Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-05-23
RELIEF OF MAEEKlNG.

Mafeking after memorable siege of
221 days is without question the most
dramatic episode not only in the war
l.news Of recent date. but in the long his
tory Of the war in general.
ST. Paul Pioneer Press: Judging
from the character of the rations at
Mafeking some of the residents were
unable to do more than give horse
laugh" when the beseiged town was re-
llieved by the British forces.
Chicago Chronicle: The proverbial
bulldog tenacity of the Eriton won.
Every son Of British stock. be his SYM
Ipathies with Boer or Brlton. will feel
| a thrill of pride in the achievement of
Baden owellss devoted garrison. 1t is
characteristic of the blood, as Kipling
would say.
Buffalo Express: From military
view point the siege illustrates the inn
pregnability of prepared defenses With
modern weapons and the comparative
iharmlessnes's of long range cannon fire.
The immense quantity Of ammunition
llwhich5the Beers have expended on this
town In these seven months had Very
llittle effect.
Indianapolis News: Baden-Powell is
worthy of all the honors that the Brit
ish empire can give him. His defense
of Mafekirg will be recorded among the
historic sieges with which the course of
| the British empire abounds as one of
| the greatest of all. There was in 1t an
example of pure. of CHEEKY defiance, of
|3unconquerable courage that write the
words Mafekng and Baden Powell
Large.
Springfield Republicans: Col Baden
| Powell deserves to rank high as a hero
Of the Boer war. His long and success
full defense of Mafeking has been s,l-
l.perb. altho. from a military standpoint.
| the siege has been very subordinate in
1.-THE strategy of the war. The Beers have
at no time sent against the place very
strong force, and their chief effort has
been to keep the British garrison penned
Iup there.
/ Kansas City Journal: Baden Powell
1 Will he, for a long time. the hero OF the
! British people and army. Nothing that
will be done in many days will over
4 shadow his deed in withstanding, with
his little garrison of 500 men, the siege
and assault of thousands of Beers and
a more formidable foe within-hunger.
The gallantry, the gaiety with which
4 the commander Of Mafeking has held
his aorely pressed post Will form for lln-
known time fireside and household
4 story
Philadelphia Times: The siege has
4 only been exceeded in length by those
iof Gibralter which lasted STA days:
4 llhartoum. 341 days and Sebastopol. 32T
days. Mafeking held out for about 2lO
days. Kimberley endured privation and
4 lyGdite shells for 123 days. The other
notable sieges of history are Paris. 167
l.daNs; Pleyna, nincty-four days; Luck
now. eighty-six days; Saragossa, sixty
two days and Cawnpore, twenty-one
Idays. The .enacity of Gen. White In
holding on at I.adysmith saved Natal
4 to the British. just as thestubborn and
i successful defense of Kimberley and
4 Marketing kept the Dutch in the Cape
4 Colony from rising. They feared these
d garrisons in their rear.
4 Baltimore American: Col Baden
4 Powell becomes one Of the heroes of tho
war for his gallant defense 1.-the town
Il He has never lost heart or confidence
4 that relief would come in plenty Of time
and that he could stand the siege longer
than the Beers could keep it up Wher
n a short time ago Roberts wired to hin
asking if he could hold out until May
las, the brave colonel with the hyphen-
: lated name cheerly answered that he
could wait until the middle. Of June, II
necessary. How well Roberts timed the
larrival of the relief column is shown by
his naming May IS, which proved ex.
actly the date when. after a. very shor,
struggle the Beers decide to abandon
the siege and give the Mafeking garri.
son chance to breathe the air Of free.
dom again.