The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-09-21
STRA|N|NG EVERY NERVE
Great Britain Hurriedly Prepar-
ing for War.
Is AWAITING THE SIGNAL
Will Not Be Caught Napping-Chamber-
lain Buried in Work-Double Forces
at the Arsenals-Will Not Pre-
cipitate Matters.

London, Sept. 20.-Despite all out
ward show of calm, Great Britain is in
practically the same condition to-day
as was the United States few weeks
before the opening of the var with
Spain. Beneath the crust of diplomatic
reserve the militia forces are working
night and day preparing for The 1ignal
to begin hostiiities
England is not going to be caught
mapping any more than the Transvaal
While Lord Salisbury is quietly at
home in Hatfield house, Mr.. Chamber
lain is buried in work at the colonial
office and double forces at The royal
arsenal and dockyards are strain.ng
every nerve to equip and transport
troops to the Cape
1t may be set for certain that Great
Britain will do nothing to precipitate
matters and the colonial office is far
from admitting that the case is hope
less. The report that Great Britain
had demanded the dismantlement of
the fort at johannesburg, together
with material reduction in the ar1na
ment of the burghers. the colonial Of
hce to-day would neither confirm nor
deny, although it is much doubted.
Meanwhile the Marquis of Lands
doWne, secretary of state for war, who
returned this morning from Dublin,
has held long conferences with General
Lord Garnet and General Sir Evelyn
Wood, adjutant general to the forces
and the activity at headquarters is re-
hected in the contract. supply and
transport departments.
The departure of the British trans
port Jelunge for the Mediterranean to-
day with l,t00 troops was witnessed by
large and enthusiastic crowd.
AT Woolwich, activity increases daily.
and especially in the ordnance depart
ment, where Maxim guns, balloon
equipments, gas reservoirs. wagons for
lime, light apparatus, water carts, am
buiances, army wagons and other par
aphernalia of modern warfare are be
ing hurried forward
While rumors of the reassembling of
parliament are current, the fact is re-
called that in the Afghanistan war in
1878, Great Britain declared war first
and then assembled parliament
This evening the Marquis of Lans-
doWne issued strict order to the
staff Of war department, warning all
subordinates to refrain from giving
| the press any information without the
authority of their superiors and call
ing attention to previous breaches of
duty in this respect, which the order
says will be no longer tolerated
Advices from Cape Town are to the
effect that the Afrikaudars declare
that the Transvaal will not yield fur
ther and that if the imperial govern
ment does not recede from it's present
position war is inevitable. The Burgh-
ers are rapidly going into lager, while
the exodus from johannesburg yester-
day reached 1000 persons The stock
exchange at johannesburg has resclv-
ed to close the moment martial law is
proclaimed, but all current contra cts
will be carried out until the procla-
nation suspending all business. In the
meantime the merchants are erecting
barricades in front of their shop win
doWs
At Pretoria the interest seems 10 be
centered in the meeting of the Orange
Free State volksraad tomorrow
(Thrusday), which it is hoped may
somehow suggest modus vivendi that
would save the situation,
On the other hand. advices from
Bloemfontein announce the arrival
there Of a large number of members
of the raad, adding that the result of
to-morrow's sitting is already agreed
| upon as the Orange Free State will
throw in its lot with the Transvaal,
| all the Free State burghers being fully
armed and ready to start at a mo-
| ment'S notice.
A special dispatch from Johannesburg
says 45o persons left by one train TO-
| day.
Right Hon. Sir William Vern1 HGr-
| court. liberal member of parliament
| for West MonmOuthshire ani fHrif', r
leader of the liberal opposition i'll the
| house of commons, in the course nf
| an address to his constituents this
| evening. said that he could not rea1 the
persistent attempts of the war iress
to aggravate the Transvaal situation
without indignation.
Great Britain said the sreaEer,
cannot claim general sovereignty in
the TransVaal when she has only par
tial suzerainty and President Kruger
cannot claim for the Transvaal the po-
sition of an international sovereign
state. Both sides therefore have made
allegations which cannot be maintained
by either"
Sir William declared there was no
casus belli and expressed the hope that
a shameful catastrophe might 12 avert
ed.