Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-09-28
ON VERGE OF WAR.
Host'|ities Expected to at Once
Open in TranSvaaI.
British Will Occupy Pass Of Laing Mex
to Cut Off Beers.
Eransvaai and Free Stale will Put Nearly
$4,000 Men j., Field.

London, Sept. 2S.-The Cape Town
correspondent of the Daily Mail SAYS:
Inc pass Of Laing Mex will be occu-
pieu' tomorrow, Thursday, with suffi-
cleht strength for present needs. I'M
uer the belief that the Beers will at
tack Natal Immediately, hoping TO
forestall the landing of the Indian con-
| tingent."
Inc Daily Telegraph publishes the
following from its correspondent i'm
! cape 1OWn: Il regret to note a uni
! Nefsal opinion that war is very near
| Everywhere the Beers are active and
| DellIcose. They are arming, equipping
| ana storing supplies for a protracted
| struggle. Boer agents are securing
South Africa to buy campaign proyis-
! ions.
Proof accumulates Of the existence
| Of a great Dutch conspiracy against
British supremacy in South Africa.
| The Free State is believed to be involv
ed and there is no doubt that the
! Orange government is intent on war.
Many Beers in the norther districts of
! Cape Colony are joining our probable
enemy. The Dutch republics will to-
gether be able to muster 50 900 men.
nearly all mounted. l learn that the
Free State has decided to put 10. 900
into the field
Other dispatches from Pretoria and
Johannesburg speak Of the probability
0f hostility within a week One corre-
spondent says: -Four thousand rifles
ana a quantity Of ammunition have
just arrived at Johannesburg and are
being distributed. The burghers of
Pretoria, 1000 in number, are equipped
ard awaiting orders TO advance"
the Cape Town of the Daily Mail
says: The Beers. l believe, will con-
strue the occupation of Laings Mex as
an act of hostility
british members of the Cape House
Of Assembly freely criticise England's
unpreparedness and predict a serious
reverse. followed by grave rising Of
c"lonists at various points in the ad-
joining republics
There has been an enormous run
upon revolvers. The price of Mausers
has advanced from e5, 81 to e22.
Supplies Of all kinds are quickly bought
UP.
President Steyn, it is reported. is
about sending his family to the Cape"
The johannesburg correspondent of
The Morning Post says: Twenty
trucks Of armed burghers and 30
horses left Johannesburg for the Dor
der. yesterday, by way of Glands Fon
TEN. The plan of campaign drawn I'D
at Pretoria proposes to employ q com
mand Of 1000 men to defeat the slender
force in Rhodesia and to hand the ter
ritory over to the natives 1t is hoped
that a force of 10000 burghers will be
Sufhcient TO rush the Natal border.
capture the forts, hold them and pre-
vent the landing of British reinforce
mems
The Beers relyupon having supplies
enough to last them a year. They ex-
pect before a year has expired that
Russia will intervene by creating a di-
version in some part of the British do
NJ DE Blowitz, the Paris correspond
ent of the Times. who mentions a ru-
NOR in circulation there that hostili-
ties have already broken out in South
Africa. says: TOO much reliance
should not be placed upon assertions
that no European power will interfere
IN the struggle. Nothing would be
certain until the war is actually in
progress and it may be that the
unonimity of the European papers in
asserting The neutrality of continental
Europe is q device to induce the Trans
raal not to recede.''
London, Sept. 21.-Notices for the ad-
ourned cabinet council We're forward
ID. this afternoon, and the chief gov
eminent whip will be on hand to give
effect to any decision arriv-
ID at regarding the re-asembling Of
Parliament.
Information from Bloemfontein, this
evening. leaves little doubt that the
orange Free States Volksraad is unani-
nous in supporting the Transvaal.
Most important light is thrown on
he situation by a frank statement, to-
lay, to The Associated Press by Sir
Walter Peace, adjutant general for Ma
al, in London, who fought against the
ioers in former years. Sir Walter
'eace said:
The attitude of the Orange Free
tate means it's inevitable acquisition
y Great Britain. Peace in South Afri-
Continued on page So