The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-01-09
WAR CLOUD is BLACK.
Onimous Orders Issued by the Brit
ish Government.
FLYING SQUADRON FORMED-THE
MILITARY ACTIVE.

Indemnity of Millions-And the Ger
man War Lord Will Back Them-The
Authorities No Longer Conceal Their
Apprehension of War.
New York, January 8.-An afternoon
paper prints the following under Lon
don date line:
The report that ord ers have been sent
to Portsmouth, Deyonport and Chatham
for the immediate commissioning of a
flying squadron of warships is confirmed,
and has caused profound impression
in all circles.
The flying squadron is ordered to be
ready Tor sea by January IA, Tuesday
next. It will consist of the following
ships: Revenge. first class battleship,
IA, 150 tons; Royal Oak, frst-class battle
| ship, IA, $50 tons; Gibralta, frst-class steel
cruiser, 77OO tons; Cnarybdis, second
class steel cruiser, 1850 tons; Thesus,
first-olass steel cruiser, 1850 tons; Her
tons.
In addition Admiral Frederick George
Bedford, in command Of the Cape of
Good Hope and West Africa station, has
been ordered to proceed to Delagoa bay
on board the flagship ST. George, a first
now on his way there, accompanied by
another cruiser. with all possible speed
The German Emperor, 1t appears, had
planned to land force of Germans at
Delagoa bay, in order to assist the Beers
against the British, and only desisted
from doing SO when he learned of DR..
Jamesons defeat and capture.
This. it is claimed is proof that his
message to President Kruger, congratu-
lating him upon his victory over the
British, and his majesty's reported an
nouncement to Dr.J.W Leyds, the secre-
tatry Of state Of the Transvaal that Ger
many refused to recognize any suzerain-
ty over the Transvaal, were well weight
ed moves and the result of a pre-arranged
policy.
| Admiral Bedford has also been instruct
ed to report Immediately to the admiralty
what additional ships are necessary to
Ereinforoe his squadron and they will be
|
Besides these preparations the greatest
activity is displayed at all the dock
yards. making ready for call for the
commissioning of more ships as soon
needed. England can stand in the way of
studied opposition upon the part of Ger
many, even IL the latter is backed by
France and Russia, which is not consid.
cred to be by any means certain.
The commanding officers Of the diff
ferentss,
REGIMENTS OF VOLUNTEERS
have been overwhelmed with letters from
those men under their command express.
ing the desire to be enrolled for active
service.
At the war office this afternoon it was
stated that the troops returning from In
dia or bound for that part of the British
Empire, have been ordered to call al
Cape Town before the crisis occurs, and
all that is necessary is to instruct theil
commanding officers to land at the Cape.
| The military authorities no longer at
tempt to conceal the fact that they are
actively preparing for the possibilities
of war.
All the regiments of the British army
reserve, militia, etc, have been ordered
to make immediate returns of theil
strenth for mobilization, out as vet nc
further stops in this direction have beer
deemed necessary.
The gravity of the political crisis her,
is increasing. The attitude of Emperol
William towards Great Britain in th,
matter of DIR. Jameson's freebooting ex
pedition into the Transvaal, upon close
study, seems to have been deIiberat
and long and carefully planned. Th
Transyaal incident, it would appear, wa
only the pretext seized upon by the EN-
peror in order to enter the field as al
active opponent of Great Britain's polio,
of aggrandizement in Africa and he
little misunderstanding with Kin.
, Prempeh of Ashantee. These, toget he
with her support of Italys warfar
against Abyssini, are believed to hav
been the irritating features which final
ly induced his majesty to show his hand
} OF course, this is only a sample OF tn
rumors in circulation here, but it show
the drift of the wind. and has served t.
incense the British to degree not wit
messed since
WAR WITH RUSSIA
was threatened some years ago.
To make matters worse, it is now re
ported that the Transvaal republic will
demand an indemnify of So, 500, 900 from
Great Britain as one of the results o
Dr. Jameson's invasion of the littl
Dutch republic.
II this turns out to be the case ~
doubt will be entertained that Empero
William in his recent interviews wit
DR.. W. j. Leyds, the secretary of state q
the Transvaal, prompted the deman
and may also have announced his inten
tion of supporting it. Under the existin
circumstances and in view of the wa
preparations by land and sea now bein
vigorously pushed by Great Britain,
is not astonishing that there was a
ominous drop in consols, which, as muc