Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-08-23
SILL DELAYING.
TransvaaI Sends Another Proposiiion-Arms
and Ammunition Still Being Distributed.

Peretoria. Aug. 22-It is asc ertained
on the highest authority that no def
mite reply has been sent to the proposal
Of the British secretary of state for the
colonies. Mr.. Joseph Chamberlain. to
submit to joint commission of in
quiry the effect upon the Outlanders
of the recent franchise reforms. The
precise situation is that, as result of
the pour parlers, communication was
dispatched, yesterday, to Sir Alfred
Miner, British commissioner in
South Africa and governor Of Cape
Colony. which embodies certain alter
native proposals. For various reasons
these are kept strictly confidential. but
ii is believed that they will admit of
the conclusion Of a modus vivendi.
1t is understood from unofficial sour
ccs Of information that the alternative
proposals Of the Transvaal govern
ment are for a 5-years franchise and
onc-fifth representation of the Out
landers in the first Rad, provided the
imperial government does not further
interfere in the international affairs of
the Transvaal
Official circles at present regard the
situation as tending to improve. The
war ammunition consigned to the
South African republic is still detained
by the Portuguese authorities in Della
goa bay.
Johannesburg, Aug. 22.-The field
comets are busy distributing Mausers
and ammunition to the Burghers. The
exodus Of miners continues.
Pretoria Aug. 22-The government
Of the Transvaal has received q COM
munication from the governor of Lo-
rcnzo Marquee relative to the stoppage
of arms there, to the effect that POr-
tugafs obligations to all nations, in
Guiding Great Britain. required the en-
foremcnt of the Transvaal-Portuguese
treaty, and as an unsatisfactory eXpla-
nation existed as to the transportation
Of arms, they were stopped at Delagoa
bay. and until the terms of the treaty
should be complied with. thought no
doubt the matter will ultimately be
arranged satisfactorily. The Trans
vaal government regards the commun-
ication as extremely vague.
London. Aug. pa parliamentary
paper dealing with the Transvaal crisis
was issued. today. 1t details the eff
forts Of the Boer government during
the past year to have the question of
the sovereignty of Great Britain sub
mitted to arbitration and Great Brit
aims repeated refusal to discuss this
basis point. The document adds that
Sir Alfred Miner, the governor of
Cape Colony and high commissioner Of
South Africa. writing to Mr.. Joseph
Chamberlain, the secretary of state for
the colonies. last June, said:
The way in which the secretary of
state juggles with the convention of
1854 is rather irritating to plain
man."
The final dispatch from Mr. Cham
berlain. dated July Is. 1899. to Sir Al
fred Miner concurs with the latter's
view as to the untenable Transvaal
convention. adding that the British
government had no intention to con-
tinue to discuss the question of SOW
ercignty with the Transvaal.
Cape Town. Aug. 22-In the Cape
Assembly. today. Mr.. Cecil Rhodes re-
ferring to the Transvaal question, said:
There will be no blodshed. President
Kruger, like a sensible man, will climb
down. The less the Cape Colony is
concerned in the quarrel the better"
Continuing, Mr.. Rhodes said it was
certain that the Transvaal would be
come an English speaking community
and the Uitlanders, being in vast
majority, would form a government in
keeping with their views. He express
ed the hope that the settlement would
be fair and that the Cape Colony
would let the imperial government deal
with that matter also.
1t is rumored here that the Beers in
tend to attempt coup to obtain forci-
bic possession of the ammunition de-
tanned by the Portuguese.