Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1899-10-05
CONTRADICTORY rELEGRAMs.
But the !. enor of the News =. unmis.
taknbly Grave.

\
/ london, Oct 5-Although today,s
news from South Africa are unmistaka-
bly, grave. the advocates of peace still
derive a glimpse of hope from some of
the dispatches that the stage of the me-
gotiations are not yet fully terminated.
The news is contradictory. Side by side
with the announcement that the Beers
have occupied Laingsneck. a dispatch
from Pretoria states that the Transvaal
has issued strict injunctions to COM
manders that British territory must not
be invaded and that Cen Joubert has
issued a proclamation threatening to
shoot any man VINO crosses the border
Scarcely had the advocates of peace ex-
changed congratulation over the am
lnouncement from Pretoria that j. H.
Hoffmyer, Afrikander leader, and w
p. Schreiner, cape premier, had UNDER
taken joint semi-ofIicial peace mission
and had actually started for Pretoria.
where they ought to have arrived last
levening, when later messages declared
the Boer government knew nothing of
the alleged mission and that, in any
leyent, nothing could preserve peace but
the withdrawal of the British demands.
| Up to late this afternoon nothing had
arrived to confirm the dispatch an
rouncing that general advance of the
I3oer forces began yesterday. The war
and colonial offices profess entire igno-l
rance of the matter, but this is in con-
sonance with its attitude towards the
press. Later a New Castle special con-
! tradicts the first and declares all was
| quiet on the border last evening; that
there was no sign of Boer advance
| New Castle, Natal, Oct. ga dispatch
received from the government says
there is no Immediate cause for alarm.
This arrested the panic.
| London, Oct. 5.-lntelligence from
| Cape Town includes an official denial
| of the rumor that the British had
crossed the Transvaal frontier, near
Kimberly. There is very definite feel
ing throughout the cape that British de-
Hay in forwarding reinforcements is
| very dangerous. The utmost enthusi-
asm prevails and many are anxious to
| place their services at the disposal of
the government.
| yolksrust Oct. Sit is understood
| that the Pretoria government has
| served notice on the British diplom-
| attic agent that unless her majesty's
| forces withdraw from the border before
| 5 o'clock tonight that fact will be taken
| as equivalent to declaration of war.
! The Beers, who have gathered here
| by thousands, are not anxious, to tell
] the truth, to see the British troops
1 withdrawn. Regarding war as newt
| able, they are full of enthusiasm for the
fray and anxious for the campaign to
begin All burghers are full of deter
mination as soon as they can get the
| word to seize Laing's Mex and beat
their way through Natal to Durham on
| the coast.
| Gen. Joubert and his staff have ar
rived here and it is expected that the
old commander-in-ch chief will proclaim
martial law and give the word for fight
ling to begin. Accommodating expedi-
tions along the border report that not a
| British soldier is in sight.
The burghers occupy strong positions
and preparations for the conflict are
unceasing The Boer mobilization along
| the frontier is exceedingly rapid and
1 train loads of troops are constantly ar
| irving. This hurried movement is a
severe tax on the railways. There are
now six camps along the border within
| q radius oe few miles from Volks-
rust.
| The hurrying thousands of Johannes
burgers making the best Of their way
to British territory offer an appalling
sight, packed as they are in trucks. like
] sheep In carts. Women and children,