Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1899-09-26
GREAT BRITAIN IS FOXY.
Talks About Negotiations, but
Secretly Prepares for War.
MEETING OF CABINET.
Miners Attempt to Exercise SEzer-
ainty Over Orange Free State
Repudiated.

London, Sept. IA cabinet council
was held today, beginning at 1890 p. m.
A large crowd assembled about Downing
street early in the day. The cabinet
ministers were loudly cheered, the Sec
rotary of state for the colonies, Mr..
Chamberlain, receiving the lions share
of the applause.
Previous to the meeting of the cabinet
Baron Rothschild visited the first lord
of the treasury. Mr.. Balfour. The cir
cumStance is unusual and is said to be IN
connection with the money difficulties the
government is encountering regarding the
prospective military campaign.
When the cabinet went into session no
new developments in the Transvaal sit
uatiOn had TRANSFERRED. The dispatches
from the Cape continued warlike and
voiced the indignation of the British con-
tingent against the Orange Free State
and Afrikander attitudes
The impression current here, though
not based on anything tangible, was that
publicly the cabinet would only take
steps tending to protract the negotiations
while. secretly, it would prepare the de-
tails of an aggressive campaign, perhaps
it was scarcely believed the latter deter
mination would be announced immediate
ly.
News from South Africa is eagerly
awaited as many think the cabinet coun-
Gil will be Immediately followed by
Boer raid.
The cabinet meeting ended at 2:40 p.
m The ministers were cheered as they
came out of the foreign office. Nothing
transpired regarding the action taken,
though the general impression spread That
a vigorous line had been adopted.
The secretary Of state for war. the
Marquis of Lansdowne, and the tirst lord
OF the admiralty, George j. Goschen, inn
mediately proceeded to the war office.
London. Sept. 22.-Reuters Telegram
company announced last evening that no
message had been received by Queen Vic
toria from President Kruger.
German Am bassador Calls.
The German ambassador, Count Won
Hatzfeldt- Wildenburg. had a long con-
ference with Lord Salisbury. The fact
that similar visit Immediately followed
the previous cabinet council leads some
persons to attach significance to it and
to infer that Emperor William of Ger
many is taking an active part In Trans
vaal affairs. The official German press,
however. has been so OutSpOken IN tell
ing President Kruger that he need not
expect German aid that it IS scarcely pos
sible to attach credence to that infer,
ence. 1t is much more probable that the
question of Delagoa bay was discussed,
if the dispatch printed today by the
Pioneer of Allahabad, saying negotiations
had been concluded by Great Britain for
taking possession of Delagoa bay Novem-
Der l is correct.
Many rumors are current regarding the
result of the cabinet council, oil profess
sing to be from good sources. These are
vague and contradictory. One news
agency announces decisive action has not
been decided upon.
Later in the day various rumors were
still current regarding the cabinet meet
ing, but the following, which the Pail
Mall Gazette publishes, is believed to be
correct:
An Interim Dispatch.
Information in our possession is
to the effect that iC was an in
term cabinet summoned to consider
an interim dispatch. 1t is believed that
this paper, which met with the unani-
nous approval of Mr.. Chamberlain's col
leagues will be published as soon as re-
ceiyed by the Boer government on that
day or at latest on Tuesday.