Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-01
UNDER HIGH TENSION
Beers Greatly Excited Over the Pros
poet Of War.
ENGLISH RECRUITS At BULAWAYO
Action Of the Portuguese in Pass
ing Ammunition Criticised
COL. MACDONALD SUMMONED

| CAPE TOWN, September 1.-Reports re-
| ceived here from various outlying districts
| of the Transvaal describe them as being in
a state of excitement. The burghers, it is
| said, watching the developments keen
| ly. but the majority of them hope for a
| peaceful solution of the crisis There Is a
general exodus of British subjects from the
| large towns
| Orders have been issued to the command
| ants and field comets to have themselves
| and the burghers in readiness in the event
| of an outbreak of hostilities.
BULAWAYO, Matabeleland, British South
! Africa, September Recruits for Col
Plumer's camp are going to that place
| daily. Sixty South Rhodesia volunteers
! were sworn in yesterday.
Situation Becomes Complicated.
| LONDON. September 1.-The situation
| in South Africa has become rather compli-
Gated. The strong feeling of the Dutch ele
ment in the Cape Colony evidently in
| fuences the secretary of state for the colo
MES. Mr.. Chamberlain, to do everything
| possible to avert a rupture, and explains
| the further endeavor after a conference at
cape Town to arrange for the constitution
| of an arbitration court, and to deal with
| the question of suzerainty, which, rather
than franchise, now takes the leading place
| in the controversy.
Portugal's action in permitting the tram
| sit of ammunition consigned to the Trans
| vaal by way of Delagoa bay occasioned
some surprise at first, but after the action
of the Cape government and until
tual state of warfare exists, 1t is recog-
nized that the Portuguese government
could hardly have acted otherwise. The
British papers now solace themselves with
the remark that England can easily pre-
vent such shipments. If a crisis demands
extreme measures, and that the action of
Portugal does not imply unfriendliness
toward Great Britain.
Only Putting Of the Evil Day.
The Standard. however, says: "Diplo-
matte dalliance only postpones the evil day,
| and prepares for us still severer conflict.
Until we resort to decisive measures, every
day adds to the offensive and defensive
strength of the Beers, and proportionately
fosters their infatuated belief in their own
invincibility, which lies at the root of their
obduracy. Thus we are confronted with an
exceedingly grave question"
The special dispatches from Johannes
burg express the belief that the volks-
| raad will oppose President Kruger going
to Cape Town. Gen. Joubert is credited
with saying: There will not be war, but
Great Britain will not get all she wants"
The Outlanders are much irrtated at
the prospect of further delays
The Cape Town correspondent of the
Daily Mail says: much disappointment
is felt here at the proposal of a confer
ence as tending to prolong the agony in
definitely"
The Daily Chronicle publishes the fol-
lowing dispatch from Cape Town:
1T is rumored here that Sir Alfred Mil
ner. governor of the Cape Colony, contem-
plates dismissing the Schrener ministry.
under his special powers. If he does, it
Is feared that a rebellion will break out,
as the Dutch would believe that Great
Britain is again forcing Cecil Rhodes to
the front"
Col. Macdonald prx,np
Colonel Hector Archibald Macdonald the
Omdurman hero. has been urgently sum-
moned to report at the war office. He ex-
poets to go to Cape Colony Immediately.
Colonel Macdonald commanded Sou
danese brigade the battle of Omdurman.
He Is an aid-de-camp to the queen and
major of the Royal Fusiliers He entered
the army in 1880 and took part in the At
CHAN war, 1S79-S0; the Madam expedition,
1880; accompanied Sir F. Roberts in his
march to Cabul took part in the Boer war.
1881; was with the Nile expedition, 1885;
at the capture of Tokar, 1891, and with,
the Dongola expeditionary force in 1896.