stage performances. The first sight of q biograph scene in the Transvaal, or the first glimpse of military or naval costume on the stage was sufficient to create an uproar A leading actor in one of the Strand tbeaters said:
 T did not attempt to read my lines last evening. It was of no use. The public had no interest in me beyond the fact that wore a military uniform"
 At her majestys theater, at the Gar rick, where "Zaza' is being played, hnd at the other houses where legitimate drama holds the boards, the occupants of stalls, boxes and galleries sang in chorus "The