Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-10-05
A B0ER ULTAMATUM ?
RUMoRED DEMAND THAT BRITISH
FORCES DE WITHDRAWN.
S0-PREECH-GEBMAN INTEREST.
Reported Scmi-OmciaI Exchange OF
Views on the Crisls-Seizure of
British GoId-EXOdus from the
Trnnsvnni Continues.

Trnnsvani Continues.
LONDON. October 4.-The most inter.
| esting announcement in connection with
the Transvaal crisis to-day IS that the
Chancellor Of the Exchequer. Right Hon.
Michael Hicks-Beach has already sane
toned tho provisional expenditure Of G3,-
100000 G150o0.OOO, and that the govern
ment will not exceed that allowance
without consent OF Parliament, which
will be asked to appropriate a sum not
! exceeding eS,WOO0) ClO,00000O.
a meeting Of the War Board to-day dis
cussed and drew up arrangements to en-
sure the safety Of the route from Durham
! TO Laings Mex, so that large bodies of
| troops may on Decentralization. be rapid
ly forwarded up the country TO the front,
| without confusing or crOwding at the
base.
1t is stated to- night that the War ONCE
has decided that the army corps for ser
vice in South Africa shall be much larger
than originally estimated. and that it now
! consists Of over 10000 men.
WAR PREPARATIONS CONTINUE
The preparations for the dispatch Of
this force including the chartering of big
ocean liners, is steadily and satisfactorily
! proceeding.
Tho Associated Press correspondent
| learns that the dispatch drawn up by the
| Cabinet on Friday was still unsent this
! evening.
ON tho other hand. a telegram from
Brussels gives, from a "well-informed
! source" the news that DR. Leyd. the rep
| rosentative I'm Europe Of the South Afri-
! can republic has received confirmation
| Of the report that President Kruger had
addressed an ultimatum to Great Britain,
demanding the withdrawal of the British
forces from the frontier within forty
eight hours, and that il was delivered on
Monday. This report, however still lacks
official confirmation.
CAPE OFFICIALS CONFIDENT.
The confidence of the military authori-
ties at the Cape Is shown by a dispatch
received tonight from cape Town which
stated that at a conference between the
military authorities there and General
Sir George Stewart White Y. c. who
will command the British forces I'm Natal
and Northumberland Sir Frederick
| Walker. held 10 consider the situation.
{ General white expressed himself as con-
fdent that the British would be able 10
present a force sufficient 10 repel any at
| tack
General White, who intended 10 go 10
| Durham on board warship. has now. In
order 10 save time. abandoned the idea
and will go by train tonight
MORE RAND REFUGEES.
A line steamer left Lourenzo Marques,
Delagoa Bay. with 900 Rand refugees
Large numbers were left behind, and all
trains are crowded with those taking
part in the exodus from the Transvaal.
a dispatch from Volksrust says the
| BOer camp on the Natal border now COM
| prises 500 men. and IS growing daily
| Tho camp breathes a religious fervor.
| The commissaTiat and arms. the dispatch
says. are defective One of the largest
corps ny I'm the Veldt without shelter du-
ring heavy thunderstorm.
Commandant-General Joubert IS mo-
mentarily expected to assume command
Of the Boer forces.
SEIZURE or GOLD.
Confirmation of yesterdays report of
the acquisition by the Transvaal authori-
ties of $4,000 I'm gold which was on the
way to cape Town from Johannesburg.
was received to-day.
The Cape Argus asserts that the Beers
made the seizure at Nereeniging, the
amount being the weeks shipment Of
gold on the way from the Rand to Cape
Town. and forwarded the treasure to Pre-
toria.
A London news agency publishes a dis.
patch from Paris, saying it is rumored
there that q seml-oficial exchange Of
Views IS proceeding between Russia.
France, and Germany, with reference to
the Transvaal crisis.
AMOUNT OF GOLD TAKEN eS0O, 600.
LONDON, October "a special dis
patch from Pretoria says that the Trans
vaal Government has seized gold to the
amount Of eS0O.oOO, which is now lodged
In the State mint. The government, the
dispatch adds, will indemnify the banks
TO which the gold is consigned.
BRITISH WARSHIPS GATHERING.
LONDON. October 5.-Thc Daily Nails
correspondent at Lourenzo Marques re-
ports that II. NJ. S Philomel has gone to
Durham for the purpose Of landing lV
men and a gun.
Commenting editorially on the forego
ing dispatch. the Daily Mail says II con-
sidors that the action reported indicates
grave danger. The admiralty. says the
Daily Mail, would not countenance such
q measure. except in circumstances OF I'M
usual emergency, and IL thinks it proba-
bic that other British warships are con-
vergng silently upon the theatre OF ac-
ton.
APPREHENSION IN NATAL
LONDON. October ga special dispatch
from Newcastle. Natal, dated Wednes-
day. SAYS: 1.-THE Beers have left the
lager at Volksrust and are moving to-
ward the frontier The situation is most
critical. The magistrates and municipal
officers have assembled in the town hall
10 plan measures for the defence of the
town against an expected attack. All the
women and children have been ordered to
leave for the interior Of Natal"
PEACEFUL INDICATION.
! LONDON, October 1.-The Daily Chroni-
cla's correspondent at Cape Town, tele-
graphing under date Of Tuesday, says:
For the first time In several months j.
H. Hofmeyer, the Afrikander leader IN
Cape Colony. and Sir Alfred Miner, Bri-
fish High Commissioner for South Africa.
and the Governor of Cape Colony, met to-
day in conference. and an unconfirmed
report Is in circulation that Mr.. Hof-
never has been entrusted with an lmpe-
rial mission TO Pretoria"