At Mafeking and Kimberley.

Manawatu Herald, 21 November 1899, Page 2

At Mafeking and Kimberley.

One of the striking features of the war in South Africa so far is the splendid defence offered by Mafeking and Kimberley. Those who know the country, which thereabouts is very flat, predicted disaster there. Yet the small garrisons have not only held their own against overwhelming odds, but have inflicted very heavy loss to the Boers at merely nominal cost in life to the defenders. Papers by the lasi|jw mail explain ;how this has been^T accomplished. Weeks before hostilities •-rimrnenced the most strenuous exertions were being made to put the town in an efficient state by defence. Heavy earthworks were thrown up, .he trenches inside covered with bombproof roofs, redoubts were erected, and Lyddite mines were placed outside. The destructive effects of these has been proved on two occasions. • even if we very largely discount the igg report of 1500 Boers being blown up T on one occasion. Lyddite shells were used in the Soudan with terrible effect, but this is the first time in actual warefare that that explosive has been used in mining operations, though experiments had led to great expectations of its efficiency in that direction. Lyddite, unlike most explosives, exerts an equal force in lateral as well as upward or downward force. Holes are dug at intervals, shaped like mortars, and shells are placed at the bottom. On top are piled shot, old iron, or even stones. ( I All the holes are electrically connected and, and explode at once. The result is a perfect hail of missiles over a large area. It is barbaric, but war is barbarous, and experience proves that the greater the means of destroying • life in a given time or area the less is the ultimate loss. Both at Mafeking and Kimberley there were ample stores of provisions and ammunition. The only fear expressed by those at the Cape in a position to judge was that L he Boers would succeed in cutting off the water supplies. — H. B. Herald.