Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-10-02

concerned with feverfsh preparations for
hostiities. Commandant Gen. Joubert is
reported to have said that he has 10000
men on the Natal border. and that Com
mandant Cronje has 5000 on the Bechuana
side
The British camp. in the vicinity of Dun
dee consists of 5000 men, with twenty-four
guns in strong positions. The Orange Free
State is actively communicating. The
Transvaal government has virtually taken
over the Netherlands railway for military
purposes. and Natal trains are being turned
back. Telegraph wires between Natal and
Johannesburg have been cut since Friday.
According to dispatches from Pretoria,
complete chaos reigns there. The govern
ment has declared a moratorium ian emer-
gency act of legislation authorizing gov
eminent bank to suspend specie payments
for a given period. closed all the courts
and suspended the English papers. 1t is
said that there will be nearly 10000 burgh-
ers along the borders by this evening Mon
day..
In Johannesburg warrants have been is
sued for the arrest of some fifty prominent
outlanders and journalists, but all received
timely warning and got safely away
An unconfirmed rumor has reached To-
hannesburg that the first portion of the In
dian contingent has arrived at Durham, Ma
tai.
Burshers Kill Each Other.
The special correspondent of the Daily
Mail at Pietermaritzburg, Natal, describing
a train journey with Boer commando,
says:
The burghers were hilarious, insulted the
passengers and fired from the carriages at
two burghers, thus killing each other.
Their firing also broke the telegraph wire,
thus facilitating the escape of fugitives
from Johannesburg. They are now pre-
venting the receipt of kilograms by order
ing their detention at FolkSruSt
The Basutoiand natives have been en-
gagged for week or so in practicing witch
craft, preparing to go on the warpath. The
ceremonies consist in slowly torturing to
death oxen representing the Beers and the
British. These sacrifices. according to the
native reports, indicated that the Beers
would be victorious"
The special correspondent of the Morning
Post at PietermaritZburg says:
Il understand that Commandant General
Joubert will not command in the field. He
intends to return to Pretoria. His hurried
visit to the front was to hold the younger
Beers in check Schalkburger of the ex-
ecutive council will command the Beers on
the Delagoa bay frontier"
The Daily Mail publishes the following
dispatch from Sydney, N. s. W.:
1T is understood that difficulties have
arisen in connec ton with the conference of
the military commanders regarding the
sending of Australian contingent to
South Africa. The conference has adj
journed, but in any case the Victorian pre-
mier will ask credit of f50,0OO to defray
the cost Of V.ctoria's contingent"
Boast of Invading Natal.
The special correspondent of the Stand
ard at Newcastle, Natal, describing the
flight from Johannesburg, says:
The train occupied nearly twice its usual
time, owing to stoppages to allow prece-
dence to trains going with burghers to the
front. The passengers suffered great in
convenience, particularly the women and
children, being unable to get enough food.
The men were drenched with the rain in
the open trucks.
British and Dutch were being comman-
deered when l left, and their goods were
being seized. So far l can learn, there
are undoubtedly at least 10000 armed
Beers, well horsed at different points on
the border, especially in the direction of
Natal They boast their intention of invad-
ing Natal on Wednesday next and of sweep
ing the British into the sea. 1t certainly
looks as though Natal would be invaded in
force.
THE burghers seem sturdy folk. They
are dressed in a variety of costumes. The
chief defect diseernible is the large number
of officials of inferior physique who accom-
pany the troops. These are likely to prove
a source of weakness. From Johannesburg
to Volksrust the greatest enthusiasm
seemed to prevail Ii is estimated that 90,
600 Beers, with field guns now command
all the heights within a fifteen-mile radius
from Charlestown."