The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-09-19
TIL IRANSVAAl'S REPLY
TOEngland's Last Note
Received.
QNTENTS KEPT SECRET

Ano1TisisnS omman0er and OE-cer to
Coamand the Forces In south Africa
Insrmed Of It's Terms-The Tension
Pc ing Publication of the Reply uu-
teDe Whatever the Reply, More
TIE Will be Consumed in Nesotia-
.
LOGON, September IA forecast
of th first draft of the Transvaars re-
ply o the last note Of the British sec
retar of state for the colonies, Mr..
Char berlain, now under discussion by
he lksraad, has been received by Mr..
Chan berlain, but its nature is not yet
KNOW.
AT the colonial Office a reporter Of
the associated Press was informed that
nothing will be given out for the pres
emit.
It vas regarded as significant, how
ever. that the nature of the Boer reply
was communicated to the commander
in-ctef, Field Marshal Lord Woiseley.
who Immediately summoned General
Sir George Stewart White, V. c., for
mer quartermaster general, the pros
pectJe commander of the British forces
i'm Natal.
The tension now existing here and
at the Cape may be temporarily settled
at any moment by the publication of
President Kruger's reply. On the 9TH
er HIND, it may be several days before
the general public learns what answer
the TranSvaal has made. If President
Kruger has answered defiantly, it does
not necessarily mean the immediate
breaking off OF negotiations. The Brit
ish would probably reply with am I'M
mistakable ultimlatum. 1t is scarcely
to tfeir advantage to bring about hos
tiliuieS until h requirements are near
er the scene of action than they are at
present.
Whatever the nature of President
Kruger's reply, it is probable that sew
eral more stages of diplomatic processes
will be gone through with before there
is definite war OF peace, unless, of
course, President Kruger should take
the initiative and raid Natal. 1t is the
possibility of this move that makes def
mite news Of his reply so eager and
a~nxiOusly awaited.
THE REPLY UNSATISFACTORY.
The consul general of the South AZ
rican republic, Mr.. Montague White,
said to a reporter of the Associated
Press today: Il have good authority
for believing THAT the Transvaal reply
will be unsatisfactory to the British
government"
The Morning Post, i'm a second edi-
tions prints a special dispatch from
Rietermritzburg, capital of Natal, say
ing the reply is ~"truculent, lOquaciOuS
and blasphemous."
The Manchester Guardians CORES
pendent at Cape Town telegraps that
the outlook is of the glOomiest char
acter.
The Cape Town papers themselves
take a more hopeful view of the situa-
tion, basing their belief on the probable
acceptance by President Kruger Of the
franchise measures suggested in Mr..
Chamberlain's latest dispatch; but even
they admit it lis impossible to learn or
~foreshadow President Kruger's atti-
tude toward the suZerainty of Great
Britain, which, after all, is still the
main issue.
Bloemfontein, September 1.-THE
members of the raad of the Orange
Free State have been notified to be
ready to be summoned for an eXtraOr-
binary session ait a moments notice.
The burghers of the Orange Free
State, at a meeting just held, passed a
resolution ito stand shoulder-to-shoul-
der with the Transvaal i'm case of hos
Utilities.
While the staff of the foreign Office
will maintain continuous comm nlca-
ton tonight with Mr.. Chamberlain at
Birmingham, it is not believed now
that the result of the debate in the
,ro11rcr~oIoI will h0 ,-Aoai-o1 hpfOro ENri-
day. Dispatches from Cape Town
dated midnight, attach great importance
to an article in The Onsland, the organ
of the Africander bund, which urges
the Transvaal government to renew it's
offer regarding a conference, declaring
that there is no aSO why the Trans
vaal should not accept a conference, and
calling attention to the fac that the
word suzerainty is not mentioned by
MIR. Chamberlain and chat, therefore,
there Us nothing to indicate any obliga-
ton On the part Of either government
to abandon it's views ON this subject
The Pretoria correspondent OF the
Daily Telegraph says: "The members
of the volksraad received Mr.. Cham
berlain's dispatch defiantly today
Thursday. Individual members de-
clare that Great Britain must moder-
ate her demands.
On the other hand, a rurnor is cur
rent tht PRESIDENT Kruger fayors COM
pl1ance and has even suggested that he
desires the ir~reconcilables leave Prrto-
ria and consult their constituents, there
by avoiding their opposition. This be-
lief is held in Johannesburg, and ac-
counts for the hopeful condition OF the
market. but the general public is pes
simisrfc."
The Cape Town correspondent OF
the Daily News says: A thousand mel
are engaged in strengthening the de-
lenses OF Pretoria. Trenches are being
excavated and earthworks constructed
It is reported that both raads will a d
journ at the end of the week 70 enable
members to consult their constituents
on the questions raised in Mr.. Cham
berlain's dispatch.
John Delagal Convicted Of Murder