The record-union., 1899-10-07
The Free State Said to Have Seized
a Quantity Of Coal
Belonging to the Cape Town Government
In Transit Through Former Country.
British Commissioner Conyngham
Greene May Have to Withdraw
From the Transvaal, Owing to
Kruger's Threat to Put British
Subjects Over the Border.

LONDON, Oct. 6-The Cape Town
correspondent of the Daily Mall says:
"A sensation has been caused here by
the report that the Free State Govern
mentA has commandeered 500 tons of
coal belonging to the Cape Government,
which was travelling the Free State.
Such a seizure would naturally be re-
garded as an act of war. j. w. Sauer,
the Commissioner of Public Works,
when questioned in the Assembly re-
garding the matter, professed ignor-
ance, but / learn that the report was
telephoned to the Cape Ministry early
in the day.
81 learn that the Transvaaps threat
to put British subjects over the border
would necessitate the withdrawal of
Conyngham Greene.
Some surprise is manifested over the
report that a large number of British
troops are to be landed here instead of
at Durham. This is taken to signify
that the Transvaal will be invaded
from the west and from Natal
KAFFIRS COMMITTING CRIMES AT
JOHANNESBURG.
JOHANNESBURG, Oct. 6.-Thou-
sands of natives have invaded the town
and to-day the authorities decided to
march them under escort out of the
country. Last night two natives en-
tered a clothing store kept by Jew
and stabbed the man in the neck, sew
ering his windpipe. Two Jewish store
keepers in the East Rand have been
murdered by natives, and the Kaffirs
are raiding all the places where they
think liquor is stored.
The War Commission, acting under
the Governments instructions, will to-
day issue notice to shopkeepers to re-
move the barricades they have erected,
on the ground of the Government
guarantee of protection ought to be
sufficient.
The Government is ejecting thou
sands of Kaffir miners from the Rand
and is sending them into the northern
districts of the Transvaal, in order to
avoid the danger of a collision with
the whites in the event of war; This
Irish Corps supporting the Beers has
started for the frontier.
BURGHERS WILL DEFEND THEIR
RIGHTS.
BLOEMFONTEIN, Oct. 6.-President
Steyn, addressing a command in Mar
ket Square on Thursday, congratulated
the Burghers on the rapidity with
which they had responded to the call
He said the Orange Free State did not
intend to make an attack, but that it
would fiercely defend it's cherished
rights. The enemy was strong, but
if that enemy crossed the border it
would be to meet with a determined
resistance.
In concluding he exclaimed: eve
would be fighting for the independence
of our state"
THE DELAY ALL FOR THE GOOD.
LONDON, Oct. 6.-All reliable intelli-
gence from South Africa points to a
continuation of the existing situation
for some time, as both sides are appar-
emily diffident about commencing an
attack, although from the dispatches
received here it seems as if every
movement of a patrol and every cloud
of dust made by a herd of cattle were
turned into a general advance by both
armies.
The delay is all for the good, mas
much as it gives time for further ne
gotiations, and to-day's indications ap-
parently show willingness on the part
of the British Government to continue
to utilize diplomacy.
A we'll defined conviction is preva-
lent that the Foreign Office is trying
to discover way out of the impasse
which has been created by admitted
mistakes and miScalculations, and it is
evident that peace advocates and peace
counsels are gaining ground. However,
Mr.. Chamberlain refusal to seize the
chance given him by the petition of
fifty eight members of the Cape House
of Assembly to point out in reply that
the Beers still have an opportunity Of
accepting Great Britain's previous Of
fer, so long as her new proposals re-
main unformulated, seems to show
personal determination on the part of
the Secretary of State for the Colonies
not to yield an iota in the interest of
peace.
While the distaste for war evidently
increases in Great Britain, dispatches
from the scene of possible hostilities
grow more and more lurid.
Advices from Pretoria describe the
Transvaal organs as crying for impos-
sible terms and President Kruger. re-
ferring to the prospective struggle as
means of setting the republic "to-
tally free of England 1t is also said
according to advices from the same
point, that the Boer forces at Volksrust
will advance to-day to the Natal bor-
der and attack General Symons. Al
though Commander General Joubert is
personally averse to hostilities. his pa
tient tactics will not last, as the Beers
will soon demand to be disbanded or
receive orders to invade Natal.
The dispatches from Cape Town of
doubtful authenticity allege that the
Boer organization is already breaking
down and that friction is developing
between the artillery, who are regulars,
and the burgher commands.
The refugees in Cape Town are hav-
ing a hard time. the women and chill
dren being in a pitiable plight. The
Governments offer to furnish it's trans
port for some Of the distressed has been
accepted.
The announcement from Pretoria
that the British diplomatic agent, Con-
yngham Greene, is i'll is taken in some
quarters to indicate the possibility of
his recall and of further steps in the
direction of a peaceable adjustment.
A host of officers, including Prince