Arizona republican., 1899-10-15
Neither Wellington Nor Kitchener
 So Equipped.
STORY OF KRAAlPAN AFFAIR
An Official German Announcement of Neutrality, But So Strong a Public Sympathy With inc Trans VaaI Thai inc Government is Urged fO ACfiViiy-H Military Opinion Thai England Has Much
 fO Do Before inc War Is Ended.

London, Oct. 14.-War so often pre- dicted in these dispatches as being the inevitable climax to hopeless things, has come at last and is now in full swing for the subjection of the little republic, whose whole military sun sets after having risen at Majuba Hill.
 Great Britain has set going machin- cry more powerful than that which crushed Napoleon and twice as strong as that which gave her Egypt and the Soudan. General Sir Redvers Butler has gone, and already Boer bullets have sung a song of desperate defi- have sung a song of desperate defiance. That the next few weeks will be mark ed by sharp fighting can almost be taken for granted. That the re- suit will probably be for time not too favorable to the British, is also ad- mitted. The main question is how long are hostilities to last. An ulti- mate English victory is almost assured by virtue of overwhelming strength.
 General Butler has gone to take en- tire control of the South African situ- ation. He will be as absolute as was Wellington and less hampered than was Kitchener. Therefore, not only the conduct of the war lies in his dis cretion but also virtually the future of all South Africa
 Further details are at hand regard ing the destruction of the armored train at Kraaipan. They show that
 
 was warned at Maribogo that the Boers had the line. He replied that he was bound to proceed. Nearing Kraai- pan the train. dashed into a culvert that had been blown up by the Boers. who were lying in wait for the train. The Boer artillery immediately opened fire and a desperate fight ensued last ing four hours with odds greatly against the British
 The precise details are uncertain. It seems that the police patrol attracted by the firing, approached within about two thousand yards of Kraaipan, saw the train ditched with Boer artillery still pounding at it, but could hear no response. The Boers seemed afraid to approach until the wreck was complete and the police patrol feared, as there were no signs of life near the train, that the entire force had perished in desperate attempt to get the train back to Mafeking, where they knew it was anxiously awaited with it's load of guns and ammunition It is report ed that the Boers lost heavily, but there is no means of verifying this. Two miles of rails were torn up.
 Those who have been anxious for more stirring news from the seat of war are getting it to the fullest extent, 1 as according to the dispatches. the shooting must have been almost con tfnuOus along the border of the Boev | republic, while pitched battles have occurred or are occurring at various ! points in Natal and British Bechuana- land.
 Most of these reports, however. re- main unconfirmed. As Mafeking is cut | off telegraphically, stories from that | point are generally of Kafir origin and | must be regarded with suspicion. ! While there is every probability that General Cronje's big command has be- gun the assault on Mafeking, reliable | details will be still awaited.