The Topeka state journal., 1899-09-13
AN ULTIMATUM
In Substance, If Not In Fact,
Is Sent
By British Government to the
TransVaal.
AN IMMEDIATE REPLY
Is Demanded to Relieve the
"Preseut Tension.
Indications Are Strong That
War Is Inevitable.
IRISHMEN WILL HELP
Those In the Rand Side With
the Beers.
Ten Thousand In New York
Tender Their Services.
Is Demanded to Relieve the
"Preseut Tension.
Indications Are Strong That
War Is Inevitable.
LRISHMEN WILL HELP
Those In the Rand Side With
the Beers.
Ten Thousand In New York
Tender Their Services.
In Substance, If Not In Fact,
Is Sent

London. Sept. 13.-The British mes
sage to the Transvaal does not demand
a reply in forty-eight hours, the exact
wording being a request for ''a1 i'm
mediate reply The message is NOT an
ultimatum in the generally accepted
sense of the word. 1t expresses the
hope that President Kruger will accept
the propositions to relieve the pres
ent tension
The only part which is at all aggres-
sive is the reiterated declinatiOn of the
British government to discuss the mat
ter of sovereignty in any shape or FORM
The British officials refuse to deny
or affirm the correctness of the latest
Pretoria dispatches saying the British
terms are as outlined in the special dis
patch from Pretoria. cabled to the As
ISOLATED Press last night, namely. a five
years franchise, a quarter representa-
ton for the gold fields in the Volksraad.
equality for the British and Dutch in
the NOlksraad, and equality for the old
and new burghers in regard to presi-
Dental and other elections
a special dispatch to the Pail Mall
Gazette from Cape Town says the Brit
ish reply is regarded as equivalent to
an ultimatum and the correspondent
advices from Pretoria indicate that war
is inevitable.
A Pretoria special to the Cape Times
says the Transvaal has notified the
miners of Italy that it Will give them
a safe conduct and protection in case
they wish to remain in the TrausvaaI-
The report that the Rand Irishmen
have formed corps to help President
Kruger is confirmed; and j.. is said at
Cape Town that a cablegran has been
received there from New York saying
10000 Irishmen there are ready to help
the TransvaaL
The Orange Free State burghers are
reported to be bitterly divided over the
merits of the controversy and their
probable course in case of war.
NO NEUTRALS
Johannesburg, Sept. 13.-The Uitlan-
ders of the BoXburg applied to the
burghers for permission to remain
neutral in the event of war, but were
refused on the ground that as Bretons
remaining in the Transvaal and refus-
ing to fight they must be regarded as
enemies.
The miners are being offered 25
pounds to remain on duty until ordered
to leave
a message of the secretary of state
for the colonies, Mr.. Chamberlain says
he understands the concessions made
in President krugers note of August
Is have been withdrawn on account Of
the British attitude regarding suzer-
ainty and adds:
Her majesty's government has abb
soIutely repudiated the view Of the po-
itical status of the Transvaal taken by
the Transvaal government claiming the
status of a sovereign state, and is un-
conditionally on their acceptance Of
this view" Continuing the note says
that the British government is salts
fed that the law embodying the pro-
posed alleViating measures for Out
1anderS is inefficient to secure immedi-
ate and substantial representation.
which it is understood the TransvaaI
admits to be reasonable. 1t then says.
Moreover the presentation of the pro
posals in the note Of August 9, indi-
Gates that the government of the South
African republic themselves recognized
that their previous offers might with
advantage be enlarged and the inde-
pendence of the republic thereby in no
way impaired"
The dispatch then goes on to say
Great Britain is still prepared to ac-
cept the franchise proposals of August
9, provided a court of inquiry, where
joint or unilateral shows the new
scheme to be unencumbered by nulli-
flying conditions. In this connection the
British government assumes that the
new members of the raad Will be allow
ed to speak their own language and
adds that the acceptance of these
terms would at once remove the ten
sion and would, in all probability rem
der unnecessary any further interven-
tion of her majesty's government to
secure redress for grievances which the
to bring to the notice of the executive
council and volksraad. Her majesty's
government is increasingly impressed
with the danger of further delay in re-
Heving the strain which has already
caused so much injury to the interests
of South Africa and they earnestly
press for an immediate reply.