The record-union., 1899-09-02
TRANSVAAL CONTROVERSY.
SOUTH AFRICAN TROUBLE NOT
YET AT AN END.
President Kruger Credited With
the Remark That War is
Practically Certain.

LONDON, Sept. 2.-The Pretoria cor
respondent Of the Morning POST says:
President Kruger told prominent Boer
| yesterday CIV Wednesday) that war was
practically certain.
/ Every Boer is now armed with a
Mauser, and has a hundred rounds for
practice. l am convinced that the re-
ports of the Beers not being prepared
are only a pretense, and that they will
| strike a blow when it is least expected.
This evening the Secretary of State
for the Colonies, Joseph Chamberlain,
| issued the text of the Transvaal dis
| patches of August 10Th and August
list, and the reply Of the imperial Gov
erpment on August 2Sth. The publi-
cation is accompanied by a note en-
phasizing the advisability of making
the correct version known, owing to the
fact that an incorrect version has been
published in Pretoria
The Transvaal dispatch of August
10Th contains the proposals regarding
the franchise, which go upon the as
sumption that Great Britain will agree
that the present Intervention does not
constitute precedent, and will allow
The dispatch Of August 21st makes
the proposed concessions expressly con-
ditional upon Great Britain undertake
ing not to interfere in the future with
| the Transvaa1, not to insist upon a
further assertion of existence of suz-
erainty, and IS agree to. arbitration
The reply of the imperial Govern
ment, dated August 2Sth, declares that
+lo+ ~
posals put forward as alternative to
those of July 31st assume the adoption
in principle of franchise which will
not be hampered by conditions impair
ing its usefulness, and which will Sc
cure immediate representation.
With respect to intervention, the i'm
perial note says that the Government
cannot debar themselves from their
rights under the conventions, or divest
themselves of the obligations of civ
ilized Power to protect its subjects
abroad from injustice.
The note concludes by reminding the
Transvaal that other matters exist
which the grant of political franchise
will not settle, and which are not the
the proper subjects for arbitration.
These, the note declares, it will be nee
essary to settle concurrently with the
questions already under discussion, and
they will form, with the question of ar
bitration, proper subjects for the pro-
posed Cape Town conference.
The Pretoria version of the imperial
reply was that Mr.. Chamberlain was
unable to consider the Transvaal's pro-
posals as an alternative to a joint COM
mission Of inquiry.
The johannesburg correspondent of
the STANDARD" says: 1t is generally
understood that there is the strongest
inclination in the Volksraad to repudi-
ate British suzerainty. A large sec
ton of the Beers is strongly opposed to
a concession of the franchise on the
basis of a five-year residence and the
position is still very grave.
CAPE TOWN, Sept. 1.-Reports re-
ceived here from various outlying dis
tricts of the Transvaal describe them
as being in a state of excitement. The
Burghers, it is said, are watching the
DEVELOPMENTS keenly, but the majority
of them hope for a peaceful settlement
of the crisis There is a general exc
dus of British subjects from the large
towns Orders have been issued to
the commandants and field cornets TO
have themselves and the Burghers in
readiness in the event of an outbreak.
BULAWAY (Matabeland, South Afri-
ca), Sept. RECRUITS for Colonel
Plumer's company are going to that
place daily. Sixty South Rhodesia
volunteers were sworn in yesterday.
BLOEMFONTEIN (Orange Free
State), Sept. 1.-The assertion made
yesterday by a local newspaper that
orders have been given for the immedi-
ate supply of equipment and cartridges
| to the Orange Free State artillery is
declared to be unfounded.
| JOHANNESBURG, Sept. t. The
town is preparing for the eyentualities
of war. The inmates of the Children's
Home are going to Natal. The Town
Council is providing three months
supply of food for the men and ami
mails connected with the Scavenening
Department All outgoing trains are
crowded and most of the prominent
men have already left johannesburg.
| Life is not so short, but that there is
always time enough for courtesy
| Emerson.