The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-10-12
An UnconArmed Rumor that Cony-
fngham Greene Has Been Assas-
sfnated at Pretoria.
BRITISH WAR PREPARATIONS
FLEET OF TRANSPORTS TO LEAtr.
ENGLAND ON SATURDAY.
Gen. Sir Redvers Buffers Army Corps
to BE Conveyed by Warships-
Ebuiftfons of Patriotism.

LONDON, Oct. 12-Up to o'clock this
morning 1t was not known positively in Lon
don whether war had been begun in South
Africa All rurnors to the effect that Natal
was invaded by the Beers yesterday lack
Official confirmation A dispatch to the
Daily Telegraph from Ladysmith dated
Wednesday alone. among the specials re-
ceived here, declares that war has begun
by the Beers in Natal. The correspondent
says: Free State burghers have seized
train at Harrismith. which was the prop
erty Of the national government. Last
night a mounted patrol was stoned by
unless they were fired upon" The other
dispatched only represent that the hostili-
ties are imminent.
A dispatch to the Times from Sandspruit.
under date of Tuesday. reports that parades
were held there in honor OF the anniversary
Of President Kruger's birth The corre-
spondent says: 1.-The Beers are pleased
with the heavy rainfall. which will improve
the grass. BY General Joubert's kindness
I have been in the Boer camp four days.
Nothing noteworthy has occurred. General
Joubert's headquarters and the artillery
camp are about ten miles from the border.
He carefully patrols the frontier, but for
bids large armed bodies to cross the border
or show themselves near the border. The
arrangement OF the camps and commisariat
a rough and ready. There is very little
drin or discipline. but the general result
Is satisfactory, each man or small mess at
tending to their own affairs. The earlier
confusion, due to delay IN the arrival OF
stores. has disappeared and there is now an
abundance OF food and equipment. The
only defect Is a lack of good water. The
whole Pretoria command yesterday shifted
its position nearer to drinkable water and
better grass"
A telegram from Pretoria. timed 7:3o yes
terday evening, says: ''The situation is be-
coming hourly more critical. Numerous
Americans, Germans, Frenchmen, Swedes,
Belgians, Norwegians. Danes. Italians,
Dutchmen. Swiss and Cape Afrikanders
have gone to the border to fight for the
Transvaal, although they are not burghers.
while many British residents also have
taken the oath OF allegiance. The hope is
expressed by many that war will yet be
averted."
Nothing since this mas peen received from
Pretoria, and doubtless telegraphic COM
munication with the Transvaal Is now cut.
The absence of news from the Cape since
early morning Is not due to an interruption
OF the cable. but to the immense pressure
Of work, the cables probably being nearly
monopolized by British government dis
patches, which take precedence over all
others. Only two cables run to Cape Town
from Europe. and the one on the eastern
coast Is very slow. so that practically all
the work Is thrown on one Atlantic cable,
which means that the present exasperating
delay viii recur repeatedly during the
progress OF the war. and that the newspa-
per dispatches will probably be very
meager.
The military authorities in South Africa
have irS.ituted a censorship on all tele-
grams in order TO prevent information re-
garding British movements from reaching
the Beers.
A dispatch from Kimberley says Cecil
Rhodes is expected there shortly.
An important South African firm in Lon
don has just received dispatch from Cape
Town saying that a revolution Of the Dutch
IN Cape Colony is regarded as imminent