The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-01-01

Baltimore Herald.

The spectacle of the little garrison at
Mafeking stubbornly holding its own in
face of the determined efforts OF a Boer
army to effect the reduction OF the place
is one of the thrilling episodes which
makes history worth reading. Until a
few weeks ago Mafeking was merely a
station the railroad which penetrates
the heart Of Africa from the south. There
was no hint that Mafeking was TO be i'm
mortalized by one of the most heroic de-
lenses recorded in the history OF warfare
Kimberley and Ladysmith are In the
same condition as Mafeking- In each case
a British force is surrounded. cut of from
communication and succor. but Ladysmith
is town Of considerable size and is gar
risoned by army, while sufficient mo-
tive for the defense of Kimberley is found
in the fact that within the British forth
fications are the richest diamond mines
in the world. A large portion OF the force
which defends kimberley employed and
paid by the diamond mining company. and
there is thus introduced a mercenary ele-
ment which detracts I'm no small degree
from the moral heroism of the defense
At Mafeking there is nothing worth de-
Tending save the honor OF the British
| flag. but this is enough to inspire a little
band, headed by daring officer wl1h al
most uncanny good fortune, TO a resistance
so stout that at every point the besiegers
have been baffied. Mafeking is 1.350 miles
from Cape Town. the intervening country
| for hundreds of miles is held by the enc
my, there is no reasonable probability or
| relief for weeks to come. and yet. with
stubborn determination the little garrison
| holds its own against force tenfold its
| strength, and not only defes every attempt
| at capture of the village but infiicts signal
| punishment upon the besieging force.
IL Colonel Baden Poweu succeeds In
| holding Mafeking until a relieving column
| arrives, he will be the hero of the South
| ish nation can bestow will be too great TO
reward the defense by which the immortal
lied and Insignificant village in the heart OF
the Dark Continent.
The defense of Mafeking is not the first
| desperate enterprise I'm which Baden
| Powell has engaged, for he has behind him
| many years Of military adventures-somo
scarcely less desperate than that which
has brought him into prominence as a CEN
trail figure of the Boer war. In this respect.
| there is a great difference between him and
| the great Give, who Won his spurs in just
such siege as that now on at Mafeking-
| There are some points OF striking similar
| ity between the situation in India in the
middle of the last century and that I'm Az
RIGA to-day. In each case the conflict be-
gan between two white races, and the
! native population was divided in sentiment.
part favoring the one and part the other
| contestant for supreme power.
The French with their native allies. had
| laid siege TO Tricainopoly; the fortunes OF
| the English were at low ebb. those or
| France were in the ascendent, and there
| seemed no reason why the influence of the
| French should not dominate the whole or
| the Indian peninsula. The English au-
| thorities were in despair when Give. then
| connected with the army in the half mil
| itary half commercial character OF COM
| missary captain, proposed one of the most
daring adventures ever conceived by a
| military genius. His l.lan was 10 raise the
4 Sfa ~ Trfo n n determined
4 tack on Arcot. the capital OF the Carndtic
and the residence of Chunda Sahib, who
was cooperating. with the French mus
hoping to alarm him for the safety of his
dominions and induce him 10 Withdraw
| from Trichinopoly. The plan was SO des-
perate as to seem almost hopeless. but IL
was apparently the last chance of the En-
glish and with 200 white soldiers and J0
native troops in the service OF the East
| India Company. Give marched to attack
| the capital OF an empire.
The reckless daring of the movement
made IL successful. The garrison or Arcot
anticipated no danger, and on the night
of Gives arrival a terrific troSicai st9fm
was raging; the defenders OF the city,
| overcome with superstitious fear OF the
mysterious power Of the men who would
march and fight during typhoon. ned
panic-strfcken, and, almost without
struggle Give occupied the city. The
marvellous influence OF commanding
character was never more strongly ms
played than during the next nfty days IN
| Arcot AS soon as the occupation was
| complete Give prepared for siege, re-
paired the ruined Notifications, laid IN
| stores Of provisions and so concilfated th3
| inhabitants that they not only rendered
| no assistance to their lawful King. but
| actually contributed in many ways TO the
defense of the city. A large force was sent
| by Chunda Sahib TO recapture Arcot, ae
one time Give was besieged by force
| numbering over 1000 but numbers counted
| for little against the daring or SUCH a
man. In a night sortie he attacked the
Indian camp and utterly broke in pieces
| and dispersed the besieging army. CAP
tured great quantities Of stores and re-
turned to the city without the loss OF a
/ man. The siege was changed into an in
| vestment, and Chunda Sahib resorted to
| starvation means OF reducing the
| strength and breaking the spirit or the
| indomitable garrison. Provisions ran low.
but there was no complaint, and when
| the rations of the defenders were reduced
| TO a handful of rice per day. the Sepoy8
| came to Give with the strangely generous
| proposal that the solid food be given TO
| the whites. while they themselves would
be satisfied with the water In which the
rice was boiled.
After fifty days Of siege and a terrible
/ assault, the besiegers withdrew before a
| force advancing to the relief of the place
| Arcot was saved and Gives reputation
| was made. The day an which Chunda Sa-
| hib attempted TO storm the citadel held by
Give and his little band marked a new
epoch i'm the history OF India. From that
| day the power of the French waned and
/ that OF the English increased The heroic
| efforts and example OF a young man OF
| twenty-five turned the scale. and Eastern
history entered on a new era.
A
A Boston Brave.