The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-01-08
"GET RE4DY.v THE CRY.
England Believes That War is at Her Very
Doors.

LONDON, Jan. 6-'Get -eady'' is the
cry which is ringing through England in
tones which have only one meaning. The
country has suddenly been seized with the
idea that war is at us very doors. Tho
! danger is undoubtedly exaggerated in the
/ popular mind, and perhaps In the official
mind as well, il one may Judge by the
reports of tireless act ity at the Admiral
ty and War department. | say that the
danger is exaggerated on the assumption
| that the astounding report is false which
comes from Berlin, to the effect that EN-
peror William has ass vred Or. Leyds. the
/ representative of the TransvaaI Govern
ment, that Germany will support that
Government I'm defence Of the Boer re-
public ard will send a Minister Resident
TO Pretoria i'm place Of the present Con-
sui.
Should this report prove true. the first
step taken by the German Emperor would
/ be followed by a declaration OF war oy
Great Britain The sending of a Minister
| to a State which ranks as dependency
of England would be "A direct denial of
the British suzeranity. and. according to
Secretary Chamberlain's declaration OF
the British policy on Saturday, this coun-
try would promptly attempt to enforce
its sovereignty in the rransvaal.
This rumor regardi' the latest action
of the Emperor mas nos yet been published
in London, and no confirmation is yet re-
ceived.
There is no abatement Of the public
and official feeling over the imperial tele-
gram of congratulation to President kru
ger ON the contrary. II grows hourly IN
intensity There is little resentment ma n
tested against the Beers II il ali direct
ed against Germany and ii is fast assum-
ing the propositions of a popular clamor
for war which II may be beyond the pow
er of any Government TO control or re-
sist.
The conviction grows stronger every
hour that events of the gravest impor-
tance are occurring i'm South Africa which
the British Government Is deliberately
Withholding from the knowledge Of the
world No messages except those Of an
official or semi-ofcal character have
been received from Cape Town or Johan-
nesburg of later date than last Wednes-
day. Two cables are now in full working
order to Cape Town The cable company
has been compelled lS he instruction of
the British Government to send the ac-
cumuated messages from Europe TO Afri-
ca i'm chronological order before transmit
ting the mass Of matter that is coming
this way.
The Colonial Office in London continues
to make public the lists of wounded and
either I'm johannesburg or Cape Town, be-
yond the resignation Of Mr. Cecil Rhodes
and the appointment OF his successor.
The London Consul Of the Transvaal
republic left Secretary Chamberlain this
afternoon In state Of great agitation and
excitement He said 10 the reporters who
accosted him:
THE news is far worse than anything
I have heard through the press can
not give IL 10 you. They have IL inside.
7 suppose thoy will furnish II 10 the press.
but II Is still locked up in the Government
despatch boxes, and the midnight official
in charge said that nothing more would
be made public tonight
In answer To the question whether Il
were true that DR.. Jameson had been
forcibly released. he repie, that the Gov
ernment had received no late news about
Dr. Jameson When asked whether there
had been an uprising AT johannesburg
ne replied:
II can Civ, you no information on that
subject"
The news OF Mr. Rhodes's resignation
excites widespread speculation II IL
widely suggested that he may have Sc
vered all connection with the British Gov
ernment In order TO place himself at the
head of a movement for securing the in
dependence of all South Africa. Some
plausible explanation OF the sudden resig-
nation of a man of Rhodes's temperament
and extraordinary activity.
The Government has been denying TO the
world all communication with South Afri
ca for nearly a week. IL is known that
the War Office is sending troops TO the
Cape with all possible speed. The Lam
caster Regiment of LOO men left Bombay
Yesterday on the troop ship Victoria.
I 80 ,4fc Ix~ ~. 4l,ot
there has been an unprecedented rush 10
enlist in both the army and the navy in
the past few days. The drumming for re-
cruits is usually a difficult business. To-
day the recruiting offices are thronged.
The warlike rumors tonight are too
numerous 20 chronicle. 1t is significant
Of the beiIigerent cature OF the siuat'on
that the report fnds quite general Gre
dcnce in the military clubs OF the West
End that Great Britain Is about TO mobi-
lize the entire army ceservers and mill
tia.-New York Sun.