Omaha daily bee., 1899-10-01


gently demanded 1t is Mr. Schreiner's duty
to set the public mind at rest"
According to advices from Pretoria 1t ap-
pears that the authorities there are giving
the burghers Martins. This Is mainly due
to the defective Mauser cartridges, which
are constantly bursting in the barrels and
destroying the, bolt action.
News of Active Preparations.
A telegram from Pretoria. dated yesterday,
says the widest excitement prevails there
and that war preparations are proceeding
apace Big guns, field telegraphs, burghers
munitions of war and provisions are being
hurried off to Volkrust, the projected base
Of the Boer operations against Natal.
Crowds gather at the stations to witness the
departure of the military trains General
Joubert goes to Volkrust tomorrow. The
Boer war Office is working night and day,
and communicating Is actively proceeding.
The Raad, in order to secure the support
of many outlanders has decided that out
landers who help the Beers will receive the
franchise. Several of the Transvaal govern
ment departments close tomorrow, including
the high court. Immediately after murtiai
law Is proclaimed, outside postal communca-
tion will be stopped. The secret session
which the Rad is holding this evening will
probably adjourn until Wednesday for the
result of the British cabinet meeting
The Transvaal is concentrating artillery
along the Natal border, and its reserve artil-
lery has been dispatched to Standerston and
Wakkerstroom and also to Rustemberg
which will probably form the base of attack
on Bechuanaland, in the direction of Mafe-
king. where a British counterforce is as
sembling, and fortiications are being raised
The occupants of trains from the Trans
vaal arriving at .Ladysrnith confirm the
movement OF the burghers In the direction
OF the frontier. They also declare that the
Beers insulted them when passing the sta
tions and that one Boer assaulted a passen-
ger without provocation.
About 1,s0O Boer artillerymen, including
the reserves, are encamped at Voksrust
where the field cornet has now issued 925
rifles and As, 600 cartridges.
Rumors Hot md Cold.
1t is reported that a down train due at
Durham tomorrow has been stopped at Volks-
rust for the purpose of seizng prominent
outlanders.
From Vrybergh it is said a native laborer
has sworn affidavit before a magistrate
that he saw between twelve and twenty
armed Beers enter the colony from the
Transvaal and visit a farmer named Haas
brouck. They remained in the house a con-
siderable time and crept back across the
frontier by dry water course.
telegram from Aliwal in the north
says the Orange Free State is stopping
wagons, produce and live stock en- route to
Cape Colony The burghers, it is further
said, ,1are allowed itoy cross tho frontier for
business, but are expected to return fnnf1e-
,diately. az g .
From Bloemfontein come advices which
say the town is beginning to present
deserted appearance. Numbers of the in
habitants, chiefly women, have left The
government has issued a circular to the rail-
road employees, who are mostly British sub
jects, notifying them in case of war they
will all be dismissed and paid in full Ac-
cordiug to agreement, those volunteering to
bear arms will be allowed to do So and those
resigning will be allowed to remain in the
country without being commandeered, but
they will be expected to serve the state 10y
ally
On the British side the forces are steadily
moving nearer to the frontier Hussar
scouts have advanced to Dannbranse beyond
Glencoe, in the direction of Laings Mex
on the main railroad. The British camp at
Glencoe is situated on stony koppje with
strong breastworks of stones erected on top.
Bridges Guarded Day and Night.
All the railroad bridges from Colenso to
Newcastle are guarded day and night by
mixed force of police and infantry. Two
men are allotted to each small bridge and
four to the larger bridges.
The batteries of artillery which left Glen
coe osteusibly for Dundee, few miles dis
a fn
castle, which is in advance of the British
base. The farmers OF the northernmost part
OF Natal, which enters the Transvaal like a
wedge, are leaving their farms and coming
down the country. ...,.
In Rhodesia, which is exposed to a Boer
attack, the British colonies are actively
preparing for defense. The administrator at
Buluwayo has informed the chamber of
mines that the forces will be doubled and
the forts strengthened and machine guns
mounted. There are constant patrols in the
country districts. Water is scarce in Rho
desia, but there is enough II 1t rains soon.
A dispatch from Pietermaritzburg an
nounces that the governor of Natal has is
sued proclamation in view OF the impress
sion that many of the Dutch farmers may
join the Beers. The proclamation warns
"wickedly disposed persons" that the pun
ishment OF treason is death and the confisca-
tion OF the rebels property. The mounted
Natal volunteers, including the reserves,
have been warned to be in readiness.
Mails from Durham for Capetown are now
sent by sea, instead of across the Transvaal
The outlanders at Capetown are greatly
indignant at the Transvaal's confscation
law, which practically places at the disposal
Of the Transvaal their whole property, the
nature and definition of it's offices being such
as to embrace every possible contingency
and render them liable to confiscation what
ever they do, even in claiming their rights
No New Phase in England.
The military ports and camps In England,
such as Woolwich, Chatham and Aldershot,
are very busy with war preparations but
there is no new, salient fact today.
The Times correspondent at Capetown says
he learns that the Dutch farmers through
out the Queenstown district have Transyaal
Mausers and ANN unition.
The strip Of colonial territory from which
the most danger is apprehended is Coles
burg, across the Aliwal north as 1t lies along
the extreme southern borders of the Orange
Free State. Although the country west and
southwest is mainly Dutch. 1t gives no
anxiety.
The Boer reply had not reached the colo
NAL ONCE at noon, much to the establishment
of the officials, who remained on duty all