Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1899-09-20
The Air Filled With Wild Ru-
mors But Nothing
Definite.
CABINET MEETING TOMORROW
Something May Be Known Then
Troops Marshalins on
Both Sides.

Pretoria, Sept. 2l.-General Joubert,
Bosr cOmmander.in-chief, is quoted as
saying,in an interview: The situation
is serious. Probably the heaviest fight
ing would occur on the Natal border.
The British will likely attempt tom
wade the Transvaal by way of Van
Relnan's Pass"
Urgent messages are reaching the
raad from members who are demanding
authority for the Beers 10 mass at
strategetic points.
SAILED FROM BOMBAY.
Bombay, Sept. 2l.-Major General
Hunter aud his staff with DevonShire
regiment aud squadron of the Nine
tenth IIussars, sailed today for Cape.
IRRITATING HAPPENINGS.
E.ondon, September 21.-Ihe speech
of sir William Vernon Earcourt, for
ner Liberal leader, to his constituents
at New Tredegar last night and mes
sage from The Cape Town Afrlkander
members of parliament to President
Kruger have proved red rags to the
"War at Any Price" party. The Cape
papers declare that the action of the
members of parliament amounts to al
mosttreason and the same terms are
applied TO Sir William Vernon Har-
courts remarks about the English anti
Boer papers.
Those who claim the situation has
not yet passed the Rubic0n of pacific
negotiations, see in President Krueger's
answer to the Afrlkanders genuine
desire 10 avoid hostllilies. The report
that he personally petitioned Queen
Victoria to avert h0stiilies certainly
does not bear out the alarmst reports
of English correspondents in South
Africa that President Kruger was de-
ttrmined long since upon war. Never
theless preparations for that eventuaii
ty continue energetically on both
sides.
BOTH SIDES PREPARING.
Boer are laageriDg and British troops
are reaching hlmDerIy AMI Ladysaaisn.
The onward march of the latter is being |
marked by enthusiastic ovations from
the scared Inhabitants and hordes are
hurrying southwark for safety. The
last report emanates from New Castle, |
Natal, saying that the Transvaal forces
are encsmped at Zandsprlnt and in
tend to raid the Natal immediatly after
they understand Chamberlain's reply is
not satisfactory.
The British army nursing service
sails from Southampton tomorrow and
Major General French sails Saturday
lie goes to Durbsn, Natal, in command
of the cavalry brigade.
The foregoing includes all the actual
Developments but they help little to
solve the universal question: "Will
there be war;" The answer of Presi-
dent Styn of the Orange Free State to
Sir Alfred Miner, British high com
missioner for South Africa, is not re-
Oarded as a satisfactory explanation OF
fbe Free States position and by no
means dissipares the increased serious
ness with which the situation is re-
parded. Since the first 1t has been re-
ported that the Free State would
aggressiveIy assist the Transvaal.
WHAT VANITY FAIR SAYS.
Vanity FAIR, frequently we'll informed
regarding political secrets, TO-DAY ems
pbatically reiterates the assertion that
there will he no war 1t sal0: "Presi-
dent Kruger is an old man but he is no
dOtard. lie would like TO get his Own
way but not at the cost of defeat.
Climb down he will. We maintain the
belief there will be no war"
Vanity Fair takes the view, which Is
shared by several weeklies, that no
alarmlst daily papers have created a
fictitious crisis Conservative sitting
of conflicting opinions and rnmors now
prevailing regarding the outcome OF
the dispute will be more pracllcaole
after tomorrow's cabinet meeting,
though tie official announcement OF
the ministers decision is likely to be
delayed few days
The London edition of the Standard
and Diggers News of johannesburg
gave out a cable dispatch today, pur-
porting to be from Johannesburg, say,
ing the returns from field cornets OF
the Transvaal and Orange Free State
show $1,000 burghers ready to take the
field on short notice.