Political Cartoon of Britain as a Cowardly Lion. The cartoon depicts a scared lion running away from hunters. It suggests that Britain was essentially a paper lion and her power was an illusion, as she faced defeat at the hands of the smaller Boer forces. The British Empire did indeed face a number of embarrassing defeats, as it failed to adapt to the Boer's tactics of mobile warfare and their ability to use the terrain to their advantage. However, the Boers were ultimately no match for the overwhelming might of Britain's worldwide Empire.
