New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-09-15
WAR AT LEAST DEFERRED.
KRUEGER EXPECTED TO ACCEPT MIR.
CHAMBERLAIN'S PROPOSALS.
no FIGHTING THOUGHT LIKELY BEFORE
THE END OF OCTOBER IF AT ALL
BRITISH MILITARY PREPARA-
TTONS NOT RETAINED
TTONS NOT RELAXED.


BRITISH MILITARY PREPARA-
TTONS NOT RELAXED
rnv CABLE TO THE rRrRrNEJ
London Sept IA cold fl has followed the
hot ft over war with tho Transvaal The ac-
ceptanco by President Krteer Of the proposals
for peace made with dignity and tact i'm the
Chamberlain Dispatch is regarded highly
probable. The Beers simply required TO
carry ont their own offer Of August 10 with the
suzcrainty question left ont and permission to
use English in the Volksraad added Both the
Commission Of Inquiry and the Cape Town Con-
ference ought easily 10 be arranged, since the
Beers have already accepted one and apparent
y want the other. An interval OF pacific dpo-
macy may be confidently expected unless there
is a sudden change Of temper in Pretoria.
The keenest and best informed observers as
scrt that the real crisis will come when guar
antees for permanent peace are discussed in
the conference. The natural inference is that
the British representatives. will demand the re
ducton Of the defensive works at Johannes
burg or at Pretoria since these menace English
men only and are not needed for external de-
fence from any foreign quarter. Reduction or
abandonment of these fortihcations will proba-
bly, be proposed as a reasonable guarantee of
peace which will be satisfactory 10 the Imperial
Government The Beers will not be likely TO
take the same view Of the matter. They Will
consider IT an unreasonable demand, remember
ing Jameson's raid. and the real crisis i'm the re-
lations between the Transvaal and England will
follow
The safest Judgment which can now be formed
is that barring accidents or an mpetuous Boer
rush upon Laing's Mex. conference viii be
arranged and that there will be no war until
the end Of October If at all Everything indi-
Gates that the British Government has deter
mined to operate on a large scale II 1t Is COM
PEELED 10 declare war and that !. will not take
any chances The appointment OF Sir George
White is a clear indication that the Govern
ment will he prepared for an emergency which
may require force of forty thousand men. The
selection Of the former commander in chief IN
India cannot he explained on any other ground
and he will be at the base Of operations. Ger
tainly there are not British troops enough in
South Africa at the present moment for opera
tions on the large scale which tho Government
has i'm mind If it IS forced TO settle the Trans
vaal question by war.
This is another cogent ground for the opinion
that there Will he no war until the end Of Oc-
toher. accidents being excluded. President
Krugcrs prompt acceptance Of the Chamber
lain proposals. based on his own offers, would
be followed by an earnest conciliatory effort 10
settle the questions at issue peaceably but
military preparations will not be relaxed os-
peciallv as there Is likely 10 he a final crisis
over the reduction Of the Transvaa forts as
reasonable guarantee % permanent peace. The
Ministers are evidently bent upon having a final
settlement which will put end to all vex-
atious controversies and promote the harmoni-
ous DEVELOPMENT Of tho resources ot South
Africa. and they Will conduct the negotiations
in concillatory spirit but with a we'll organ
Ted army I'm the background. equipped and
ready for operations on a large scale. J. y. +.
FORECAST OF BOER REPLY RECEIVED.
NATURE OF THE ANSWER TO MIR CHAM
RERLAINs DISPATCH KEPT SCI RET
London. Sept IA forecast of the first draft
~ the Transvaals reply to the last note Of Mr..
chamberlain. now under discussion by the
yolksraad has been received by Mr.. Chamber
lain. but its nature is not yet known. At the
Colonial once reporter Of The Associated
Prses was Informed that nothing would be made
public at present II vas regarded as significant
however, that the nature of the Boer reply was
communicated 10 the Commander-in-Chie Field
Marshal Lord Woseley. who Immediately sum
moned General Sir George Stewart White V G.,
commander Of the British forces in Natal
Whether the message came from President
KRUGER or was merely the British agents fore
cast II is impossible to say While the staff Of
the Foreign Office will maintain continuous
communication tonight with Mr.. Chamberlain
an Birmingham il is not believed now that the
result Of the debate in the Volksraad Will be re-
oeived before Friday
MORE NEGOTIATIONS TO FOLLOW
II President Kruger has answered dehantly. It
does not necessarily mean the immediate break
ing off Of negotiations The British Govern
ment would probably reply with an unmstak-
able ultlmatum. but IT Is scarcely to their adj
vantage TO bring about hostilities until the re-
inforcemcnts are nearer the scene Of action than
they are at present Whatever the nature ~
President Krugers reply. it is probable that
several more stages of diplomatic processes viii
be gone through with before there is definite
war or peace. unless. Of course, President
Kriger takes the initiative. and makes a raid
into Nal It is the possibility Of this move
that males definite news of his reply so eagerly
and anxiously awaited.
The Morning POST in a second edition prints
a special dispatch from Pietermaritzburg. CAPT
tai Of Natal. saying that the reply is "truculent
loquacous and blasphemous.'
The Manchester Guardians correspondent
at Cane Town telegraphs that the outlook is Of
the gloomicst character.
Tho cape Town papers however. take more
hopeful View Of the situation. basing their belief
ON the nrobable acceptance by President Kruger
~ the franchise measures suggested In Mr..
Chamhcrlans latest dispatch. But even they
admit that II is impossible 10 learn or foreshadow
President Kruger's attitude toward the suzer-
aintv Of Great Britain. which is still the main
issue
The Consul General Of the South African Re
puhlic Afontagu White. said 10 a reporter of
the Associated Press to-day: II have good
authority for believing that the TransvaaPs re-
plv will be unsatisfactory to the British Coy