The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1899-09-28
GLOOM DEEPENS
General Belief in South Africa
That the Beers Will Not
Recede.
Reply Of the Transvaal to the
Latest British Note Being
Drafted.
Rad Of Orange Free State Still
in Sessi0n--Native Revolt
Feared.

LONDON, Sept. 2s.-The Traansvaal
situation remains unchanged, though il
anything the feeling of gloom has
deepened.
Cablegrams from Pretoria and Cape
Town show that the general impression
prevails there that the Beers will not
recede from their position and that the
feeling of unrest at Pretoria has been
unsatisfed. A dispatch announces that
the Transvaal government has begun to
appoint officers to go to the front in
case of hostilities. The executive coun-
Gil of the Transvaal had q prolonged
sitting and has been in constant tele-
graphic communication with the Orange
Free State.
No decision, it is now said, regarding
the attitude of the Free State has yet
been reached.
The Transvaal's reply to the dispatch
to the secretary Of state for the colo
MES, MI. Chamberlain, will be drafted
during tho day, and submitted to the
raad, in secret session. The members
appear convinced that Great Britain is
determined on war. Being anxious not
to force Great Britain's hand, the Beers
will not take any definite steps until the
draft of their reply is considered; but
notice has been issued to the burghers
to be in readiness for communicating
which commences shortly. A quantity
of arms, chiefly Martini rifles, have
been distributed.
The Orange Free State raad continues
in secret session.
A telegram from johannesburg says
an American named C. n. Blake is
raising an Ams4 Mn corps Of 800 men
for the Beers. On the Cape side, the
dispatches show great military activ.
ity in the direction of the frontier. The
camp at Dundee now consists of two
regiments of.infantry, q hussar regi.
ment, two field batteries, one mountain
battery and a detachment of engineers.
The Kings Rifles are now encamped
at Ladysmith and the Fifth lancers are
arriving there.
The authorities have been unable tc
overcome the trouble with the Cape
drivers, who refuse to accompany the
mountain batteries to the front from
Ladysmith, which is one of the bases
of operations.
An armored train hurriedly com.
pleted at Cape Town, left there at mid.
night for Ladysmith. It consists Of a
powerful engine with a th~ree-fourth
inch boiler, a tender and three 2O-ton
cars. The whole outfit is painted khaki
color, is loopholed for rifles and a ma.
chine gun, and is capable of carrying
100 men.
The Bechuanaland border is closely
patrolled, day and night.
Most of the British residents have
left Pietermartizburg, Natal, and the
northern part of the T~ransvaal, whittier,
it is announced, commands OF Csc
burghers will shortly proceed.
1t is reported that the Boer agsnte
have made large purchases of grain at
Durham.
The inhabitants Of several township.
on the frontier have appealed to 81,
Alfred Miner, the British high com.
missioner in South Africa, to send them
military protection.
A dispatch to the Pail Mall Gazette
from Cape Town reports evidences Of
unrest among the Griquas and Pondos
and q section Of tho Bechuanss and
Matabeles. It il fe.red they will re.
volt in the event Of war.
The war Office has ordered the whole
transport and supply for an army corps
to prepare to proceed to the Cape. This
is q very important order and implies
the early dispatch Of an army corps.
The men of Is companies are nov be
ing medically examined at Aldershot.