The record-union., 1899-10-06
Beers Have Begun Their General
Advance Of Artillery,
Now Holding the Mountain Passes to the
South Of voIksrust,
Although News From South Africa
is Grave, the Adherents OF Peace
Still Derive a Clean Of Hope
That the Stage Of Negotiations
is Not Yet Fully Determined.

LONDON, Oct. 5.-Nothing impor-
tant has developed as to the Trans
vaal situation since morning. The
Daily Telegraph's" dispatch of this
morning announcing that the Beers had
invaded Natal and seized Laing's Mex
now seems to be without foundation.
The Government has received nothing
TO justify the report, although such a
move on the part of the Beers would
naturally cause little surprise.
The British position in Natal was
considerably strengthened by the arri-
val to-day Of Indian transports with
reinforcements of about $500 infantry,
cavalry and artillery, all of which will
be sent to the front by train, and with
their arrival at Glencoe and Ladysmith
tomorrow or Saturday the British ad-
vance camps and lines of communica-
ton will be practically safeguarded
against the risk of a successful dash
across the frontier by the Beers.
The military authorities apparently
no longer fear the massing of the
Beers along the border, and, in fact, it
has been provided that the Beers shall
not make a sudden invasion in the ter
ritory. The Natal authorities are
rather pleased with this, because they
argue that the tension of waiting will
tell severely on the Beers discipline,
and moreover, they will soon exhaust
what little forage there is near the bor-
der, and be compelled to fall back on
their base, because, in view of the de-
fective commissariat, they are unwilling
TO advance into Natal, leaving behind
them forageless veldt
Advices from Aldershot convey the
interesting information that General
Sir Redvers Butler, who is to assume
the chief command of the British forces
In South Africa, is opposed to a large
number of war correspondents with his
forces, and wishes to limit the CORES
pondents to twelve representatives of
the leading British, Indian and Colonial
agencies and newspapers, increasing
the number to provide for foreign cor
respondents.
A dispatch from Perth Cape, West
Australia announces that the Govern
ment of the Colony has decided to dis
patch West Australian contingent to
the Cape
Sir General Redvers Butler arrived at
Balmoral Castle tonight as the guest
of Queen Victoria, to bid her majesty
farewell on his departure for South
Africa
Right Hon. Sir George Trevelyn,
speaking at Halifax, Yorkshire, said he
believed Mr.. Chamberlain had made a
terrible mistake in rejecting President
Kruger's offer of a five years franchise
but thought war might yet be averted
II a mediator should be sent to the
Cape.
STILL HOPE FOR PEACE.
LONDON, Oct. 5.-The Daily Tele-
graph" publishes in its second edition
this morning the following dispatch
from Newcastle, Natal, dated yester-
day:
The Beers advance began to-day
with general movement of artillery
The Beers are occupying Laing's Nel
nightly, and now hold the mountains
to the south of Volksrust. There are nc
British troops nearer than Ladysmith
and preparations are being made tc
abandon Natal from the frontier tc
Glencoe
The inhabitants of Newcastle me,
To-Day ana decided not to attempt tC
defend the town in the event of a Boel
advance IN force. General Symons il
preparing TO eyacuate within twenty.
four hours. The people are crowdins
the trains for Ladysmith"
Although to-day's news from Soutf
Africa is grave, the adherents of peace
still derive a gleam of hope from some
dispatches that the stage of negotia
ton is not yet fully terminated. TIL,
news is contradictory. Side by side
with the announcement that the Boer.
have occupied Laing's Mex is printed {
dispatch from Pretoria stating that the
Transvaal Government has issued stric
fnjunctlons to the commandants tha
british territory must not be invested
and that Commandant General Jouber
has issued proclamation threatening
to shoot any man who crosses the Dor
der.
Scarcely had the advocates of peac,
exchanged congratulations over the an
nouncement from the Transvaal tha
J. H. Hoffmeyer, the Afrikander leader
and W. P. Schreiner, the Cape Premier
had undertaken a joint semi-officia
peace mission, and had actually started
for Pretoria, where they ought to hav,
arrived last evening, when later mes
sages from the Transvaal capital de
clared that the Boer Government knew
nothing of this alleged mission, ant
that, in any event; nothing could pre-
serve peace but the withdrawal of th
British demands.
There is not jot of evidence goin,
to show that the Burghers contemplate
receding.
Up to o'clock this afternoon moth
ing had been received to confirm th
dispatch from Newcastle to the ..Dail,
Telegraph announcing that a genera
advance of the Boer forces began yes
| terday. Another Newcastle special for
warded later than that to the Dali,
| Telegraph" declares that all was quie
on the border last evening" and tha
there was no sign of a Boer advance
The statement in the Daily Tele
graphs" special that there were n
| British troops nearer Newcastle thai
those at Ladysmith is obviously an er
ror, as 1900 British troops are encamp
ed at Dundee.
| The alleged Boer advance coincide
curiously with kilograms from variou
quarters regarding Boer ultimatur
and the expiration of the time limit Il
| the evening. A distinctly serious an