The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-06-11

feet a reasonable settlement of the mat
ters in dispute, It had been proved def
initely that President Kruger was ire
concilable, and that the hope of arrange
ment by a suggestion of diplomatic pres
sure was henceforth vain. The British
are especially exasperated because they
have been trihed with and. the question
on everybody's lips is what next7'
MR.. CHAMBERLAIN DETERMINED.
Mr.. ChamberIaintis not the man to be
diverted from his course. He has pub
Holy and deliberately espoused the cause
of the Uitlanders, and his next step will
be a demand. Then there will be ener-
getic action to support the demand. It
may be regarded as certain that this con-
tingency has been fully forseen for
months past. Fresh troops and large
quantities of munitions of war have gone
to South Africa by every steamer. The
troops have been described as reliefs, but
those they were supposed to relieve have
remained in South Africa. A steamer which
sailed in May took 800 of these reliefs,
and passengers who had previously Sc
cured accommodation had to yield their
places to the officers and men. In Natal,
notably at Lady Smith, large force has
been assembled, fully equipped and ready
to march at moments notice Hundreds
OF mules from South Africa and Cypress
are on the spot, the storehouses are full
of forage and the magazines are packed
with ammunition.
FORCES COMPARED.
It is estimated that the Transvaal could
muster a fighting force of from 5000 to
1900 men, while the British troops there
already number II 900 men, commanded by
the veteran Maj. Gen. Sir William Fran
els Butler, who has been in command Of
wife was Elizabeth Thompson, the well
known artist. He served in Canada in
1870 in Ashanti in 1874, during the Zulu
war; 1889; in Egypt, 1882 and 1S84-S5, and
commanded the British troops at Alex
andria from 1890 to 1893. In addition the
British have a large body of splendid
mounted riflemen and mounted police
available, SO If hostilities break out the
events will move quickly.
While the country generally is backing
Mr.. Chamberlain, many well-informed
people assert that, urged by Cecil Rhodes
and the potent social influences of the
British Chartered South, Africa company
he is hurrying the country to disaster.
They say not only will President Krue-
ger not retreat, but that the Transvaal
forces, familiar with every inch of the
country, will be able to cope with any
force Great Britain can put in the field.
His artillery is known to be much su-
perior to the British artillery, and figures
are not wanting to show that the Beers
have the moral support of the Orange
Free State.
OUTLOOK GRAVE.
]. B. Robinson, the South American
millionaire and mine owner, received q
telegram today from his agent at Johan-
nesburg, saying the situation there is
most serious
The agent added that a mass meeting
Of uitlanders will be held today in or
der to confirm and support the proposals
of the British high commissioner, Sir
Alfred Miner. As open-air meetings are
not allowed without permission, 1t is not
improbable, If the necessary permission
is not obtained, that the police will en-
deavor to stop the meeting
The consensus of opinion among promi-
nent Uitlanders and South African capt.
talists in London is that the British gov
ernment is In a tight fix-that 1t cannot
retreat from its position, and that If
President Kruger does not recede war is
Inevitable.
Regarding the suggestion that the
United States be asked to mediate be-
tween the Transvall and Great Britain.
Joseph Choate, the United States ambas-
sador, says:
while every good American would
welcome the possibility of helping a So
luton of the present situation, we have
not been approached on the matter, and I
personally know nothing Of this proposed
mediation by America,
An official of the foreign office said:
1--WE have not approached America, nor
has America approached us in the matter,
and it is very unlikely that America will
be asked to do anything of the kind,
much as we value the good feeling ex-
listing between the two Countries
A detachment Of 200 Royal Engineers