The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-12-28
WHERE RUSSIA CONES IN.
She Will Occupy Herat if DeIagoa Bay
Deal Goes Through.


A dispatch to the Tribune from Lon
don says:
The announcement of the Berlin Lo-
kaI Anzeiger that under the secret stip-
ulations of the treaty Germany will
take POrtugal's Asiatic colonies and the
territory north of the Zambesi and
England Delagoa Bay is the most start
ling news of the day. The authority is
not official and the statement of con-
certed action by the two powers against
French and Russian occupation must
be accepted with reserves until the for
eign Offices confirm it. The alleged pay
ment of %, 000, 900 marks for Germany 5
share in the territorial trade also
seems doubtful. Some disclosure of this
kind has been expected in diplomatic
circles for several weeks, since the ne
cesSity for shutting off the supplies of
arms and ammunition from the Trans
vaal has become apparent with the pro-
lOngation of the war.
While the Russian press forecasts the
occupation of Herat as the first conse-
quence of their occupation of Delagoa
Bay, the French journals are curious to
know what the Washington govern
ment will do regarding the seizure of
American vessels by the British navy.
Whatever that action may be, reports
that Mr.. ChOate has interviewed in the
matter are premature and unfounded.
The British prize courts will without
doubt be allowed to do their work pre-
ciSely as the American prize courts OPP
Grated during the war with Spain, the
questions of contraband Of war and
neutral rights will be argued in due
course. russian and French rumOrS
that all neutral powers will intervene
if England takes effective measures for
closing the back door against the en-
trance of cOntraband Of war into the
TranSVaa1 are colOred by the general
belief that there is a secret agreement
with Germany relating to any emer-
gency which may arise on the east
coast.
The war office has repeated the exper-
iment of supplying the country with a
brief summary of news from the seat of
war apart from the casualty lists. While
the situation is reported to be IN
changed, Gen Gatacre's motive in oc-
cupying Dordrecht is disclosed as a de-
sire to reopen communication with the
collieries and General Methuen' 5
force is shown to be vigilantly watch
ing the enemy and accommodating his
lines with mounted infantry. The Boer
force beyond the Modder river is also
reported to be increasing and the
queens message has been received by
the soldiers with great enthusiasm. This
news is of greater value than the be
lated dispa tches from both Gatacre and
Methuen received from special cores
pondents.
From Buffers headquarters there is no
official news but there are lively accounts
of outpost skirmishes in front of CoIensO
in which the Beers killed two men one
day and the British two the next day, one
surprise following the other like Ro-
land for an Oliver. The outpost affairs
mounted force, the value of which has
been at last appreciated by the British
generals for the work of scouting.
From Cape Town comes record that
battalions Of infantry. are going on to
Durham and that a serious Dutch cOnspi-
racy has been discovered during the hoI-
idays.
Consul 0Iacrum will not arrive in Eng
land until week after next His retire
ment from office at Pretoria is a mystery
here as it is in Washington. Nobody con
nected with the American embassy has
the slightest clew and his arrival in Lon
don IS awaited with great interest. South
Africans who We're acquainted with him
in Pretoria describes him as man of
little force and unequal to the response
bilities of an important post in war times.
He had few friends in either Pretoria or
Johannesburg among the American or
one of the largest mining companies in
the Transvaal tells me that Mr. Macrum
was more intimate with Mr.. RAtz, stat
secretary Of the Transvaal than with
anybody else, and was not only a strong
partisan OF the BOer cause, but was also
hostile to British interests and did not
hesitate to display his dislike for Eng
Iishmen public occasions. He lived
modestly in Pretoria upon small salary
and attracted little attention before the
outbreak of the war. When Cunningham