San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1896-03-31
CAPE COLONY DANGER.
POWERFUL ENEMIES ON ALL SIDES
ARE MASSING.
The Matabeles Crown Their Young King
and Prepare For War, While Beers
Are Drilling and OolOnists Are
Unarmed.

state for the colonies, MI. Joseph
Chamberlain, read dispatch from
the governor of Cape Colony, Sir
Hercules Robinson, in the house of
commons today. The message an
nounced that the Matabeles were
massing in the Matopo hills. He
added that communication with
the south was endangered, and
that there was lack of arms with
which to supply volunteers. Sir
Hercules Robinson also said the
natives were well supplied with
guns.
LONDON, March 3l.-There are
signs at the dock.yards and
arsenals Of preparations for grave
events. Orders have been received
to prepare a number OF warships
for active service, stores and am
munition are being overhauled and
sent on board vessels to be prepared
for commission, and all naval off,
GERS on furlough have been tele-
graphed to rejoin their ships i'm
mediately. These measures, how
ever,are believed to be more Of pre-
csutionary nature than as indicat-
ing the probability OF an outbreak
of hostilities. The French Medi-
terranean squadron, however, is to
be strengthened, and the second
class cruiser Cecille, with three
five.ton iguns and ten directions,
having a speed of nineteen knots,
has sailed on secret mission to
the African coast.
CAPETowN, March 81. - Addi-
tional advices from Buluwayo
show that the work of placing that
town in a state of defense has been
completed so far as the means at
hand permit; but there is great
lack of arms and ammunition with
which to supply the many settlers
who have gathered there from out
lying districts since the uprising
commenced. Until arms and am
munition arrive from England the
people are almost helpless and
combined uprising upon the part
of the Beers and natives who could
be bribed into hostility, might be
very disastrous.
Beers have weapons with which
to arm a powerful auxiliary force
and they are aware Of the predica-
ment in which the British find
themselves.
Offensive operations against the
Matables are almost at a standstill,
communication south of Buluwayo
is practically cut of, parties of sett-
lers, who left their clearings at the
first signs Of alarm, are still unre-
lieved and there seems to be no
immediate prospect of assistance
being sent them.
The agent of the chartered COM
pany has been authorized to raise
an additional force of 5000 men,
but though the men are available,
arms, ammunition and horses are
wanting. The whole country out
side OF radius OF about twelve
miles around Buluwayo, is in a
state OF open instruction, and the
Matabeles and other natives are
fiocking to the Matopo hills, where
the son OF the late King Loben-
gula is said to have been raised to
his fathers rank with much cere-
mony, preparatory to taking COM
mand OF the army of insurgent
natives flocking to the hills
from all parts. The vicinity OF
Buluwayo is kept clear Of rebels
by white scouts, but it is believed
the natives are being kept fully
informed of all going on, and no
body now doubts that the real
trouble is at Pretoria and that
Berlin is kept we'll informed re-
garding the progress of the up
rising.
Advices from the Transvasl
show that the work OF preparing
for war is being continued there
night and day. Gangs Of men re-
lieve each other at intervals in the
work upon the armored forts de-
signed to protect Pretoria, all
plates for which have been fur
nished by the Creosote works and
the guns by the great Krupp firm
OF Germany. Drilling of artillery
men under German officers goes on
openly every day.
The foreign legion, composed al
most wholly OF Germans, has re-
Gently entered the Transvaal to or.
ganize. This force will be mostly
infantry aud artillery, the Beers