Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1899-10-02

'EE'
London, Oct. 2.-War now seems GER
tain. The extraordinary delay of the
Beers in taking a hostile initiative is still
a pacific circumstance, but it has doubt
full significance when compared with the
genuine and farreaching preparations
they are making for hostilities.
AS frequently mentioned in these dis
patches, the attitude of the British gov
ernment in always insisting upon sover-
eign power has practically undergone no
change throughout the entire negotla-
tions. Every stage has depended upon
President Kruger. If he would not back
down when the British demands were
less sweepingly expressed, he can scarce
ly do so now when they are FORMULATED
with almost brutal frankness. TkM&go-
tiations, according to President Nt&er's s
own statements and judging from the
available information, seem to have
reached an impasse. Rumors OF the In
reference Of foreign power continue to
crop up, but the most sanguine scarcely
believe this would turn the British from
their determination, evident from the
first, to attempt to compel President
Kruger to submit absolutely to their
terms. though speculation is rife regard
ing the awkward complications which
might ensue by German or Russian diver
sion in various parts of the globe. Bereft
of the countless, confusing phases due to
secrecy regarding the intentions of the
governments involved and the contradic-
tory reports from the troubled territory,
the most probable solution of the present
situation seems this:
Where the Fighting Will Be.
The Beers, who must have plainly seen
the efforts of the British government to
avert hostilites until the arrival Of re-
endorsements, having weeks ago planned
a campaign, will put it in action, perhaps
as early as this week. They will proba-
bly, avoid engagements, devotng their en-
erges to the destruction Of property and
the capture Of prisoners perhaps includ
| ing raid on Delagoa Bay. 1t seems un'
likely that they will attack via Laings
mex and other passes of that boundary
for the simple reason that these points
are so openly talked about as their prob
able points of aggression, keenest observ
ars believing it to be more likely that the
Beers will operate through Zululand
thus creating diversion of the 1900
British troops, now chiefly mnssed at La
dysmith or in its neighborhood. In the
meanwhile or perhaps previous to this {
British army corps consisting of 10000
men or more will be sent out, parliamen
will be summoned, and no doubt the nee
essary supplies will be granted, though
there will be some hot debating.
Regarding the plans Of campaign Of th
respective armies. there is no reliable in
formation, though it is the general as
sumption that the main object of tn
British will be the capture of Pretoria
The duration of the conflict is a matte
of the widest surmise, though the cont
mental and British papers do not expires
the faintest doubt that it will result Il
the defeat of the Beers and the additio
of their country to Great Britain's colo
nies.
Were peace or war dependent merel
upon matters of suzerainty or the fra1
chise there might be some hope that hos
tilities will be averted at the last me
ment. But apparently there is truth i
what the peace party papers have ofte
limited at-that is to say, that the undel
lying motive actuating the British goN
ernment throughout the negotiations ha
been the suppression of what they hav
reason to believe was a farreaching col
spiracy for the est ablishment of a Dutc
federation from the Zambesi to th
Cane. The authority for this statemel
is Mr. Chamberlain himself. In conve
sation the secretary of state for the CO
onies said that one great factor of tt
situation which could not be brought b
fore the public for fear tht the govern
ment's objects might be misinterprctt
was the cabinets we'll defined unde
standing that for months carefully fo
tered plot had been in progress to for
a Dutch federation. He also referred
the action of the Orange Free State al
to that of the Africander members of Il
Cape legislature, which somewhat CO
firms Mr. Chamberlain's view, for 1t
impossible to believe that such importal
steps would result from mere spontanei
of sentiment on current dispute.
has long been suspected that the cabin
was prompted by more vital question
than the uitlander rights, and If M
Chamberlain is quoted correctly it wou
! appear that Great Britain will not ST.
until reassured of the absolute safety
her supremacy in South Africa.
People Want War.
The Speaker, peace advocate, adm
regretfully that the war party is in t
ascendant in Great Britain, and eve
London daily except The Chronicle su
ports Mr. Chamberlain, with every a
ernoon paper except The Westminst
Gazette, The Star and The Echo. Amo
!, the country papers. however, some of
most influential bitterly oppose W,
Their feelings are well voiced by L
Speaker saying
D I'VE seem fated to be plunged into
war for which the historian will be l
able to find adequate justification or ev
n nlausible excuse"