Connecticut western news., 1899-10-12
80ERS FORCE A CRISIS.
Kruger's Ultimatum Seems to
 Render Peace Impossible.
ENGLAND MAY NOT REPLY AT ALL
Cabinet Member Speaks Publicly For War and Is Backed Up by HI. Hearers-Troops In Natal Sleep on Their Arms.


 Their Arms.
 London, Oct. 1.-The Boers have as- tonished England by behaving just as if they were great power, equal in dig nifty and resources to the British empire. They have demanded the instant with drawal of the hostile forces massing on their frontier and have announced that they woIld construe a failure to comply within IS hours as declaration of war.
 Any other self respecting state threat ened in the same manner would have taken the same position, but this natural action by the little African republic inn presses Englishmen as great effrontery. It is almost regarded as a decisive move, which destroys the last possibility of a peaceful solution of the crisis, and yet this Is not its inevitable meaning.
 An examination of the terms of the Boers' dispatch, given below, shows that they are by no means unreasonable from the point of view of diplomacy and precedent. The ultimatum is bellicose only in it's peremptory tone, and it points out that certain British dispatches have recently been couched in almost the same abrupt language.
 The Boers waited for nearly a fort
 
 Britain had notified them were about to be made. It was evident, according to the Boers' natural conclusion, that these demands, which would probably be oner- ous, were being withheld to enable the completion of the British hostile prepara- tions, and it would be simply suicide for the Boers to permit England to carry out such plan. Hence the bold declaration, which throws the onus of war upon Great Britain.
 There is little doubt that President Kruger is finding it increasingly difficult to keep the burghers in hand on the from tier of Natal, but unless Great Britain adopts the humiliating course of aban- doning her hostile policy she cannot es- cape the responsibility which the Boer ultimatum puts upon her.
 England to Renew Demands. The belief held in certain we'll inform ed political circles is that if the British government vouchsafes any reply today 1t will include the demands which other wise would have been presented a few days later. There is no doubt, however, that the Boer movement has greatly in famed English public opinion, and it Is impossible to believe that any gem timely conciliatory policy will be tol- erated. English public sentiment has re- sponded only too readily to the cam paign of indictment so cleverly conduct ed during the past three years, and it is now practically beyond the control of any government The chances strongly favor an outbreak of hostilities at the beginning of next week.
 A cabinet souncil will be held on Fri day.
 Lord James, chancellor of the ,duchy of Lancaster, is the first member of the cabinet to refer publicly to the ultima tum from the Transvaal. Speaking at Aberdeen last evening he announced the Boer demands and asked his hearers if it was their wish to grant them. The au- dience responded with loud and excited shouts of ''Now Lord James said he was certain that the country would say no. However, he much regretted that there was now no alternative but war. This statement evoked loud cheers.
 Military circles in London are con- vinced that the Boers will immediately attack the British. Nevertheless they profess equanimity. They are confident that General Sir George White with the 15,000 troops now in Natal will be able to make a successful defensive I'd even offensive campaign. Mafeking is re- garded as less secure, but it is believed that this place can hold its own until re- endorsements reach it. The chief anx- iety is over the possibility of the Boers in the Cape Colony and Natal rising against the British, which it is believed the ultimatum was largely intended to precipitate.
 So far as can be ascertained the gov ernment has received nothing from the Orange Free State. The probable ac- tion of this republic is much speculated dnnn