The record-union., 1899-09-08
Beers, II Is Stated, Positively Are COncen-
tratlng on the Border.
Understood That All the Transvaa1
Artillery Has Been Called Out,
and That the Burghers Have
Been Notified to BE in Readi-
ness to Move-Last Hope OF
Peace Thought to Have Disap-
peared.

CAPE TOWN, Sept. Z, Midnight. -
The Beers, it is stated positively, are
concentrating on the border.
| BLOEMFONTEIN (Orange Free
State), Sept z. - 1t is understood that
all the Transvaal Artillery has been
called out, and that the Burghers have
| been notified to be ready. The latest
reply of the Transvaal to Great Britain
is regarded as marking the disappear
ance of the last hope of peace.
| JOHANNESBURG, Sept. T. The
Burgomaster announces that the Gov
ernment will help the municipality to-
continue its preparations for hostilities-
AS VIEWED AT LONDON.
| LONDON, Sept. Z. = If the Transvaal
situation has changed at all since yes
! terday, it is for the worse. The Boer
request for an explanation as to the
massing of British troops on the from
! tier of the TranSyaal has an ominous
| note of irritation and impatience.
which, at such a critical stage, can
scarcely be interpreted as anything but
| a defiance. Both here and in Cape Col
ony the tension and the arming con-
tinue.
Whether to-morrow's Cabinet Council
will afford immediate relief is still q
question of great doubt. The more
conservative believe that the Cabinet
| Will only put time limit upon the ne
| gotiations, and that the interim Will
merely be repetition of the anxious
times which have marked the past few
! weeks. Cape Town advices say the
Afr1kanderS regard the latest Boer re-
/ ply as evasive, while others regard it
as designed to entangle the two Govern
ments in further negotiations. The av-
| erage opinion of the British press is
inclined to regard it as the straw
which would break the back of the
most long suffering camel.
The second edition of the Morning
Post" to-day contains a special dis
patch from Pietermaritzburg, the capi-
tai of Natal, saying that an ultimatum
would be forwarded to the Beers to-
day. This is scarcely credible, how
ever, as every well-informed source
here believes that the Cabinet will de-
eide upon the adYisability of an ulti-
matum.
The same correspondent adds that the
Beers have received or will receive q
dispatch from Sir Alfred Miner the
! Governor of Cape Colony and British
! High Commissioner of South Africa,
demanding the release of Mr.. Pakeman,
the editor of the "Transvaal Leader"
who was arrested September I'd on the
charge of high treason.
/ Continuing, the correspondent says
500 Beers have left Pretoria for STAN
| derton, and declare that the Pietermar-
/ itzburg troops are ready to march at
| two hours notice.
The London edition of the. STANDARD
and Diggers News" the official Boer
organ, to-day says: I'VE can state
that the diplomatic correspondence be-
tween the Transvaal and the Colonial
office is of a reassuring nature, and
that the dispute has now narrowed to
an issue which should make a settle
ment possible and even speedy. The
Transvaal is prepared for all eventual
tiles, but remains hopeful of a peace
full settlement"
! Nothing which can be learned here
| tends to confirm the foregoing state
ment, and owing to the pro-Boer source
from which it emanated, it is regarded
with suspicion.
The special correspondent of the Pail
Mall Gazette" at Cape Town, in a dis
patch dated to-day says: "It is be-
lieved in Afrikander circles here that
the Transvaal intends forcing matters
| to a sudden issue, and that war may
possibly break out within forty-eight
hours. 1t is supposed that the first act
on their part will be an advance on
Laings Neck (the sole route from the
Transvaal to NataD. 1t is also ru-
mored that there is a plot at Pre-
toria to simultaneously blow up the
| British agency there"
| 1t may be pointed out in connection
with the foregoing dispatch that the
Pail Mall Gazette has not been con-
spicuous for the accuracy or judgment
of it's South African specials, and too
much credence should not be placed or
the present advices.
BRITISH TROOPS ORDERED TO
SOUTH AFRICA.
SIMLA, Sept. z. - Three regiments
of cavalry, four regiments of infantry
and three batteries of field artillery
have been formally warned to prepare
to leave their stations in India at the
shortest notice for service in South
Africa. The hospital outfits have re-
ceived similar orders.