LIFE IN BESIEGED MAFEKING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 77, 28 March 1900, Page 2

LIFE IN BESIEGED MAFEKING.

HOW THE BRITISH ARE WARNED OF THE BOER SHELLS. Extracts from Colonel Baden* Powell's letters to bis relatives art published in an illustrated weekly. B> writes:—"Here I sit in my bonis proof bureau, writing these letter * Around me is telephonic oommuniou tion with each one of my army outposts. At each of these outposts «v telescope keeps constant watch on th«. Boer outposts and guns. As soon as it is seen which way their fire is about to be directed the wire communications are set to work, and a ball, with which each defensive quarter ia provided, clangs in that pari of the town where the shall is about to fall, and all in the open at once go to the ground like rabbits. Generally speaking, most of as, unless duty takes us out, keep pretty close during the day, but we ooae out tad take the air at night. The Boers usually finish pounding us toward evening, or just send us a few shells before the son goes down." One thing Baden-Powell has not neglected. He has effectually swept Mafeking clean of all suspected traitors. These who are not outside are closely shut up in, particularly, strong quarters. He says: "I have 4? prisoners, including the late stationmaster at Mafeking, all of whom were suspected of treasonable correspondence with the enemy." THE BOERS AND FOREIGN INTERVENTION.

A cable to the New \ork Sun frem London says:—A private latter from a well-informed source at Pretoria, dated January 10th, is remarkeble for its calm assumption that Europe will never permit England to rob the Transvaal itnd Orange Free State of their independence. Beading between the line*, in fact, it assumes that Kruger received assurances that if the burthen made a good fight, powerful friends at the last moment would step in and say bands off to the victor. The letter leaves no doubt of the confidence of the Boer leaders in their ability to keep the war going indefinitely. Twelve months hence is mentioned as the> earliest date for the capture of Pretoria .nd two years for the final subjugation if the Transvaal, while it is incident* ■illy mentioned that all the leading foreign officers in the service of the two Republics have been engaged for three years, with one year's salary in advance. The writer says that the Republican forces havo been reinforced sinoe the w*r began by 10,000 Dutchmen and 2000 Englishmen from Oape Colony and Natal and 3000 foreigners who have comovia Delagoa Bay and paid iheir own expense*. It is declared that there are 75,000 men in the fight* ing line, with reserves to the number of about 30,000 more. 'I here is not the slightest fear of a native rising, because every Kaffir wae disarmed before the beginning of the war. Finally, the writer intimated that big events would happen about the beginning of March, when the climatic advantages will a 1 be on the Uoerside and Joubert wjll take the offensive.

CONSUL MAORUM.

United States Consul Charles E. Macrum has arrived home, submitted his report at Washington, and another statement to the Press. Nothing short of Mother Goose can justify this nondescript in the field of diplomacy. "Fee! foh! fum! I smell the blood of an Englishman." He is an illustration of the sort of splint-headed donkeys that can get into the American consular system by the spoils system of selection. He was the United States consul at Pretoria, in South Africa. Just when be was most needed there he hurriedly left hia post, without instruction, and came home. He went to Washington, but ■obody knew what happened there until he tells it himself. He explains what he did in the newspaper article. He thought that the State Department in Washington knew nothing about the situation in South Africa so lie came personally all the way from there to instruct it. The State Department at Washington knows wore about the diplomatic situation in every part of the world than any one of its resident Ministers, or consuls, or members of Legations could possibly know. Just think of this precious consul, whose I vision was limited to one little town in the Transvaal, going to Washington co I teach Secretary Hay something about diplomatic situations! Now he is trying to create a political sensation, and only succeeds in proclaiming himself a fool. The British Government asked him to look after the interests of British merchants at Pretoria, and

oar Gorernment promptly gave their consent. Mr. Macrum thinks that is evidence of a secret alliance between the United States and Great Britain. The ignoramus did not know that that was a common custom among nations. Only recently the German Government asked the United States consuls to represent them in twodifferent parts of the world when their own officials could not act. One of the most familiar events of recent years was that during the siege of Paris in the Franco-Prussian war Germany asked the American Minister (Washburn) to protect German citizens resident in Paris. This Mr. Washburn did ao well that he obtained the most gracious thanks from the German Government without losing the favor of the French. In our war with Spain the Spanish Government were represented at Washington by the French Minister (Cambon). M. Cambon kept the good will of both Governments. Mr. Macrum seems to be the only man now living in the consular service who does not understand diplomatic courtesy. So far from shrieking himself into distinction about this matter, he is merely! like Dogberry, writing himself down an ass. The sooner it passes into oblivion the sooner the censors of the American way of doing things will be able to forget this illustration of the incompetents that sometimes get into the consular service of the great Republic.— Evening Star correspondent.