Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-09-21
PROSPECT OF WAR
Rumors Multiply to Indicate That
the Beers May Soon Begin
Hostilities.
BOTH SIDES MAKE READY
The English Press in Doubt About the
Prospects for Early Fighting, But the
Britons in Africa Are Eager
to Go Away.

Pretoria, Sept. 21.-Gen. Joubert, the
Boer commander in chief, is quoted a.
saying in an interview: ''The situation
is serious. Probably the heaviest fight
| ing would occur on the Natal border
The British will likely attempt to invade
the Transyaal by way of Reinans pass.
Urgent messages reach here from
Volsrand members who are demanding
authority for the Beers to mass at stra,
tegic points.
Bombay, Sept. 21.-Gen. Hunter and
his staff with the Devonshire regiment
and squadron of the nineteenth hussars
has sailed for Cape Town.
London, Sept. 21.-Those who claim
the situation has not yet passed the Ru-
bicon of the pacific negotiations see in
President Kruger's answer to the Afri-
canders genuine desire to avoid hosti-
lities. The report that he personally
petitioned Queen Victoria to avert hosti-
tiles certainly does not bear out alarm
ist reports of English. correspondents in
South Africa that President Kruger de-
termined long since upon war. Never
theless preparations for that eventual
ity continue energetically on both sides.
The Beers are laagering and the Brit
ish troops reaching Kimberly and Lady
smith on their onward march, the latter
being marked by enthusiastic ovations
from scared inhabitants and hordes are
hurrying southwark for safety.
The last report Of activity emanates
from New Castle, Natal, saying the
Transvaal forces are encamped at
Randsprin and intend to raid Natal i'm
mediately after they understand Cham
berlain's reply is not satisfactory.
The British army nursing service sails
from Southampton tomorrow and Major
General French sails Saturday. He goes
to Durham, Natal, to command cavalry
brigade.
The foregoing includes all the actual
developments but they help little to
solve the universal question 'Will there
be war?" The answer of President
Steyn Of Orange Free State, to Sir Al
fred Miner, British high commissioner
of South Africa, is not regarded as a
satisfactory explanation of the Free
States position and by no means dissi
pates the increased seriousness with
which the situation is regarded. Since
the first it has been reported that the
Free State would aggressively assist the
Transvaal.
Vanity Fair, frequently well informed
regarding political secrets OF today en-
phatically reiterates the assertion there
will be no war. 1t said: president
Kruger is an old man but he is no
dotard. He would like to get his own
way but not at the cost of defeat. Climb
down, he will We maintain the belief
that there will be no war"
Vanity Fair takes view that is
shared by several weeklies that the
alarmist daily papers have created a fic-
titious crisis.
Conservative sitting of conflicting
opinions and rumors nov prevailing re-
garding the outcome of the dispute will
be more practicable after tomorrow's
cabinet meeting, though official an
nouncement of the minister's decision is
likely to be delayed few days.
The London edition of the Standard
and Diggers News of johannesburg gave
out cable dispatch today purporting to
be from Johannesburg saying returns
from field cornets of the Transvaal and
Orange Free State show 1000 burghers
ready to take the field on short notice.