The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-13
DANGER IN SOUTH AFRICA.
MITE UPRISISGs MONT FOLLOW
MIH MITH THE DOERN

CoIunies-SpeciRl Service Offirera ARM
ing and Organizing the White settlers
Sr,e,di cdbs D,,p1ht to THG suS.
LcNpoY Aug. l2--At the close of to-day
london Stock EHchnrgc tho report Of the
South African market was: "Kaflrs steady on
last nights prices ara no further alarm is felt
ms to what the Beers will do" That is the re-
markabln seGuei to the Government aEnouncc-
mont that ref!otcements ara going to South
h'rica tobe ready FOR AL c"entualitics." and it
r. stated to-day that 5000 more Incu have been
added to the list u those going Carewards
Yet it In certainly true that not ono in ten be-
1ieveT that ilese will boz IIeeF war. and not
ono in A.humlrcd believes that there 10 a
- CHANGE Of war before October Betwesn now
anl then negotiations ought to remove evory
possible cause. Indeed what the Londoners
srr calling tho Boer backdovn IL scheduled
for tomorrow. when great open air meeting
II Bncrs will be held to pray for pence and
q forwards appeal to President Krnger to
mako so'no moro concessions for the sake OF
ponce. whether a pacific solution will begin
So soon Ia doubtful, but these arc the lines
huug which Il is looked for.
MIR. Chamberlain has been accused Of play
i2 80 advertise n personal triumph when
Ls already knows that President Kr0ger
means 10 eventually con"cde considerable
fr.mchise reform. The accusation is probably
NrIu-t, tur It has boon known that Presidrr.
lr0Gnr had drafted an argumertative refusal
to- Mr. cham beran's proposal for an expert
commission 10 learn how many and how soon
the GitiHnders would get votes under krOgnr's
latest scheme. That reply was withheld when
Mr.. Chamberlain reiterated on the day Of the
prorogatinn OF Parliament that the Govern
meat would not rcst until the reforms it de-
manded had boon conceded and British
prrmacv in South Africa assured. The Beers
reply will probably "c redraftcd now, and II 10
expected that IT will be sent here early next
week There is a prospect Of lengthy wrang-
ling with constant Increases OF British troops
IN South Africa IA a demonstration OF suptem-
ary but beyond that neither Mr. Chamber
lains friends nor those best acquainted with
South African affairs expect matters to go.
II IT, however. impossible that any situation
could BE- moro full Of doubts and difficulties.
and OF these tho attitude Of the natives is be-
coming one OF the most serious.
1t Is two months since the first batch OF So
called special service officers were sent to
South Africa. and it was generally supposed ut
that time that they wrrc primarily intended TO
fight the Roers. Now it trnnspires that their
mission was 70 organize the white colonsts
throughout South Africa To deal with Kafnr
rebellion. which il xprcted to lie one Of the
nr-t results o! n war between England and the
Transvaal. and what IA NOR" serious still, to
copc with possible insurrcctinn of the Dutch
sympathIzcrs with the Beers within the British
borders.
1t is probable that one OF the earliest COM
Ilicaions in the tangled situation viii be a
protest from the Cape Government against tho
presence Of these special service officers in
a colony in which the government holds
its power by virtue of thu support of
the Dutch voters. Complaints from the
latter are reaching Cape Town OF the
presence and activity Of lmpcrial army officers.
who are enrolling white men in n volunteer
corps from which tho Boor sympathizing
Dutchmen are carefully excluded on various
pretexts. Most Of the Dutchnen are armed
but with oId-'aShioned weapons. The English
farmers in the rural districts and the English
shopkcepers. clerks and traders in the towns
are being armed with modern rifles. and
depOis OF ammunition are forming. all by
direct instructions OF Gen. Butler. the officer
commanding In South Africa. lie says the
orders are to prepare for the eventuaty OF a
black uprising. The Dutchmcn are pro-
testing their loyalty and dcnouncing the
implied insults to them by their cxclu-
sion from the volunteer troops. They admit
that there is danger OF q Kafrcr rebellion and
claim the right to help guard against 1t. But
although they are British subjects. the British
Government is afraid to trust them.
Since England lost the North American
colonies she has not had to face so serious and
complicated colonial situation as this
Trouble with the blacks ia really mcnacing
and pressing The Matabele in Rhodesia
are restless. the Kah!rs in Caro Colony
and Natal Iare sullcr. and the impudent
Swa2is. who were handed over by England
to the protection OF tho Transvaal.
may break out at any moment. But the most
imminent Hanger Of all Is located In Basuto-
land which is under the protection Of England
with British resident commissioner Tho
Basutos are hereditary enemies of the Beers.
at whose hands they have suffered countless
wrongs. They can put 10000 warriors in the
field at short notice The resident commits
sloncr reports that they know otthe possibility
of war between England and tho Transva al and
are stralnIng like hounds at the leash to get at
the enemy. Mr.. Chamberla has declared in
Parliament that II there is a war Great
britain will not employ blacks against
whites. The promise was doubtless made
IN good faith. but It is difficult TO
sac how the Basutos can be restrained
once the dogs OF war are let loose. 1t may
DO necessary to assign 10000 British soldiers
TO keep their friends. the Basutos. at bay
while 10000 others are engaged In fighting
the Beers. The white volunteers will probably
suffice to deal with the Kafrrs OF Cape Colony
and Natal. and the white settlers OF Rhodesia
are being organized. doubtless TO keep Mata-
belle In check. But unless the Dasutos have
dsGenerated In fbre and lost some Of their
hatred OF the Beers. OF which there is no ndi-
cation. the redcoats will have to bar their way
to Pretoria.
British rerplexitss do not end with the pros
lect OF native rebelIions on every side. for We
see white men lighting each other. The spec
ial correspondent OF the IhaH Mall Gazette
which Is extremely anti-KrlRer. cables from
Care Town to-day admitting that "a new phase
Is added tn the si.Nation by the action OF the
English and Scotch residents who have instl
tutcd boycott on all Irishmer on tho ground
that they doubt tho Irishmens loyalty to tbs
British Government. l learn from . trust
worthy source that the CRpe Colony contains a
large proportion OF English who side with the
AlrcAnders."
Everywhere indeed the Strong eSt reasons ac-
cumulato why the British soldiers should not
fire the first shot, and for different reasons 1t
is to !he TraGsYaals interest. even II 1t means
tn nght against British enoroachment. to post
rons the date OF rUptdre. The Times cores
pendent in Pretoria cables that tho reason