. South Africa and the Transvaal War. mation of the nature already quotedwas issued by the Governor. A large commando of the enemy commenced the bombardmentof Colenso, and the troops forming the garrison of that place fellback on Estcourt, where was stationed a force of considerablestrength. By considerable strength it must be understood thatthe force was sufficiently strong for purposes of defence, though notfor purposes of offence. As a matter of fact, the force in Natal wasnot, and has not since been, sufficiently strong for attack of a foein such powerfully intrenched positions. From begin
. South Africa and the Transvaal War. mation of the nature already quotedwas issued by the Governor. A large commando of the enemy commenced the bombardmentof Colenso, and the troops forming the garrison of that place fellback on Estcourt, where was stationed a force of considerablestrength. By considerable strength it must be understood thatthe force was sufficiently strong for purposes of defence, though notfor purposes of offence. As a matter of fact, the force in Natal wasnot, and has not since been, sufficiently strong for attack of a foein such powerfully intrenched positions. From beginning to endour military commanders on that side of the theatre of war weresorely handicapped by the tardy recognition by the Home Govern-ment of the gravity of the situation. But here it is now desirablethat something should be said of the early history of the towns ofMafeking and Kimberley, which, like Ladysmith, were by this timealmost completely isolated, rails and telegraph wires having beencut around both places respectively. 54. < h i < 2 S3 I I Q *< CHAPTER II THE SIEGE OF MAFEKING PRESIDENT KRUGERS Ultimatum having been ac-cepted in its full significance, General Cronje crossed theborder and the telegraph wires to Mafeking were is a smart little town on the BechuanalandRailway. It stands about eight miles from the Transvaalborder, about 200 miles north of Kimberley, and some 875 milesfrom Cape Town. It is the headquarters of the BechuanalandBorder Police, a crack corps, whose every member is thoroughlywide-awake and well versed in the niceties of the guerilla styleof warfare favoured of the Boers. In the town is the SurreyHotel and others; English, Dutch, and Wesleyan churches ; acricket-ground and a racecourse. Its supplies, in time of peace,are drawn from Dutch farms situated in the Marico Valley, whileits pure water is drawn from the springs at Rooi Grond in theTransvaal territory. Mafeking itself is less than a mile square. The railroad, runnin
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