The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-09-28
within ONE WEEK
FLASHING OF ARMS MAY BE HEARD
IN THE LAND OF THE BEL
LICOSE BOER
War SEEMS UNAVOIDABLE
SPECIAL SESSION OF THE BRITISH
CABINET CALLED IN A CIR
CULAR TO MEMBERS
CONVENING OF PARLIAMENT

That Is the Subject to BE Discussed
by the Cabinet Ministers-Latest
Advices From the TransvRaI Arc
UnfavOrabIe to Peaceful Solution
of Existing Differences Safe
guarding Natal Approaches.
LONDON, Sept. 27.-Nodces for the ad-
9ourned cabinet council were forwarded
this afternoon, and the government
whip will be on hand to give immediate
effect to any decision arrived az regard
ing the reassembling of parliament.
Information from Bloemfontein this
evening leaves little doubt that the
Orange Free State volksraad is unant-
nous in supporting the Transvaal
Most important light IS thrown upon
the situation by a frank statement to-
day to the Associated Press by Sir Walter
Peace, agent general for Natal in Lon
don, who fought against the Beers in
former years. He said:
THE attitude of the Orange Free State
means its inevitable acquisition by Great
Britain. Peace in South Africa can only
be accomplished by var. In my opinion
war would not last more than two
months. In order to make pacifcation
effective, Great Britain must assume aD-
solute control over the whole o. South
Africa.
80 far as the position of Natal is con-
cerned, all this talk about IOor, unde-
Tended Natal is nonsense. There wi he
little or no fighting in Natal, if it comes
to a war, and I fear that no other issue
Is now possible. What do you think TO-
900 British troops would be doing while
this much-talked-of Boer raid was in
progress? Our eyes are in good working
order and our troops can be transported
quickly. The bad weather conditions have
been magnified. A campaign could be
carried on now just as well as in any
otkel season.
WILL END QUICKLY.
1.-Two months from the date Gen. Sir
RedVers Butler lands the fighting will he
over If the Free State mad been loyal
fighting would not have lasted fourteen
days. 1t IS the luckiest thing in the
world, however, that the Free State has
been foolish enough to take a hostile at
titude, for that means her addition to
T
always have been disturbing factor in
the quiet of South Africa.
Great Britain has the power to work
out ultimate peace. 1t remains tc be
seen whether she has the splric Upon
the concession of war which must be
untlinching iii order to be effective. Brit
ish control must be absolute over all
South Africa, in Cape Colony, NaIal and
other sections. Half measures Would only
prolong unrest and produce more disturb
ances.
Il have known the Beers as we'll as
any man. l have lived among them. and
! nave fought them. To exist peacefully
SO close to them is an utter impossiUiiity
Negotiations are well enough IN t9eir
way, but British control of the TransyaaI
must come eventually. For years the
B0eTs have been crying Throw the Out
lander into the sea and Out with him.
Possibly they are not SO Virulent as dur
ing the last war, but there is little DIFF
ference. My idea is that if the Beers
We're caught in the open once or twice
the thing would be ended. Kill 500 of
them, and all that would remain for Eng
land to do would be to send a few ship
loads of Grape. They never have stood
In the open, and if war comes now thev
VIII have to do more than stay in the
hills This is not optimistic twaddle. but
an opinion based upon my experience in
campaigns against the Beers. l have not
the slightest fears for the safety of nv
colony or Its towns. 1t is possible that
q few Boer incursions might get a few
mics into Natal, but no further and II
must be remembered that many of those
living on the edge of the Natal border
are themselves Boers.''
DEVELOPMENTS DUE.
Important developments are expected
today. The voiksraad was sitting in Sc
cret session last night wednesday, and
the burghers doubtless have the assist
ahce Of the Orange Free States yolksraad
10 aid tneH in making a decision as +o
the reply to Mr. Chamberiain's latest dis
patch, which Will probably be handed "a
the British diplomatic agent at Pretoria
Mr.. Conyngham Greene, to day. and be
discussed by the British cabinet tomor-
row.
The secretary of state for war. the
Marquis of LandsdoWne, was busy until
late hour last evening at the war Office
telegram from Naples shows that the
British government is buying mules
there, as we'll as in the United States. II
IS understood that 10000 will be DUR
chased altogether, but as it will take at
least month to get them to Africa, and
q similar time to get an arm corps to the
frcrt it is evi1ent that to begin OPERA
tions will be impossible until the end Of
November
1t is said the Beer note will demand tha
fUlHllment of the conventions of 1881 and
1884, which have been violated in various
points, but will accept a five-year limlt
franchise.
According to the Pretoria correspondent
of the DAILY Chronicle it lis believed in
higher circles there that peaceful settle
ment is yet possible if Great Britain Will
propose modified terms and make il clear
that they are final. Other dispatches
from South Africa are more gloomy, and
say that President Kruger is obdurate
dispatches from Pretoria and Johannes
burg say hostilities are expected to begin
within Il week One correspondent says:
"Rritish subjects will be given a GER
tain period in which to quit the country
If they desire to remain they must make
application to that effect, and the appli-
cation will be considered on it's merits
Another correspondent says:
-Four thousand rifles and a quantity of
ammunition have just arrived at Johan-
nesburg and are being distributed by the
field cornets. The burghers of Pretoria,
1900 in number, are equipped and waiting
the order to advance
LOOKS LIKE WAR.
The Daily Telegraph publishes the fol-
lowing from it's correspondent in Cape
Town:
'I regret to note a universal opinion
that war is very near. Everywhere the
Beers are active and bellicose. They are
arming, equipping and storing supplies
for a protracted struggle