Omaha daily bee., 1899-06-11
Secretary Chamberlain Loses Patience Over
the Many Rebufs Received.
HE FAvoRS STRONG, DECISIVE MEASURES
Other Members Of the Cabinet Do Not En-.
tertain Such Views.
KRUGER INCREASES MILITARY RESOURCES
Would Make War an Expensive Mat
ter for Great Britain-United
States Mentioned
Possible Arbitrator.

Copyright 1892 by Press Publishing Coz
LONDON, June 10.--(New York World Ca
blegram-Special Telegram )-The relations
between this country and the Transvaal fur
nsh the absorbing political topic of the
moment, but there is sharp difference of
opinion not only in the press but among the
ministers themselves as to how Krugers
defiant attitude should be met. Secretary
Chamberlain, desperate at the long success
sion of rebuffs he has received at the hands
of Dom Paul is for strong decisive measures
His advice to the cabinet is that Kruger
should get a stated period, say a MONTH
to assent to proposals rejected by him in
conference with Miner at Bloemfontein,
and If he is still contumacious war should
be declared, but Salisbury, Balfour and the
bulk of the cabinet is against proceeding
to extremes.
Kruger has strengthened his military re-
sources in the Transvaal, especially in ar
tillery, so that at present he could fire
thirtysiX shots to every one by the British
artillery in South Africa. He could also
blow up the Rand gold mines and at the
first step toward war the part of Great
Britain would undoubtedly be to seize and
hold hostages the English leaders of the
reform movement at johannesburg. Bri-
tains ultimate triumph, of course, would be
inevitable, but Kruger would do everything
to make war so costly as to be futile. South
African millionaires here are all dead
against warlike measures threats of
them, knowing well that nothing Is so cal
culated to stiffen Krugers back as threats.
AS to suggested arbitration by the Wash
ington government, no official intimation
of anything of the kind has yet been re-
ceived by Salisbury. l saw Sir Charles
Dixie on the point TODAY who said:
81 think it an immense mistake of
our government to go into conference with
Kruger until it had some definite idea
, of what is likely to be got out of it. am
not in favor of trying to force him to con-
cessions by talking Of war and If our gov
ernment had not bindngly pronounced be-
forehand against arbitration, l think arbi-
J. tration by the United States would be
, highly satisfactory solution OF the situa-
tion. We Englishmen could rely on the fair
, ness Of the United States, while Kruger
, would not have the same objection to its
acting possibly some European monarch.
t l have not heard that arbitration by the
, United States has been suggested and
should think it very improbable at this early
, stage of the proceedings, but it is good
, idea and | hope government may see
the way clear to fall in with it should it
be formally proposed"
kruger Is lrrecOncilnble.
Copyright, 1899, by Associated Press)
Z LONDON, June 10.-When the secretary
of state for the colonies, Mr.. Chamberlain
in the House of Commons on Thursday
summed up the result of the Bloemfontein
conference by declaring that new stua-
tion has been created" he used pregnant
= phrase open apparently to variety of in
= terpretations, but in reality only open to
one. The politicians who have closely fol-
lowed the affairs of the Transvaal and Mr.
, Chamberlains attitude with respect to them
- are fully satisfied that the colonial secretary
a plainly meant to declare that by the means
n of the open negotiations in which the
British high commissioner, Sir Alfred Mil
= | ney, had exhausted every diplomatic re-
. source to effect reasonable settlement of
Il the matters in dispute, it had been proved
q definitely that President Kruger was ir-
q reconcilable and that all hope of ar
, rangement by a suggestion diplomatic
q pressure was henceforth vain. The British
n are especially exasperated because they feel
" they have been trifed with and the question
= on everybody's lips is What next?"
II Mr.. Chamberlain has publicly and delib-
n erately espoused the cause of the Utlanders
Il and his next step will be demand. Then
e there will be energetic action to support
the demand. 1t is regarded as certain that
tS'NSSN''
% for months past. Both troops and large
+ quantities of munitions OF war have gone
II to South Africa by every steamer. The
troops have been described as reliefs, but
o those they were supposed to relieve have
q remained in South Africa A steamer
d which sailed in May took 500 OF these re-
70 liefs and passengers who had previously Sc
= cured accommodation for the officers and
n men. In Natal, notably at Lady Smith, a
hoa haan ,IaH and Pull
l. equipped and ready to march at a mo-
= ment's notice. Hundreds of mules from
g. South Africa and Cypress are on the spot
70 the storehOuses are full of forage and the
o magazines are packed with ammunition.
Is TrnnsyanTs Fighting Force.
It is estimated that the Transvaal could
muster a fighting force OF from 10000 to
Is, 900 men, while the British troops there
already number II 900 men, commanded by
N the veteran Major General Sir Will
liam Francis Butler, who has beer
In command of the troops in South
Africa since 1898. His wife was
lie Elizabeth Thompson, the well known artist
20 He served in Canada in 1870, in Ashanti
lie in 1874, during the Zulu war, 1883; II
* Egypt, 1882 and 1SS4-S5, and commanded thu
British troops at Alexandria from 1880 tC
1893 In addition, the British have a large
% body OF splendid mounted rihemen anC
~ mounted police available, II hostilitie
, break out events will move quickly.
While the country generally is backing
D. Mr.. Chamberlain many we'll informed peo
y pie assert that, urged by the potent socia
q influences OF the British Chartered Soutl
10 Africa company he is hurrying the countr!
m to disaster. They say not only will Presi
a dent Kruger not retreat, but that the Trans
yaal forces, familiar with every inch Of th
country, will be able 10 cope with an!
ce force Great Britain can put in the 1eld
o. His artillery is known 10 be much superio
a TO the British artillery, and signs are no
r wanting to show that the Beers have NOR
l. than the moral support of the Orange Fre
OF State.
e 1t is not improbable that the crisi
Id in the Transyaal Will be hastene'
today by some untoward incident a