Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-10-21
WAR TALK IN LONDON
Unusual Interest Manifested in the
Transvaal Campaign.
VOLUNTEERS OFFER THEIR SERVICES
Bitter Anti-British SentimentVoiced
by Paris Paper.
FOREIGN NEWS AND GOSSIP

LONDON. October 21.-War talk reigns
supreme everywhere IN England. London
Is teemng with people, notably socially. but
what cares London for society when troops
are piing into transports, and when every
body. from her majesty down. is saying
Goodbye God bless you" and Good
luck to you" The newsboys are fairly rev.
cling in their "'Orrible slaughters:' and
the ordinary pacific stock brokers talk in
cessantly of strategic and military tactics
There is nothing of the traditional shop
keeper element visible in British charac-
ter since the first shot was fired. null
titude of military details flood all classes
of publications; and almost everybody who
has ever been in South Africa takes the
first opportunity to air his views as to the
fighting capabilities of the Beers. the re-
suit being marvellous mass of conflicting
theories
The news of yesterdays fighting in Ma
tai made a tremendous sensation, and the
pluck and dash of the Kings Royal Rifles
and the Dublin Fusileers greatly stimulated
the universal enthusiasm. The total Brit
ish force at Camp Glencoe. according to
the reports Immediately preceding the an
nouncement of the engagement, include the
18Th HussQrs, the Natal Mounted Volun-
teers the LIST Battalion of the Leicester
shire Regiment. the 1st Kings Royal Ri
fies the I'd Dublin Fusleers the Devon
shire Regiment. the Dorsetshre Regiment
several companies of mounted infantry, and
three field batteries. a total of about 1000
men. opposed to a Boer force estimated at
twice that number, and possibly reaching
a higher figure This very disparity be-
tween the COmbatants gives an additional
element of fascination to the history of the
day.
Probably no other officer in the British
army has seen more fighting that Cen Sir
he rom NINA dor Of
the 18th division, under Gen. Sir George
Stewart White. Certainly none has seen
| more in India; and the campaign in Burma
and Zululand revealed his splendid qualities
in the most brilliant fashion.
Gen. Symons was one Of the few who
escaped on that memorable January morn
ing at Isandula, when nearly the whole of
his regiment. the gallant oath. persisted
THUS there is tragic completeness in his
victory near the scene Of that massacre.
The operations thus far seem to show
that the Orange Free State Beers have g
strong Discrimination to fight at close quar-
tiers This was rather anticipated. The
! Transvaal Boer is a rough farmer, accus-
| toned to live in the open air and to
| bivouac. The Free State burgher lives in
| comfortable brick house and is much more
civilized.
1t would also appear, as was predicted,
| that only the younger burghers of the Free
State have responded to the call to ms.
Speculation AZ to Naval Movements.
There is considerable speculation regard
| ing the numerous naval movements. The
! admiralty has ordered the paying off Of the
/ crews Of four ships of the training squad
| ron, the Raleigh, Voltage Champion and
| Cleopatra. This is supposed to be because
the crews will be required for the special
| service squadron which, 1t is assumed. will
| be utilized for the defense of home waters.
| The officers of the channel squadron,
| which is under orders to proceed 10 Glib
| IaItar next Tuesday, believe it is going
] there for guard duty, as the garrison at the
| ICck is very weak at present.
| According to the Outlook, 1t IS reported
| that President Kruger has issued letters of
| nlarque to French privateers to prey upon
| British transports the way to the Cape.
| Although France IS officially friendly, there
| is guarantee that cupidity will not tempt
| private owners to fit out ships. This is
| said to explain the dispatch of the British
| first-CaSS protected cruisers Diadem and
N'Obe very fast vessels, to Las Palmas.
| which Is an admirable place of observation.
War Question in Politics.
| The forthcoming parliamentary bye cleo
| ton in Tower Hamlets. London, is being
| fought strictly on Boer and anti-Boer lines.
| The liberal candidate, Mr.. Harold Spender,
declares that the war was brought about
| as much by the laundering of the secretary
| of state for the colonies, Mr.. Joseph Cham
! berlain as by the obstinacy of the Trans
vaal government. On the other hand. the
| conservative candidate Mr. William Guth-
| RE, asserts that the 5candalous arrogance
| of the Beers was alone responsible for the
| hostilities. Both join in wish that victory
| may attend the British arms; but this does
| not deter the electors from creating a little
| war of their own
| One of the most curious features of the
| mobilization has been the inoculating of the
| troops against enteric fever. This was not
| made compulsory; but the company COM
| manders We're instructed to urge the men
| to allow themselves to be inOculated, ana
most Of them have undergone the ordeal.
Although medical men differ greatly to
| the utility Of the virus, the percentage of
enteric fever in the British ranks will be
| eagerly watched by foreign military ex-
! perts Should il turn out to be remarkably
| small, ii is more than likely that all the
| European troops will be inoculated before
| going 10 countries infested by the enteric
| germ.
| The war office continues to receive offers
| for volunteer service from all parts of the
| country. Colonel Sir Charles Edward How
| ard Vincent has officially repeated his pro-
| posal to raise 1000 marksmen for service
| in South Africa at his own expense. Col
| onef Vincent is the commandment of the
| Queens Westminster Volunteers, one of
| the crack regiments; and. since his
| offer was first published, he has been mum
| serve. Many of the applicants are of good
social position. including several clergy
men. They hail from points as far apart as
| Bombay, Halifax and San Francisco. A
| Canadian offered Colonel Vincent to bear
| the entire expense of hundred men
! throughout the campaign.
| 10 Deal " NOn-COm ia Is.
| Ore of the problems left entirely to Gen.
| Sir Redver's Butler in supreme command
| is the punishment of non-combatants who
take part in the hostilities The task Of
distinguishing their status is very difficult,
| as comparatively few Beers wear a uni
| form. IT Is said that the treatment he will
| administer to the German and Irish volun-
! teers under the Transvaal flag will not be
| more merciful than were Won Moltkes
Il ltt,a~- WI ha rT'iratr
The bitter anti-British feeling that exists
in France Is voiced. in its extreme mani