The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-09-13
IS IT PEACE OR WAR?
Uncertainty Over the Boer
Situation Both In London
and Transvaal.
lBy Cable to The Associated Press.l

LONDON, Sept. 13, 1Ss9.-Both here and
at Cape Town the greatest uncertainty
prevails regarding the exact situation of
/ affairs in the Transvaal. This is owing
to the rather conflicting reports on the
subject of the terms of the British de-
spatch delivered to the Volksraad yester-
day. If the time limit of forty-eight
hours for reply is correct, 1t would APP
pear that matters are at last verging
towards the end of the crisis. But the
British officials refuse to deny or affirm
the correctness of the latest Pretoria de-
spatches, saying the British terms are as
outlined in the special despatch from Pres
toria, cabled to The Associated Press last
night namely a five years franchise
quarter representation for the gold fields
| in the Volksraad, equality for the British
and Dutch in the Volksraad, and equality
for the old and new Burghers In regard
to Presidential and other elections.
The question of the time limit Is vari-
ously interpreted here and at the Cape.
some people regarding it as an ultimatum
which is not likely to be complied with.
| while others look upon it as a pacific
offer, which opens the way to further ne.
gotiations.
A special despatch to the "Pall Mall
Gazette, from Cape Town says the
British reply is regarded as equivalent to
| an ultimatuLa, and the correspondent
advices from Pretoria indicate that war
4 is inevitable.
A Pretoria special to the s'Cape Times
says the Transvaal has notified the
miners of Italy that IT will give them
safe conduct and protection in case they
wish to remain in the Transvaal
The report that the Rand Irishmen
| have formed corps to help President
Kruger is confirmed and it is said at Cape
Town that a cablegram has been re-
ceived there from New York saying ten
| thousand Irishmen there are ready to
help the Transvaal.
The Orange Free State Burghers are re-
| ported to be bitterly divided over the
| merits of the controversy and their prob
| ably course in case of war
| Later in the day representative of
| The Associated Press learned that the
British message to the Transvaal does not
demand a reply in forty-eight hours, the
exact wording being a request for ''an
| immediate reply" A copy of the mes
| sage has been seen by the representative
of The Associated Press. 1t is not an
ultimatu tum in the generally accepted
sense of the word. 1t expresses the hope
| that President Kruger will accept the
| propositions to relieve the present ten
sion." The only part which is at all ag-
gressive is the reiterated declination of
| the British Government to discuss the
matter of sovereignty in any shape or
form
The message of the Secretary of State
of the Colonies, Mr.. Joseph Chamberlain,
says he understands the concessions made
in President Kruger's note of August Is
have been withdrawn on account of the
British attitude regarding suzerainty and
adds
"Hl Majesty's Government have abso-
| lutely repudiated the view of the politi-
cal status of the Transvaal taken by the
Transvaal Government, claiming the stat
US of Sovereign State, and, therefore,
are unable to consider any proposal made
conditionally on their acceptance of this
view
Continuing, the note says the British
Government is satisfied that the law en-
bodying the proposed alleviating meas
ures for Outlanders is inefficient to secure
immediate and substantial representation.
which, it is understood. the Transvaal adj
Moreover, the presentation of the pro-
| posals in the note of August 10 Indicates
4 that the Government of the South Afri-
can Republic themselves recognized that
| their previous offers might with advan-
| tage be enlarged and the independence of
the republic thereby in no way be inn
| piled.
The despatch then goes on to say that
| Great Britain is still prepared to accept
/ the franchise proposals of August 19 pro-
vided a court of enquiry, whether joint
or unilateral shows the new scheme to
! be unencumbered by multiplying conditions.
| In this connection the British Govern
| ment assumes that the new members of
| the Raad will be allowed to speak their
| own language and adds that the accept
ance of these terms would at once re-
move the tension and would, in all proba-
| bility, render unnecessary any further in
tervention of Her Majestys Government
| to secure redress for grievances which
| the Uitlanders themselves would be able
| to bring to the notice OF the Executive
| Government is increasingly impressed
with the danger of further delay in re-
| 1ieving the strain which has already
teresfa taeas 81 of south South Africa and they
| earnestly press for an immediate reply
to the pre:Jnt proposal II acceded to
/ they will be ready to make immediate
! arrangements for a further conference
| between the President and the High Com
missioner to settle all details of the pro-
posed Tribunal of Arbitration and the
| questions referred to in my note of Au-
| gust 80, which are neither Uitlander griev-
| ances nor questions of the Interpretation
! of the convention, but which might be
readily settled by friendly communication
| between representatives of the two gov
| ernments. If, however, as they most
| anxiously hope will not be the case. the
reply of the Transvaal should be negative
of conclusive, / am to state that Her
| Majesty's Government must reserve to
| themselves the right to consider the sit
uation de novo and formulate their own
| proposals for final settlement.
| The exact franchise proposals which Mr..
| Chamberlain says Great Britain is still
| prepared to accept with the Court OF
| Enquiry proviso are We years franchise.
| a share for Outlanders in the election of
| the President and equal rights, and in
creased representation for the gold fields
! to the extent of eight new seats. These
| were presented by President Kruger,
/ August 19. and, later, were withdrawn.
| A special despatch from Pretoria says
| the leaders of the Afrikander Bund have
| telegraphed to President Kruger urging
| him to yield to Mr.. Chamberlain's last