Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1899-10-12

1
least 5000, comprising FIVE com
mandoes. The garrisoning and forti'
flying the town are practically com.
pleted. The streets are bsrricaded and
q perfect system Of mines have been
laid. Two armored trains have arrived
at Mafeking, consisting Of three bullet
proof cars, the first Of which carries a
searchlight, while the sides Of the other
cars are loopholed. Each train is com.
plete In itself and carries its own pro.
visions. Experiments with lyddite in
the mines prove that it is an extremely
powerful explosive.
| Col. Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden
Powell, commanding the Fifth dragon
guards, has issued a notice that the
Beers who are massed on the Natal
and Bechuanaland frontiers have orders
not to fire until the Brit sh begin and
that the town is well prepared for
eventualities, but as the Beers may
shell the place, every endeavor should
be made to safeguard the women and
children,
A dispatch from Kimberley to the
Cape Argus says that 5000 Beers are
encamped midway between Bosof and
Kimberley. They are well armed and
great religious fever is shown in the
camp. The Beers, however, are chat
ing under the delay. They patrol the
border nightly and have been ordered
not to permit British uniform to ap-
proach the frontier.
NO BOER ULTIsIATUM
London, Oct. 8. The Cape Town cor
respondent Of the Daily Mail declares
that the story that Boer ultmatum
demanding the withdrawal of the Brit
ish troops from the frontiers had been
presented is without foundation, but
he says republics have within the past
week demanded a declaration Of the
British intentions in threatening terms.
Hostilities in the outlying districts, the
correspondent says, are expected this
week. Mr. Hofmeyer, the Atrlkander
leader in Cape Colony, said on Friday,
according to the correspondent Of the
Daily Mail, that, but for him, the
Beers would have begun fighting long
ago. The correspondent further says:
"The financial position of the Free
State is becoming acute and suspension
of specie payments is expected soon.
London, Oct. l0.-The dearth OF news
from the Cape, on which all attention
is riveted, is poorly compensated for
by the mass of minor details published
concerning preparations for the dis
patch of army corps and speculation as
to the length and character Of the
debates when parliament meets. The
latest dispatch from Lourenzo Mar
quese, relating to the chasing OF the
steamer Guelph by the cruiser Philo
mel, caused some stir, especially as it
was announced that the Guelph had
landed at Durham Ala cases of ammuni-
ton for the Beers. There is a pretty
general feeling that ammunition ought
not to be allowed to be forwarded.
Some indication of the war Office
estimate Of the duration of the cam.
paign is given by the fact that the au.
thorites have contracted for eight
months supplies of bread and other
military acquisitions 1t appears that
although the war Office called up 25,O0C
reservists only the pick of them, some
5000 will be retained with the colors
Baron Tweedmouth presided at a
meeting of the council of London
radicals last night, which, after
speech by Lord Tweedmouth, deplor.
ing the unwise policy of the govern.
mcnt, whose dispatches, he declared,
were not couched in conciliatory terms,
adopted resolution in favor of arbi-
tration and calling upon the govern
ment to take steps tending to a settle
ment of the difficulty with the Trans
vaal by negotiations for arbitration.
THE SITUATION REGARDED AS GRAVE.
Pretoria, Oct 10. President Kruger,
in the course of an interview yesterday,
said he regarded the situation as very
grave and considered it very difficult
to predict coming events. The land
ing of British achievements in Natal
he said, did not trouble him, as he had
full faith in the Almighty. Mr.
Kruger declared he knew nothing OF
the reported intention of Mr.. Hofmeyr,
the Afrikander leader, and j. Rose
lines, under secretary of native affairs
in South Africa, to come to Pretoria,
and there was nothing further known
regarding the suggested arbitration
by the United States. State Secretary
Reitz yesterday said that negotiations
were pending regarding mediation by
the United States, but that nothing had
been decided.
BuRGHERs BECOMING DISSATISFIED.
Cape Town, Oct. l0.-The Afrikander.
bund has decided to call special con-
gress in November. The members OF
the bund are advised to refrain from
taking part in the local meetings, Ad.
vices from Pretoria say the Neither.
lands railway management asserts that
over 500 carriages and trucks belonging
to the Transvaal are now in the British
colony. According to these advises
the Burghers are still arriving at
Sandspruit and it is estimated that
$4,000 are now concentrated there.
They are becoming very much dissatis'
fed because of their inactivity and
hpavv rains and bitterly cold weathet