But though this will probably be the course of the
main operations, it must not be supposed for a moment that Lord Roberts is forgetting Mafeking. The gallant band who have made that railway siding in the desert the bulwark of the Empire are holding out, and will hold out till Lord Roberts, according to his promise, relieves them about the middle of May. One of the ways in which he is doing this is by the despatch of Sir Frederick Carrington viti the Beira Railway and Rhodesia. Sir Frederick Carrington, who landed. at Beira on Wednesday, is taking with him a very mobile force, composed of the Australian Bushmen, who have, indeed, al- ready reached Salisbury. Whether Lord Roberts has any other force moving on Mafeking remains to be seen. Of one thing, however, we are certain,—when Waking is relieved we shall. not ban heard the last of it. Instead, the importance of the Plane from the military point • of -view will only be just beginning. If once a considerable and very mobile force can be collected there, there will be plenty for it to do. Pretoria is only one hundred and sixty miles away as the crow flies, and there are five thousand British prisoners there, no great abundance of guards, and plenty of arms.
