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Thank you Paul,
Explained with great clarity ...

I had no idea that the Townshend souvenir edition was printed in Cape Town. Similarly, I did not realise that the set described in the 30th May issue was something other than the "Cape Town" edition.
You must be delighted to have a set of the rare card-covered edition of 100 copies. I am certainly pleased to learn that my set, which contains copies of the first printing of Nos 1 to 5, is something of a rarity.

Neville

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I took my suggestion that the souvenir edition was printed in Cape Town from Pelteret's article

"This printing was first advertised in a Special Siege Slip No.156 dated 5 June 1900, that is, well after
the lifting of the siege. It was later to be printed and properly bound in Cape Town by A Walter
Townsend (the son), Taylor and Nasal. It contains a preface and list of those members of the town
guard present during the siege."

It seems probable given that the type used differs from the Mafeking type used during the siege.

Neville,
Does your set of first printings conform to Pelteret's assertion that
All the copies of issue No.6 seen by the author show the word "ONLY". It is suspected that the
commercial value to the printers of The Mafeking Siege Slips had been discerned by the time No.6
came to press and a substantial "overrun" allowed (and set aside) for later sale.
My set of the Mafeking reprints does not show "ONLY" and my run of original siege printings only goes as far as No 5.

My copy of No. 6 does include the word "ONLY". The fact that you have a copy without it implies that extra copies of No. 6 were printed in the same way as with Nos 1 to 5.
Pelteret's observation that all the copies he has seen have the word "ONLY" may suggest that a smaller number of No. 6 needed to be reprinted, as an overrun did occur, but not quite sufficient to meet demands.

Interesting. I would agree with your conclusions.

A copy of Issue No. 2, conforming to the typographical layout of the second siege printing, is available on eBay at the moment. The same seller has four other copies: three siege printings (Nos 20, 95 & 144) and one (No. 145) from the Cape Town souvenir reprint. Auction ends 10 Dec 2022.

MAFEKING MAIL No. 2

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