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A few nights ago, a Frenchwoman at St. Heliers having thrown water on a crowd of people who were celebrating the relief of Mafeking, the demonstrators freely smashed windows in the French district. The Mayor of St. Heliers thereupon issued a notice prohibiting all gatherings and processions in the streets, and the result was a smouldering anti-French feeling which found vent in various ways. On Thursday a statue erected to Mayor Bandanis, who is suspected of Gallic sympathies, was found tarred, and the tricolour which was displayed from a leading French hotel was promptly pulled down. Barriers were erected in the French district, but were quickly demolished. Special police precautions were taken and a large force of military called out, and the latter guarded the French quarter of the town with fixed bayonets. All was comparatively quiet till after midnight, when the disturbances were renewed, the crowd being charged with fixed bayonets and some 30 arrests being made. The demonstrators, numbering 700 or 800, assembled outside the mayor's residence and smashed several windows there, and, though Mr. Bandanis made a personal appeal to the people, the windows of several French tradesmen were also broken. Order was not restored till about half-past 2 yesterday morning. A number of youths, mainly of the working class, will be charged before the magistrate to-day with riotous conduct, but difficulty is experienced in finding any other than police witnesses. The military authorities have deemed it advisable to place the French quarter of the town out of bounds.

The French Consul in Jersey has communicated with the Foreign Office, and a message was despatched yesterday to the Lieutenant-Governor [Lieutenant General Sir Edward Hopton], holding him responsible for the maintenance of order. His Excellency was present for two hours last night, but the crowd was comparatively orderly. The French woman who irritated the people on Monday night by throwing buckets of water over them is to appear at the police-court to-day.

The Times, Saturday 26th May 1900

At St. Heliers, Jersey, on Saturday, charges arising out of the recent disturbances in the town were heard before Mr. Vandin, police magistrate.

The first case was that of a Frenchwoman named Cousinard, who, it is alleged, during a procession through the French quarter of the town of demonstrators celebrating the relief of Mafeking, threw dirty water on the crowd from a window, the can which had contained the water striking a policeman. According to the evidence of the police, the neighbourhood was quiet until the water was thrown over the crowd, and Cousinard was much to blame. Matters were very serious for a time, and the disturbances could not have been quelled had not the military picquets arrived. The crowd would not move when ordered to do so, and were unmanageable, while the door of the defendant's house would have been forced but for the police. A brick was thrown at the head of a police sergeant. The police drew their truncheons, but the crowd, after being cleared from one point, collected again at another. Sergeant Gale, of the Devonshire Regiment, said that Cousinard deliberately struck him in the ribs with a long-handled meat-hook, knocking him down. The crowd was singing, but did no harm. The witness was in charge of the picket. Other witnesses stated that there was no breaking of windows until the water was thrown. A similar crowd passed through the district on Saturday last, but they were not molested, and no damage was done. On a later date, however, water was thrown from a window of a French hotel, and the police were investigating this case. The damage on Monday was considerable, shutters being pulled down and thrust through windows. Cousinard's counsel said it was impossible to deny that water was thrown. The woman had, however, acted under provocation, and to protect her property. A basket of stones was produced, but the police, recalled, said that little damage was done to Cousinard's property and no stones were shown them. The magistrate adjourned the case till to-day.

Several cases of intemperance, disorderly conduct, wilful destruction of property, and disobedience of police were then dealt with. One of the accused, a well-known tradesman named Podger, was sentenced to four days' imprisonment without the option of a fine, the magistrate commenting very strongly on the conduct of Podger in interfering with instead of assisting the police. Another defendant was sentenced to eight days' imprisonment. Other defendants were sent to gaol for short terms.

In the afternoon ten young men were charged with complicity with others in interrupting the peace and causing wilful damage to the property of M. Degour Boisgard, agent in Jersey of the Petit Parisien, and the property of the Mayor of St. Heliers. Mr. Baudains, Mayor of St. Heliers, said he returned home at 12 15 in the morning. Shortly afterwards he heard knocking at his door. He went out and saw a crowd. The witness identified one of the defendants as among those present. He asked the people what they wanted, and some one called out "Give us a speech." In reply he said he was convinced that some French folk had provoked them or they would not be there. The witness was handed a flag and called for cheers for the Queen. Two panes of glass were broken at his residence, but he abandoned the charge in respect of this damage. When the crowd left his worship said he thought that absolute peace was restored. One of the honorary police said that the soldiers were being withdrawn when they heard that a crowd of 800 were at the mayor's residence. When the troops arrived at Charing-cross they fixed bayonets and surrounded the demonstrators. Some one said "Mob him," meaning the witness. Attempts were also made at rescue. Another member of the honorary police said that in his opinion the prisoners were not worse than hundreds of others on this occasion. The lieutenant-governor was anxious to get the troops away, and so thought it advisable to make some arrests. Three men were accordingly arrested for smashing glass in Sand-street. Counsel for the prisoners urged that to sing patriotic songs on the Queen's birthday, especially after the relief of Mafeking, was hardly an offence, and he contended that nothing other than this had been proved against his clients. Moreover they had spent two days in prison for any little indiscretion they might have committed. The magistrate liberated four of the defendants; three were sent to prison for four days each; and the others were sentenced to shorter terms.

The Times, Monday 28th May 1900

A large crowd of persons assembled outside the prison in Jersey yesterday to see the release of four defendants sentenced on Saturday to 24 hours' imprisonment for being concerned in the anti-French disturbances at St. Heliers. The young men were greeted with loud cheers, and one of the number was carried home shoulder high. Two Frenchmen who recently made themselves notorious by their pro-Boer proclivities, and one of whom was on the point of being arrested, have left the island.

The Frenchwoman Cousinard, charged with throwing a can of water over a crowd of persons celebrating the relief of Mafeking, which led to a breach of the peace, again appeared before the magistrate yesterday. Several witnesses were called to show that there was no disturbance until Cousinard threw the water. A captain of the Salvation Army said that the crowd turned round "like mad" when the water was thrown and said "Smash her windows." No windows were broken before the water was thrown. Cousinard, in defence, said she received "60 kicks, and 10,000 stones were thrown." The can fell when a stone struck her hand. In summing up the case, the magistrate said it was evident that the accused provoked the crowd, and he was convinced that there was no disturbance until the water was thrown. He saw no excuse for Cousinard's conduct, and she must go to gaol for four days. The prisoner, on being removed, said, "What about my house and the little girl?"

The Times, Tuesday 29th May 1900

I suppose unsurprising really. given the general feelings across Europe, notwithstanding, one wonders just how much jealously came into it, I dare say there were a number of governments that would have been very keen to acquire the whole Rand and in particular, it's contents.