The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-09-21


ward show of calm. Great Britain is in
practically the same condition today as
was the United States a few weeks be-
fore the opening Of the war with Spain.
Beneath the crust of diplomatic re-
serve the military officials are working
night and day preparing for the signal
to begin hcstilitieS. whether that GENES
or not
England is not going to be caught
mapping any more than the TransvaaI.
While Lord Salisbury is quietly at
meme in Hatfield House, Mr.. Chamber
lain is buried in work at the colonial
office, and double forces at the royal
arsenal and deck yards are straining
every nerve to equip and transport
troops to the Cape.
1t may be said for certain that Great
Britain will Go nothing to precipitate
matters, and the colonial office is far
from admitting that the case is hope
less. The report that Great Britain had
demanded the dismantlement of the
fort at Johannesburg, together with a
material reduction in the armament Of
the burghers, the colonial Office today
would neither confirm nor deny, al
though it is much doubted.
Meanwhile the Marquis of Lans-
downe. secretary of state for war, who
returned this morning from Dublin. has
held long conferences with General
Lord Garnet Wolseley field marshal,
and General Sir Evelyn Wood, adju-
tant general to the forces, and the ac-
tivity at headquarters is reflected in
the contract. supply and transport de-
partlnents.
Departure of Troops.
The departure of the British trans
port Jelunge for the Mediterranean to-
day with LOO troops was witnessed by
a large and enthusiastic crowd.
At WooIwich activity increases daily,
and especially in the ordnance depart
ment, where Maxim guns, Lyoddte
shells, balloon equipments, gas reser-
voirs, wagons for limelight apparatus,
water carts, ambulances, army wagons
and other paraphernalia of modern
warfare are being hurried forward.
While rumors of the reassembling Of
parliament are current, the fact is re-
called that in the Afghanistan war in
1873 Great Britain declared war first
and then assembled parliament.
This evening the Marquis of Lans-
downe issued a. strict order to the staff
of the war office, warning all subordi-
mates to refrain from giving the press
einy information without the authority
of their superiors and calling attention
to previous breaches of duty in this re-
spect. which, the order says, will be no
longer tolerated.
Will Not Yield Further.
Advices from Cape Town are to the
effect that the Afrikanders declare that
the TranSvaal will not yield further,
and that if the imperial government
does not recede from its present posi-
ton, war is inevitable.
The South African News supports the
contention of the Transvaal that the
convention of 1884 abolished the suzer-
ainty. According to other advices. the
burghers are rapidly going into lager,
while the exodus from Johannesburg
yesterday reached 1000 persons. The
stock exchange at Johannesburg has
resolved to close tha moment martial
law is proclaimed, but all current con-
tracts will be carried out until the
proclamation suspending all business.
In the meantime the merchants are
erecting barricades in front Of their
shop windows
At Pretoria the interest seems to be
conferred in the meeting of the Orange
Free State volksraad tomorrow Thurs
day), which it is hoped may somehow
suggest a modus vivendi that would
save the situation
Will Cast Lot With Transvaal.
On the other hand, advices from
BIoemfontein announce the arrival
there of a large number of members
of the raad, adding that the result of
tomorrow's sitting is already agreed
upon, as the Orange Free State will
throw in it's lot with the Transvaal, all
the Free State burghers being fully
armed and ready to start at a moments
notice. A special dispatch from johann
nesburg says 450 persons left by one
train today.
The Rt. Hon. Sir William Vernon
Harcourt, liberal member of parlia-
ment for West Monmouthshire and for
mer leader of the liberal opposition in
the house of commons, in the course
of an address to his constituents this
evening in New Tredgar, said he could
not read the persistent attempts OF the
war press to aggravate the Transvaal
situation without indignation
Great Britain" said the speaker,
cannot claim general sovereignty In
the Transvaal when she has only par
tial suzerainty, and President Kruger
cannot claim for the Transvaal the po-
sition of an international sovereign
state. Both sides, therefore, have made
allegations which cannot be maintained
by either"
sir William declared there was no
casus belli. and expressed the hope
that a. shameful catastrophe might be
averted.