New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-05-20
LONDON,S UPROARIOTS JOY
ENTHUSIASM OVER MAFEKING WAXED
GREATER AS THE HOURS
WENT BY.

London May 19.-There has been no Interrupt
ton OF London's celebrations of the British sue
cesses in South Africa, which were thought TO
have reached a climax yesterday. but which In
creased in enthusiasm as to-day wore on The
ouonibuses were crowded with men and women
waving flags. and every cab, cart and carriage
and nearly every house !s decorated. Every
one from the newsboy in the street TO the
most dgnihed business man. wore rosette
If The British colors. Traffic was practically
suspended to-day. and great crowds surrounded
the Mansion House and all the public build
ings shouting and cheering.
The whole British Empire has been carried off
,+s feet by the news of the relief Of Mafekng
Even the demonstrations on Ladysmith Day
male before the spontaneous transports of de-
1iriunn recorded IN cable dispatches from all
nar+s Of the world where floats the Union Jack
o,erstrained feelings have found vent in a roar
NJ heartfelt enthusiasm. which. starting from
the various news centres. spread like prairie
fire through the United Kingdom and the colo
MES and converted every town into mob in
va6ed centre of shouting. cheering. singing. half
frantic but for the most part orderly humanity,
although the rowdy element is making the most
of the occasion evidently feeling the effects of
unlimited free drinks. The empire is fete,
and ii is no exaggeration to say that most of
the people in the United Kingdom actually took
a holiday to-day in honor of the defenders of
the little prairie outpost
NO DOUBT ABOUT THE RELIEF.
The absence of official confirmation Of the re-
lief of Mafeking from British sources fails to
raise doubt as the Man in the Street relies
the official statement of the Parliamentary Sec
rotary of the War Office, Mr.. Wyndham. IN the
House Of Commons that no official announce
n3ent could be expected for at least forty-eight
hours after the relief had been effected But
further confirmation Of the various reports of
the relief was received to-day in q dispatch from
Lourenco Marques under to-days date, an
nouncing that Mafeking had been relieved on
Wednesday. May 16.
Many thousands Of Londoners gave up all
thought of work, and their employers were only
too glad TO Join in the holiday making. AS
hundreds of loaded trains journeyed from the
suburbs their occupants kept up a Of
cheering. which was echoed by the inhabitants
of the befagged houses along the route.
From dawn the crowds swelled until the fire.
quented thoroughfares were impossible and
vehicular traffic had to be stopped. No attempt
was made TO restrain the pentup feelings I'm
rnaculate silk hats were equally with the work
mans cap enveloped in Union Jacks. Frock
coated business did not hesitate to don a
sash Of the national colors, and stock brokers
WED with street urchns in hurrahing for
"R. P" and Mafeking. and venting their en-
thusasm through tin horns. while women of
high degree participated in the carnival with
remarkable zest
OUTSIDE THE MANSION HOUSE.
Memorable demonstrations were proceeding
outside the Mansion House since early morn
ing. A dense of swaying heads bright
ened by the national colors. formed an unbrol1en
platform over the immense open space stretch
ing far UP the adjacent streets Ever and anon
the crowd burst forth with the national an
them, Rule Britannia or The Absent Minded
Beggar." The huge picture Of Colonel Baden
Powell was cheered until the people were hoarse
and every now and then some one with q cor
net or flute started patriotic airs A few
hundreds broke off the edge of the mass and
forming an impromptu procession followed
musicians through the neighboring highways
similar feeling Of qualification found express
sion in the West End, and in hardly less ex-
uberant fashion, while all the reports from the
provinces re-echo the stories Of London.s demon
STATIONS.
The members Of the Stock Exchange mustered
early and bought all the flags and bunting
available Every one sported a Union Jack or
a badge OF some sort The opening OF business
was delayed, owing TO the excitement But the
5rbilant stock brokers had little inclination for
business, and amused themselves by connectine-
by telephone through to the Paris Bourse so
that the singing Of God Save the Queen" bv
lusty lunged patriots might be heard there
AS the day proceeded the wild turmoil and
excitement increased, and when the remaining
places Of business closed for the usual half holt
Gay the released clerks formed huge professions
ana paraded all quarters of the town singing
ana hurrahing. and thus adding to the extraor-
oinary excitement Of the throngs of holiday
makers. whose voleys Of cheers kept up an in
creasing roar.
All the naval and military centres honored the
occasion by dressing ship and firing saIutes
Durlng The afternoon the police found diff
cuitv IN keeping the spirit Of unruliness down
Il zeal Of rough horsepIay was INDUCED in and
every soldier and sailor in uniform was seized
ana carried on the shoulders of cheering demon-
strators.
SERVICES IN ST PAUI,s
A "Te Deum" service was hold ~ c. r,,a
this afternoon. The Lord Mavor snd the shar
ifs had intended to be present at the sar,,oo.
out they were forced to telephone that 1t would
be hopeless for them to atternnt m .ea,a the
Mansion House. which was besieeed nv an i'm
pascal Bile crowd
London tonight continues In g state n, HIGH
carnival, so far the leading thorouphfarAs ere
concerned. The liberation from toll Of hundreds
Of thousands Of the working classes in the after
noon TO some extent changed the charac-er az
the celebrations. which in the forenoon had
been marked by the absence of disorder and nv
many graceful incidents. more especially in the
West End Colonel Baden-Powell's house which
faces Hyde Park, all day the centre OF
scenes which must have been very gratifying To
his family, who constantly appeared On the bal
cony TO bow their acknowledgements. In addi-
ton there was a continuous stream of carriages