The daily morning journal and courier., 1899-09-21
BRITISH WAR PREPARATIONS
EVERY NERTE STRAINED TO EQUIP
 AND TRANSPORT IROOPS.
Activity at Arsemnls and Dockyards-- as America Before War With Spain ters, HOwever-Attitude of Orange Free State.
Free State.

Free State.
 London, Sept 2O-Despite all out
 ward show of calm Great Britain is
 practically in the same condition to-
 day as was the United States a few
 weeks before the opening of the war
 with Spain Beneath the crust of diplo-
 matic reserve the military officials are
 working night and day, preparing for
 the signal to begin hostilities whether
 they come or not. England is not go-
 ing to be caught mapping any more
 than the Transvaal. While Lord Sails
 bury is quiet at home in Hatfield
 House, MT. Chamberlain is buried in
 work at the colonial office, and double
 forces at the Royal arsenal and dock
 yards are straining every nerve to
 equip and transport troops to the cape.
 It may be set down for certain that Great Britain will do nothing to pre- cipitate matters, and the colonial office is far from admitting that the case is hopeless. The report that Great Britain had demanded the dismantlement of the forts at Johannesburg, together with a material reduction in the arna- ment of the burghers, the colonial of flee to-day would neither confirm nor deny, although it is much doubted.
 Meanwhile the Marquis of Lans- downe, secretary of state for war, who returned this morning from Dublin, has held long conferences with General Lord Garnet Wolseley field marshal, and General Sir Evelyn Wood, adjutant general of the forces, and the activity n+1 1,a IN, ;e, ;,, Ln tract, supply and transport depart ments. The departure of the British transport Julunga for the Med terranean today with LIDO troops was witnessed by a large and enthusiastic crowd. At Woolwich activity increases daily, especially in the ordnance depart ment, where Maxim guns, Lyddite shells, balloon equipments, gas reser- voirs, wagons for limelight apparatus, water carts ambulances, army wagons and other para phernalia of modern warfare are being hurried forward. While rumors of the resembling of parliament are current, the fact is re- called that in the Afghan war in 1878 Great Britain declared war first and then assembled parliament.
 This evening the Marquis of Lans- downe issued strict order to the staff of the war office warning all subordi- mates to refrain from giving the press any information without the authority of their superiors, and calling attention to previous breaches of duty in this re- spect which, the order says, will be no longer tolerated.
 Advices from Cape Town this even ing are to the effect thst the Afrikan- ders declare that the Transvaal will not yield further and that if the im- perial government does not recede from its present position war is inevitable. The South African News supports the contention of the Transvaal that the convention of 1884 abolished the suzer- ainty. According to other advices the l burghers are rapidly going into Laager, while the exodus from Johannesburg | yesterday reached 1000 persons. The | stock exchange at Johannesburg has | resolved to close the moment martial | law is proclaimed; but all current con- tracts will be carried out until the | tion, suspending all business | In the meantime the merchants are | erecting barricades in front of their shop windows.
 At Pretoria the interest seems to be centered in the meeting of the Orange Free State Volksraad tomorrow which, it is hoped. may somehow suggest modus vivendi that would save the sit uation. On the other hand, advices from Bloemfontein announce the ar rival there of large number of mem- bers of the Raad, adding that the re- suit of to-morrow's sitting is already agreed upon, as the Orange Free State will throw in it's lot with the Trans vaal, all the Free State burghers being fully armed and ready to start at notice. A special dispatch from Johannesburg says that 450 per sons left by one train to-day.