Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-19
British in Cape Town Regard War
as Inevitable.
TROOPS HORRYING FORWARD
Rumor of Another Peace PROPOSAL
From TransvaaI.
D1SCREDITED d IN LONDON

LONDON, September 19-There is an
unverifled rumor from Cape Town today
that the Beers have delivered another mes
sage to the British commiss. .oner Sir AL.
fred Miner more conciliatory than yes
terdays reply. The rumor however fails
to obtain much credence and is not taken
as In any way mitigating the seriousness
of the crisis.
The Outlander press sees nothing but
war ahead, and urges the Outianiers to
leave Immediately.
The London press is now inclined to take
the view that the recent action on the part
of the Beers does not make a certain
ty, though it does place the British cabinet
in position where it must take steps so
aggressive that war or utter ignominious
submission will be the only alternatives re-
naming to the Transraal. and is by 10
means persistent in urging the govern
ment to move, except in the matter of
hurrying troops to the probable scene of
action. The Pal Mall Gazette prints L
dispatch from Cape Town which says
The general impression is that the Beers
will at once take the initiative. and an at
tack is expected at any hour
Troops continue to leave Cape Town for
Kimberly and the north and the first
class cruiser Terrible, sailing from Ports
mouth for China today, is reported to have
been ordered to go by way of Cape Town
instead of SueZ.
Nothing is yet known regarding the
date of the expected cabinet council.
Beers Mnssing Artillery.
LONDON, September l3.-The special dis
patches from South Africa confirm the
port teegraphed yesterday that the Beers
are massng artillery in positions command
ing Laing's Neck. Small Boer detachments
occupy positions above Buffalo river.
Laing's Neck is on the border ard affords
h.an r,ol1 of he Tra al
from Natol.
The members of the Afrikander Bund
in Cape Town intend to convene the bund
in congress to consider the situation.
Bloemfontein paper reports the dis
missa! of several Englishmen from the
Bloemfontein police force because of their
refusal to serve on the commando.
War risks on consignments TO the Trans
Vaal were quoted at a premium of 80 per
cent yesterday, and all the markets were
very sensitive and excited.
The Cape Town correspondent of the
Daily Chronicle says:
1T is reported here that Conyngham
Green, British diplomatic agent at Pre-
toria, fears that attempt will be made
to dynamite the British agency
The Cape Town correspondent of the
Daily Mail says:
American Intervention Rumor
THE United States consul at Cape Town
Ias gone to Bloemfontein at the request
of the government of the Orange Free State
to confer regarding the crisis. The Orange
Free State executive is anxious to secure
American intervention.
''Boer spies infest all the border towns
Two thousand troops will be dispatched to
Kimberley within a week Five hundred
started tonight and others Will go forward
tomorrow
LONDON, September 19.-Mr. Chambers
lain came to London from Birmingham yes
terday afternoon and spent the evening at
the colonial office. While there he received
a dispatch from Lord Salisbury, who is at
Hatfield House, and sent special messen.
ger without dispatches to the premier.
There has been lively interchange OF
dispatches between the foreign, war and
colonial offices but summons has yeI
been issued for a cabinet council.
Long dispatches were sent last evening"
to the viceroy of India Lord Curzon and
to the British high commissioner in South
Africa Sir Alfred Miner.
Gen. Lord Garnet Wolseley, field mar
shal and commander-in-ch chief, returned to
London yesterday and Immediately re-
paired to the office, where he remain-
ed busily employed the greater part of the
day.
Would Mean British Disaster.
The Daily Telegraph publishes COM
munication from a military correspondent,
who, discussing the effect of the Orange
Free State throwing its lot in with the
Transvaal, says:
I'm the event of war this will greatly in
crease our difficulties and will lengthen the
duration of the campaign, but the work will
be accomplished, and the union jack will
float over consolidated South Africa be-
tween the Zambesi and the cape.
THE principal danger which besets the
British position is a sudden outbreak OF
hosti!ites enabling the Beers to score a.
few minor successes. which would bring
down upon us every Dutchman in South
Africa, and probably the statement that
the Beers sending compressed forage
to the Natal border seems to signify that
they will not wait for new grass, but are
preparing for Immediate advance For
this certainly not yet prepared. 1t
is doubtful if the few troops and voiun-
teers now in Nata, could maintain
the defensive. The cape frontier from
Mafeking to Kimberley, including the da-
n,ond fields, is practically defenseless, and
a combined attack by the Orange Free
State and the TransVaal might result in
disaster and the retreat of forces
toward Durham, leaving the border towns
III the hands OF the enemy. Small wonder
is it that these towns alarmed. The
movement of British troops into Natal has
,e.,at