Omaha daily bee., 1899-10-09
Beers Continue to Act Strictly on the
Defensive on the Border,
UNLIKELY TO PRECIPTATE A CONFLICT
Campbell. .Barnerman's Recent Declaration
Has Soothing Effect
SALISBURY IS WORKING FOR PEACE
Chances for n PcaccabIe Settlement
of the Trouble Are Considerable
Meantime England Continues
to Prepare for War.

Copyright, 1899, by Press Publishing Coz
LONDON, Oct. S.-(New York World
Cablegram-Special Telegram )-Perceptible
change is coming over the Transvaal crisis,
the evident resolve of the Beers being to
act strictly on the defensive, together with
the fact that the British army corps can
not advance on Pretoria before the middle
OF December, exercising q calming influence
on public feeling.
The war. fever stirred up by the lingo
press is waning and the expectation is be-
s,nning to be generally expressed that hos
tilties may be avoided after all. An act
OF aggression on the part of the Beers would
change the whole face of the situation, but
at present the tendency is toward a resump-
tion of efforts to obtain a pacific solution OF
the difficulty Campbell -Bannerman's dec
laration that diplomatic means had not
been exhausted Is sinking into the public
mind and when Parliament meets Chamber
lain will be severely pressed to justify his
conduct Of negotiations.
Rumors are again prevalent that Salisbury
is working for peace and it is reported that
High Commissioner Milner has been author
lied to notify President Steyne of the Orange
Free State that a settlement can be madc
If Kruger disarms, grants the franchise
would be under $4,000 With a Ions
lapse Of time unavoidable before British
operations begin the chances for a settle
ment are obviously considerable.
Associated Press Adviccs.
LONDON, Oct S.--Whatever may be the
result of Great Britaln's controversy with
the South African republic, every depart
ment of the government today is as busy as
though actual hostilities had begun. The
electric flash that announced the mobiiza-
tion of the army reserves and the summon
ing of Parliament set every wheel of the
government machinery in motion. An hour
after the Gazette appeared executive or
doris were being dispatched from the War
office to every section of the kingdom and
the 10000 bulletins which appeared posted
throughout the country today are said to
have been identical with the proclamation
prepared for use had the Fashoda incident
required such a step.
AT the same time Lord Salisbury and Mr..
Balfour were issuing the necessary orders
for the reassembling of Parliament, the ad-
miralty was concentrating It's transports,
twentyfour of which are now secured at
Liverpool alone. So complete were the
preparations that $4,000 reserves have al
ready individually received coupon tickets
which contain instructions where each mar
shall report for railway transportation to the
place designated and a money order fol
three shillings for provisions en- route.
At Woolwch today it was asserted thai
% per cent of the reserves would be fully
equipped within six days. In the meantime
the two houses of Parliament are arranging
to return to London and a force of men i!
busily engaged in completing the improve
ments at Westminster.
Two Alarms on the Border.
The most important news from Soutl
Africa comes from Mafeking where twic
on Saturday the British camp was aroused
the men stood to their arms, guns wer
llmbered and patrols were dispatched in tn
direction OF the border. No hostilities hav
occurred yet, but the enemy has marche
practically to the border, eight miles fror
Mafeking, in force estimated at least 5000
comprising five commandos.
The garrisoning and certifying of tn
town are practically completed The street
are barricaded and perfect system of mine
has been laid. Two armored trains hav
arrived at Mafeking, consisting of three bul
let-proof cars, the first of which carries
searchlight, while the sides of the othe
cars are loopholed. Each train is complete
In itself and carries it's own provisions.
Experiments with lyddite in the mine
prove that It is an extremely powerful ex
plosive.
Colonel Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden
Powell commanding the Fifth Dragoo
Guards, has issued a notice that the Boer
who are massed on the Natal and Bechuana
land frontiers have orders not to fire unit
the British begin, and that the town Is we
prepared for eyentualities. but as the Boel
may shell the place every endeayor shou
be made to safeguard the women az
children.
An armored train was inspected at Xii
berly Saturday.
A signal station has been erected with
coming tower at the top 1870 feet above b
tracks Communication by telephone is HI
with a central office and signals are Civ
TO the troops by flag, BY this means m
neuvers were successfully conducted Satu
day. The troops number 5000, including t
bicycle corps
train was also successfully tested
Mafeking. 1t patrolled TO the north al
practiced firing at targets.
Armed Beers In Camp.
A dispatch from Kimberly TO the Cape A
gus says that 5000 Beers are encamped mi
way between Boshof and Kimberly. TIL
are well AIMED and great religious fervor
shown in the camp. The Beers, however a
chatting under the delay They patrol t
border nightly and have been ordered not
permit a British uniform to approach {
frontier.
A special order was gazetted on Saturd
announcing what British residents would
allowed to remain in the Transvaal and u
der what conditions
BOMBAY, Dot, S.-The last Indian co
tingent sailed today for South Africa
That BOer UItimatum.
y The Capetown correspondent OF the Dal
Mail declares that the story that Bo