The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1899-09-05
Kruger Makes a Move Which
Widens the Breach.
HURRY CALL TO CABINET COUNCIL
Report in London that the Boer Reply,
Vague and Unsatisfactory at the Best,
Has Been Construed as Sufficient Cause
for Hostilities, and that the Reserves
VIII BE Called Out-yolksraad Said TO
he Hestiie to Proposed Conference.

London. Sept. 4-The secretary of state
Tor the colonies. Joseph Chamberlain. ar
rived in London this afternoon and at
| once proceeded TO the foreign Office. II is
announced that he will remain here until!
the end of the crisis.
The war office refuses to confirm the
rumor that proclamation will be issued
calling out the reserves.
Amid the crowd Of conflicting dispatches
from South Africa regarding the Trans
vaal situation, il is still impossible TO say
exactly what has happened 1t seems
evident, however that President Kruger
has withdrawn the ive-year franchise.
which was dependent on Great Britain's $
acceptance of impossible conditions re-
sarding suZerainty. and has made some
sort OF tempOrizing counter suge estions
regarding a conference
The shl lewdness Of this reported move is
not likely TO save it from being interpret
ed oy the British government as a thinly-
yelled defiance, and unless Z is accompa-
MED by vague agreement to further
confer II would generally be taken as suf-
ncient cause for immediate hostilitias.
Excitement at Fever Heat.
Reports continue mystifying, but all
agree that the excitement in Johannes
bsrg is undated, and that the exodus
from that city is continuing and that dis
tress there is increasing. Cablegrams
from Boer and British South Africa
sources detail war preparations on all
sides.
The pessimistie view of the Transyaal
situation indicated by the afternoon news
papers is strengthened by welI-defned
rumor that a cabinet council has been
hurriedly called and an evident feeling at
the colonial office that the crisis has be-
come more acute.
The Standard and Diggers News gives
What purports TO be a report of the Sc
cret session of the VOIksraad on Saturday.
According 10 this account the VoIksraad
not only determined to reject the five
year proposal, but also stoutly opposed
President Kruger visiting Cape Town and
resolved TO make d stand for the abro-
cation of England's claim to suzerainty
The Boer organ then asserts: THE gov
erhmeEt, both the Raads and the bur-
ghers, feel that they have offered all they
intend to offer, and are now resolved to
stand or fall by this decision"
Boer statements of this kind, coupled
with the arrests at Johannesburg, speak
lOu'iNA Niidh tic hIlSSulS DTGtGnSeS OF
Pretoria about arriving at an understand
ing.
The johannesburg correspondent of the
Standard says:
Il learn from an official who has been
earnestly striving for peace that the mat
ter is now hopeless. The Beers will prob
ably declare war at forty-eight hours no.
tice and will try to raid Natal before the
Rritfzb 7 HI;
Free State will join the Transvaal but
that the Beers in Natal and the Cape Col
cny will remain quiet at the outset, un-
less irritated by the dismissal of the Cape
Colony cabinet.
10000 Dutch Fighters
The Beers have the fullest confidence
in their magazine rife and their skill in
craftsmanship. State Attorney Smuts is
the chief inciter Of the war party Thirty
thousand men in the Transvaal and twen-
ty thousand in the Orange Free State
will take the field
dispatch to the Daily Mail from Della
goa Bay says the refugees from Barber
ton declare that they were warned 20
leave, as the Beers intended to Gordon the
district.
There are numerous other dispatches
SlNIHS IullOfS DIS 10 war pans ana prep
arations, the probable attitude OF the ma
tives and possible developments.
Pretoria, Sept. 4.-The reply of the |
Transvaal republic TO the demands of |
Great Britain increases the term f years |
residence necessary in order to obtain the |
franchise.
In connection with the arresc of Mr.
Pakeman. editor OF the TransvaaI Leader.
and the threatened arrest Of other Out |
landers. the state attorney denies that |
instructions were ever issued az Pre- |
toria Ior these arrests, or that any DO
litical arrests v ere contemplated. but |
that warrants were issued AT Johannes
burg by a subordinate without consul |
tation with the state attorney. This an |
nouncement tends TO quiet the public |
mind and to arrest the exodus Pakeman |
has been released on s., 900 bail.