The sun., 1899-09-10
WAR FEVER NOT so HIGH.
HoPE FOR PFACE IN NEW NEG o.
TTATIOES WITH THE BOERs.


| still Danger of Hostilities Being Precip-
itatsd by Some Unauthorized Act-Tho
| Acceptance bv the Beers of tho British
Proposal for n Meeting of Delegates.
FpseiaI Gable De,pa,ohes to THE sur.
LONDON. Sept. 9-After twenty-iour hours
OF an apparently ncute crisis. the Transvanl
situation to-day has relapsed very much to-
ward the status OF a fortnight ago, and the
sands In the hourElnss. which are marking the
LAPSE OF Colonial Secretary Cham mberlain's
eleventh hour" are running with decorous
and judicious slowness.
II the dispatches and editorials appearing
lately In the bulk OF the English newspapers
had been really representative OF the true con-
ditlon OF affairs England and the Transvaal
would have been fighting days ago. wide
spread impression prevailed that yesterdays
Cabinet meeting would BRING an ultimatum and
war 1t was generally believed that Gen Sir
Redvers Henry Butler would depart to- day Cape
ward and that the whole OF the troops warned
to be In readiness would be modified forth
with. Although the Cabinet has not officially
issued any account OF its proceedings. there is
no doubt that II acted and acted unanim ously.
on the lines already cablod. giving the
Transvaal another opportunity OF satisfy
ing British demands and avoiding war.
President Kr1ger has already stated in the
Nolksraad that he would be willing to send
a commissioner to a further conference.
and, barring the chances OF hostilities pre-
ciritated by some unauthorized act arising
from the extreme state OF tension OF mems
minds, In South Africa. the result OF this
conference must he awaited.
The reality OF yeste rday's alarm was we'll
indicated In the Stock Exchange. but q re-
action set in before ths close. First OF all
American Rails recovered. Consols recovered
IN fhA fnn aud haa H. ls-I
many showing no loss at the close. A similar
tendency was shown in to-day's papers. even
in those which had been tho most bellicoss
They now know that the Cabinet is determined
to pursue policy OF patience to the furthest
limit and consequently they fail back again on
the old assertion that the issue ia In KrUeer's
hands. This remains true, and II Kr0ger
proves himself able to control the fercer ele-
ment OF the Beers. war will at least be delayed
for some time to come.
At the same time though the outlook Is cer-
tainly more peaceful. the situation remains
grave Tho despatch of 10000 reinforcements
to South Africa forthwith. added to the 25O00
more under notice to be in readiness. suf-
fcienty proves IL further proof were needed,
that England 10 determined to force matters IL
the Transvaal does not give plain answer to
the final despatch. There is also danger from
the war party among the Beers.
Between European powers the discussion in
the Volksraad and Jonkherr Coesters enquiry
as to why British troops were massed on the
Transvaal frontier. would have been tanta-
mount to a declaration OF war. followed, us it
was. by such an answer as Sir Alfred Miners
President Kruger was forced to deprecate the
violence OF several speakers. for example
Jonkherr Dutoit who said it was i'm
possible to speak OF Mr.. Cham beraln
without insulting him. Again. referring
to the Highbury garden party speech.
he said Mr.. Chamberlain must rememb ber
that the Volksraaders spoke as men. not when
they had had a lot OF whiskey. IT Mr.. Cham
berlain keeps on this way" said he. the
Transvaal must give him some Mauser pills.
which would be n good purgative."
With men like this to handle President
KRUGER must proceed carefully; otherwise he
will find himself between tho devil and the
deep sea. On the whole. however. there is
every reason to expect a further period of
negotiation on clearer lines than has hitherto
been the case.
Lorenzo MARQUEE. Sept. 9.-The steamer
Santa Fe has arrived here. having on board
sixty-three cases Of ammunition for the Trans
vaal.