The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-09-10
SUzERAINTY THE MAIN ISSUE.
IF DOM PAUL REJECTS 1T THERE
WILL PROBABLY BE WAR.

However, the Situation at Present
Bears "a Rather Peaceful Aspect.
Chamberlain Wanted More Radi-
cal Measures-Transvna Ready for
n Joint Commission of Inquiry.
Troops Ordered to South Africa.
Hope for Peace Expressed.
London. Sept. 9.-The actual status of
the Transvaal crisis appears to be un-
changed.
In spite of all the clamor and excite
ment raised by the rumors preceding the
cabinet council Great Britain's ministers
apparently have done nothing more than
strengthen the hands of Joseph Chamber
lain, the secretary of state for the colonies.
thereby confirming the representations of
the most conservative element as already
quoted in these dispatches.
AS far as the international relations are
| concerned, war is no nearer now than 1t
was a week ago, though the friction in
South Africa itself is keener and more
likely to produce conflict.
Putting aside the countless diplomatic
intricacies that have arisen during the
week, suzeranty remains the main issue.
| President Kruger, of the Transvaal re-
| public, has cracked the nut and found
suzerainty its kernal If he refuses to
swallow it, then there will be war.
There is. no doubt that Mr.. Chamberlain
hoped the cabinet would take more radi-
cal measures than it did. If the general
understanding of its action Is well founded,
it has only countenanced still further de-
lays, specifying a day when such delay
must end
For weeks Mr.. Chamberlain has been
telling President Kruger that Great Brit
ain could stand no further parleying about
suzeranty and intimating by speeches that
| the day and even the moment had almost
arrived when Great Britains patience
would be exhausted. Hence this cabinet
expression of prolonged British patience
has tended to create a more pacific feel
ing, but which, after all, is probably only
a general realization that unless the Beers
take the initiative we shall have to wait
for some time before the crisis comes
| to a head.
Troops to Go at Once.
The Northumberland Fusileers will en-
bark next Saturday for Cape Colony, leav-
ing from Southampton.
The First Royal Sussex Regiment has
| been ordered to be ready to embark with
in three days.
An infantry brigade, with a division OF
field artillery from Aldershot with eight
cen guns has been ordered to leave for the
| Cape in ten days.
This movement OF troops is said to be
merely in line with the decision of the cab
met Council to send 10000 soldiers to South
Africa.
The cabinet has decided to send 10000
troops to South Africa in addition to the
Natal force, numbering 5000 men, of which
reinforcements 5000 men will be sent from
India. and 800 from England, including a
battalion of the Northumberland regi-
ment which will sail Immediately ships are
ready and the remainder from the Ned
iterranean stations.
Wants Commission.
Pretoria, Sept 9-The News to-day
prints an official statement from f. w.
Reitz, secretary of state for the South
African republic, in which Mr.. Reitz
says:
"The government considers that three
courses are disclosed by the communica-
tions of Mr. Joseph Chamberlain, the
British secretary of state for the colonies.
The first is a joint commission of inquiry:
the second is a commission of delegates
from both governments to discuss tech
nicalities, and the third is a conference at
Cape Town"
Secretary Reitz adds that the Transvaal
government now agrees to the second
proposition and invites Great Britain to
define the constitution of the commission
suggested and the place of meeting.
smuts Hopes for Peace.
In the course of an interview to-day
State Attorney Smuts said that the Trans
| vaal having Withdrawn its offer of a five
years franchise, the condition thereto at
tached, namely, the REIMBURSEMENT Of
suzerainty, also falls to the ground He
understands the Transvaals last dispatch
as an acceptance of the proposal for a
joint commission of inquiry.
The Transvaal he said, is anxious to
terminate the tension existing, because
trade is stagnant and the country Is be-
ing ruined Hence the Transvaal has a
greater interest than has the British gov
ernment in bringing about a settlement,
He declared that he fully believed the
British government desired a peaceful So
luton of the difficulty, and expressed the
opinion that the Transvaals last dispatch
would further that end.
Tradesmen Urge Pence.
Plymouth, Eng, Sept 9.--At the closing
session to-day of the Trades Union Con-
gress, which has been in convention here,
a resolution was passed urging the gov
ernment to use every possible enort TO
peacefully settlet the Transvaal difficulty.
Ammunition for the Beers.
Lorenzo Marques, Delagoa Bay Sept. o.
The French steamer Santa Fe, which
sailed from Havre July % for Madagascar
via Dakar, Aug. 10, has arrived here with
} sixty-three cases of ammunition for the
{ Transvaal government.
r Malta Troops Mny Go.
Malta, Sept. 9.-The First Battalion OF
the border regiment, stationed here, has
been ordered to hold itself In readiness to
, embark for Cape Colony.