The Topeka state journal., 1899-10-09
ASKS A MILLION.
England Willing to Quit For a
Consideration.
Proposes New Terms of Peace
to TransVaal
THROUGH PRES. STEYN
Continues Her Preparations For
War
While Making Her OVertures
Harder to Accept.
THROUGHPRES. STEYN

New York, Oct. "a special to the
World from London says: The World
correspondent hears that the British
high commissioner in South Africa, has
been authorized to notify President
Steyn of the Orange Free State that a
peaceful settlement of the Transvaal
difficulty can be made if President
Kruger will disarm his people, grant
the desired franchise to Outlanders and
pay Great Britain indemnify for the
cost of her military preparations, which
now would be less than $1,O0O,O00
Rumors are again prevalent that Lord
Salisbury is working for peace.
The evident determination of the
Beers to act strictly on the defensive,
coupled with the knowledge now that
the British army corps can not advance
on Pretoria before the middle of De-
cember, is exercising a calming infu-
ence on the public feeling. The war feel
ing engendered by the jingo press is
subsiding and the expectation is begin
ming to be generally expressed that hos
tilities may be avoided after all.
An act of aggression on the part of
the Beers would change the whole as
pect of affairs, but at present the ten
dency is toward the resumption of eff
forts to obtain pacific solution of the
difficulty.
claration that diplomatic means are not
exhausted is sinking into the public
mind and when parliament meets Mr..
Chamberlain will be severely pressed to
justify his conduct of the negotiations.
With the long lapse of time unaVOid-
able before British operations can be-
gin the chances of settlement obviously
are considera BILE.
BRITAIN'S BIG ARMY.
London. Oct. 9.-The vastness of
Great Britain's military preparations
seemingly out Of all proportion to the
work in hand in South Africa-was not
fully realized by the public until the
war office announced that $4,000 re-
serves had already been summoned to
rejOin the colors.
AS a matter of fact Gen Sir Redvers
Butler will have command of twice as
many British soldiers as the Duke of
Wellington, the cOnqueror of the First
Napoleon ever saw collected on one
battlefield. The reasons back of this
lavish display are probably a fear of a
native rising and possibly a conviction
of the adViSab ability of showing Europe
that Great Britain is prepared to re-
sent any reaction resulting from the
prevailing continental i'll will In this
connection the action of the American
department of state and the friendly
statements of President Mckinley and
Secretary of State Hay published here
are heartily welcomed as a happy re-
turn for Great Britain's refusal to
sanction continental intervention in the
Spain.
AS the Beers failed to attack Natal
when the colony was Vulnera BILE it is
beginning to be felt that they are pur-
suing deliberate policy of waiting for
the British proposals. remaining in the
meantime on the defensive in the hope
of thus winning the sympathies of the
world and perhaps the support of other
nations and leaving to Great Britain
the ignominy of starting hostilities
SALISBURY HESITATES.
London, Oct. 9-The Berlin corre-
spOndent of the Evening Standard says:
Information has been received in
diplomatic quarters here that Lord
Salisbury at the last moment hesitates
to enter upon a war with the Transvaai
peaceful solution is not therefore al
together impossible although it is i'm
prObable'
NATIVES CAUSING TROUBLE
London, Oct. 9.-According to the
latest advices from Johannesburg the
natives who seemed to have been rein
forced by the lawless element are get
ting out of hand and anarchy is threat