The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-10-03

CAPTURE OF
DUNDEE
By the Beers Cannot be Confirm-
ed..No Exceptional Activ.
ity Was Shown
AT GOVERNMENT OFFICES.
An outlander's Alarming Message
to Friends Believes Beers
VIII Massacre English.

LONDON, Oct. 2.-No confirmation u
obtainable from any source Of the re
port contained In a dispatch to the Elk
change Telegraph Company that the
Boers have captured Dundee.
No exceptional actfvfty was shown d
the government offices to-day, Mr.
Chamberlain and the Earl OF selbOrnt
were absent from the colonial Office, but
Lord Lansdowne, General Lord Wolsley
and General Sir Evelyn Wood were
buslly engaged at the war office. Cen
ernl Sir Redvers Butler called at the
war office this afternoon, and special
board meeting was held. Naturally
nothing of the discussion was made
public, but 1t is understood that Cen
eral Sir Redvers Butler will not proceed
for the Cape until next week, except In
case Of unforeseen developments.
Many members Of parliament are re-
turning to town in anticipation Of an
early summoning Of the houses Of par
lament. 1t is the general impression
that, although some speakers may ex-
press dlsapproval Of the government
policy, few will go to the extreme Of
voting against the required credit. 1t
is considered more probable that they
will abstain from participating in a d.
vision.
Sir william Vernon Harcourt, the
Liberal leader, having. in speech at
Tredgar. said: "The first and last word
of these gold hunters is war, in order
. lead to annexation" A correspon-
dent wrote to Lord Salisbury asking II
1t were not true that the government
would make every effort to avert war,
and had no desire to annex the Trans
vaal IL settlement could be obtained
peacefully. Lord Salisbury replied, an
swering aftlrmatlvely.
The Duke Of Argyle, in reply to an
inquiry as to what he thought OF Sir
William Vernon HarcOurts words, said
they were pure party clap trap, add
ing:
II have no respect for a petty state
which invites, rises by means Of, and
depends upon the labor and brains Of
strangers, and then refuses them the
common rights of humanity and con-
demns them to an intolerable life of
sertdOm."
Sensational Assertion.
"A letter from an outlander received
in Birmingham was published to-day.
II it reflects the general feeling Of the
British residents In Johannesburg. they
must be in an awful funk. The writer
says:S
III 1t comes to fight, believe the
Beers will make massacre Of II. blow
Johannesburg to bits and shoot us on
sight. In fact, have been told so by
one in office"
Reports from various arsenals and
garrlsons In Great Britain testify to
the active continuance OF military prep
arations. The reserves have received
preliminary notice to be prepared, and
several regiments have been notified to
hold themselves in readiness for active
service.
A dispatch from Durham, Natal, timed
10:45 o'clock this morning, reports that
all trains from the Trnnsvaal are ar
irving twenty-four hours late, having
been Obliged to give place to the Boer
military trains. II is added that two
trains which arrived last evening were
packed, and that the station was be-
sIeEed by friends of the passengers
The latter said they had endured great
hardships and been subjected to insults
by the Beers.
The dispatch, continuing, says that
the excitement is increasing nt Durham.
The streets are thronged with animated
crowds, and the impression prevails
that the Beers may commence hostlli-
ties to-day. Altogether over 1900 Natal
volunteers have gone to the front,
Trains from LourenEo Marquee and
Delagoa Bay are bringing enormous
crowds, principally miners. A Boer
command has arrived at the border
town OF Comantipoort.
The British government is chRrtering
large number Of steamers, evidently
for the purpose OF transporting an army
corps. About forty vessels are TO be
chartered. and the steamers Pavonia,
OF the Cunard line, and Bavarlnn, OF
the Allan line, are among those already
taken.
Close to the Border.
Advices from Cape Town say n dis
patch received there to-day from
CharleBtOwn. Natal, announces that
eighty members Of the Orange Free
State artillery, with six guns, have ar
rived at VollSsrust. point on the wal
close to the Natal border, and that u
Marquee has been erected by the hos
pital authorities, The officials at
Charlcstown. however, received tele-
gram from the colonial secretary in an
swer to an inquiry. instructing them to
remain absolutely stlll and offer no re-
SIstanCc. No women have been left In
Voiksrust, and the natives are leaving
CharlestOwn. The officials still remain,
but are ready to leave at moments
notice. General JOubert the vice pTesi-
dent OF the South African republic, and
commander in-Chief Of the TransvRHl
forces, has arrived at Volksrust. and
his presence there will have a calming
effect.
The advices from Johannesburg say
no communicating took place there Sun
day. Th2Y add that many Of the Beers
are anxious to leave, and that many OF
the young men Hrc forming corps OF
civilian police, and are acting In con
junction with the merchants assoCla-
ton. The town Ia quiet. The mer-
chants committee announces that Brit
lsh subjects, under n permit, viii be
allowed to remain, and that consular
letters and passports viii be accepted
II the persons presenting them are OF
good character.
L.. u