The Portland daily press., 1899-10-09
Troops Face Each Other
on Border.
Twice on Saturday British
Camps We're Aroused.

| . AobuOus OOtODef o.-Wn nhteVer may De
the result of Great Britain's controversy
with the South African republic every de-
parUrnent Of the government Is as busy
as though aotDal hostilities had begun.
The electric fash that announced the
mobilization OF the army reserves and the
summoning ofParliament set every wheel
of the government in motion. An hour
after the Gazette appeared executive or
ders were being dispatched from the war
office to every section Of the kingdom and
the 10000 bulletins which appeared post
ed throughout the country today are said
to have been Identical with the proclania-
tlon prepared for use had the Fashoda
incident required such q step. At the
same time Lord Salisbury and Mr.. Bal
four were issuing the necessary orders
for the re-assembling of Parliament and
the admiralty was concentrating Its
transports, "a Of which are now secured
at Liverpool alone. So complete were
the preparations that rs, 900 reserves have
already individually recsiysd coupon
| tickets which contain ins- uotioBs where
each man shall report, tor railway trans
portation to the place designated and a
money order for three shillings for pro-
visions enroute. At Woolwich today 1t
was asserted that 95 per cent OF the ro-
serves would be fully equipped within
six days. In the meantime the two houses
of Parliament are arranging to retu- n to
London and force Of men is busily en-
gagged in completing the improvements at
| Westminster.
The most important news from South
Africa come from Mafeking where twice
ON Saturday the British camp was
aroused, the men stood to their arms,
guns were iimbered and the patrols were
dispatched in the direction of the border.
No hostilities have occurred as yet. but
the enemy has moved practically to the
pcrder, eight miles from Mafeking, In
force, estimated at 6000, comprising five
commands. The garrisonfng and fortify-
ing of the town are practically completed
The streets are barricaded and perfect
system of mines has been laid. Two
armored trains have arrived at MafekinR
| consisting Of bullet proof cars, the first
Of which carries search light, while the
sides of the other cars are loopholed.
Each train is complete in itself and car
ries Its own provisions Experiments with
lyddits In the mines prove chat 1t ia an
extremely powerful explosive.
| Col. Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden
Powell commanding the 9th dragoon
guards. has Issued notice that the Beers
who are massed on the Natal and Bec-
huanaland frontiers have orders not to
fire until the British forces begin and that
| the town is well prepared for eventusli-
ties; but,as the Beers may she'll the place
every endeavor should be made to safe
guard the women and children.
An armored train was inspected at
Kimberley ON Saturday. A signal sta
tion has been erected with a coming tow
er at the top, $50 feet above the trucks.
Communication by telephone is had with
central station and signals are given to
the troops by flags. The troops number
5000 including the bicycle corps. A train
was also successfully tested at Mafekinq.
1t patrolled the north and praoticed fir
Ing at targets. A dispatch from KIM
bsrley to the Capetown Argus says that
5000 Beers ara enoamped midway between
Boshof and Kimberley. They are we'll
armed and great religious fervor Is shown
In the camp. The Beers. however are
chatting under the delay. They patrol
the border nightly and have been ordered
not to prevent British uniform to ap-
proaoh the frontier.
| A special order was gazettsd on Satur-
day morning announcing that British
residents would be allowed to remain 10
the Transvaal and under what condi-
| tions.
RETARDED PEACE MOVEMENT.
Bloemfontein, Orange Free State, Oct.
S.-The correspondence between Presi-
dent Steyn and Sir Alfred Miner,
British high commissioner in South
Africa and governor of Cape Colony has
been published. In a communicated
dated September Goth President Steyn
pointed out that the tone of
the British dispatches was altered
and that the impartial government had