The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-09-21
PREPARING FOR WAR;
Great Britain Getting Ready For
Possible Outbreak.
BoER PREPARATIONS COMPLETE.

| oVoh huI ma 1lVNS UUMI LII d
It Is Understood That the Dispatch-
ing Of British Troops to South Africa
| VIII Be Regarded as q Casus Belii.
| Kruger's Appeal to the Queen,
London. Sept. 21.-Despite all out
ward show of calm. Great Britain is
In practically the same condition to-
day as was the United States few
weeks before the opening of the war
with Spain. Beneath the crust of dip
lomatic reserve the military officials
are working night and day. preparing
for the signal to begin hostilities,
whether that comes or not.
England Is not going to be caught
mapping any more than the Trans
vaal. While Lord Salisbury is quietly
at home in Hatfield house. Mr.. Cham
berlain is buried In work at the colo
NAL office. and double forces at the
royal arsenal and dockyards are strain
Ing every nerve to equip and transport
troops to the Cape.
1t may be set down for certain that
Great Britain will do nothing to pre-
cipitate matters, and the colonial Of
flee Is far from admitting that the
case is hopeless. The report that Great
Britain had demanded the dismantle-
ment of the forts at johannesburg, to-
gether with a material reduction III
the armament of the burghers, the COLO
NAL Office today would neither confirm
or deny. although 1t is much dor bted.
Meanwhile the Marquis of Lans-
downe, secretary of state for war, who
returned yesterday morning from Dublin
has held long conferences with General
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-
partments.
The departure of the British trans
port Jelunga for the Mediterranean
yesterday with 1.10O troops was wit
messed by large and enthusiastic
crowd
At Woolwich activity increases daily,
especially in the ordnance department,
where Maxim guns and other para
phernaia of modern warfare are being
hurried forward.
While rumors Of the reassembling of
parliament are current, the fact is re-
called that in the Afghan war in 1878
Great Britain declared war first and
then assembled parliament.
Last evening the Marquis of Lans-
downe issued strict order to the staff
of the war Office warning all subordi-
mates to refrain from giving the press
any information without the authority
Of their superiors, and calling attention
to previous breaches Of duty in this
respect, which, the order says, will
be no longer tolerated"
Advices from Cape Town are to the
effect that the Afrikanders declare
that the Transvaal will not yield fur
Their, and that if the imperial govern
ment doessnot recede from its present
position war is inevitable. The South
African News supports the contention
of the Transvaal that the convention
of 1884 abolished suzerainty.
According to other advices the
burghers are rapidly going into laager,
while the exodus from johannesburg
Tuesday reached 1000 persons. The
stock exchange at johannesburg has
resolved to close the 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 today, which it
is hoped may somehow suggest mo-
dus vivendl that would save the Still
alton.
On the other hand adviccs from
Bloemfontein announce the arrival
there of a large number of members
of the raad, adding that the result of
today's sitting is already agreed upon,
as the Orange Free State will throw in
its lot with the Transvaal, all the
Free State burghers being fully armed
and ready to start at moments no.
tice.
The Johannesburg correspondent of
The Morning Post says: THE Boer
preparations are as complete as the
government can hope to make them.
1t is believed that martial law will be
proclaimed today, If no reply is re-
c6lVeu from EIsidHu II is uHutT-
stood that the dispatching of British
troops to South Africa will be re-
garded as casus belli. The Boer
officers are urging the government to
begin hostilties forthwith. 1t is felt
that the Orange Free State can best
be forced to action by successful
military demonstration on the part of
the Transvaal.
The Cape Town correspondent Of
The Daily Mail says: President kru-
ger has cabled strong personal ap-
peal to the queen, beseeching her to In
tervene to prevent bloodshed. 1t is
about a column in length and is in.
tended to scarify the conscences Of !,
the "unco guid' when published
Sir Alfred Miner has wired courte-
Gus message to President Steyn, as
surfing him that the nOrthward march |
of the British troops is not meant as
a menace to the Orange Free State and
requesting to be informed regarding
the latter's attitude. Reliable informa-
ton has been received here that a
large command of Free State burghers
has been concentrating near Boshof, i
on the Kimberley border. If the Free
State joins the Transvaal the first bat
tie is likely to be fought at Boshof.