The record-union., 1899-10-11

| rapid slump In the hopes of those who
believe that diplomacy will yet save
the situation
Apart from this, the news tends to
! show that SO long as the Beers remain
inactive Great Britain will continue to
adhere to her present persuasive
methods.
The diplomatic circumstances sur
rounding the presentation of the Trans
vaal republics ultimatum are probably
without precedent. Ordinarily for
eign power when addressing peremp-
tory demands to another sends them
through an ambassador or Minister ac-
credited to it's adversary. The Trans
vaal Government, however, has no dip
lomatic representative recognized by
Great Britain. Montague White, the
Transvaal Consul General in London,
! would not be received by either the
! Foreign Office or the Colonial Office.
Consequently President Kruger was re-
duced to handing the ultimatUm to
| Conyngham Greene, at Pretoria, who in
turn wired it to Secretary Alfred Mil
ner British High Commissioner in
South Africa, by whom it was retrans,
mitted to Mr.. Chamberlain, who thus
becomes the first Secretary Of State for
| the Colonies to receive an ultima tum.
AS soon as the communication is trans
! lated from the cipher in which it Is
] transmitted by Mr.. Chamberlain will
| forward it to the Foreign Office.
| The Westminster Gazette" says: We
learn from a trustworthy source that
the British Government has also dis
patched a note containing stringent de-
mands, which must have crossed the
Boer ultimatum. Diplomacy has thus
said it's last word, and the last word
on each side is of the kind which the
other is not IN the least likely 10
yield
The speech of the Duke of Devon
shire, Lord President of the Council
of Ministers, at Sheffield yesterday con-
tains nothing to confirm the assertion
made by the jingo press that the final
proposals of the British Government
will contain sweeping aggressive
schemes, and TO this extent it has oiled
the waters. The peace party even de-
| ducts from the Dukes utterance that
a reformation of President Kruger {
/ proposals of a five-year franchi,-.
minus the suzerainty proviso. ,3t q
lead to such negotiations as wou
sure peace.
1t is understood from the movements
of Ministers and the activity in the
/ Government offices that developments
are imminent, although whether they
| are pacific or warlike remains an
enigma.
The officials at the Colonial Office
worked all night, and Mr.. Chamber
lain arrived there early this morning.
Whatever official feeling may be,
there is no mistaking the significance
oe tie great manif astat. ons, com
Lined with war spirit of :in-
reriai soliditary that occurred in
the stree of London this murn-
ing. when the New South Wales Lam
GERS rraversed the city to embark for
South Africa. Tens of thousands as
sembled to do homage to the little
handful of soldiers It is doubtful if
such frenzied welcome was ever be-
fore witnessed in London. There was
an incessaf1t roar of cheers and song
until the Mansion House, the official
residence of the Lord Mayor of Lon
/ don, was reached. Here traffic was
completely blocked by the surgine
throngs, and it was only with the
( greatest difficulty that the Lord
1 Mayor, in the full robes of office, re-
strained the singing and vociferous
! cheering while he addressed the troop
/ wishing them godspeed and expressing
the interest of the country in their he
roic determination to assist in assert
ing imperial authority in South Africa.
Sir John Moores, the Lord Mayor,
! said: Il hope there will not be war
but the necessities of the moment re-
I quire demonstration of authority"
An inspiring scene closed with the
singing of the national anthem. the
( Lord Mayor leading.
When the station was reached an
incident occurred, typical of the readi-
ness of the colonists to fight. Viscount
Hampden, former Governor and com
mander in chief of New South Wales
J was present. A Sergeant Major step
+ ped forward and drew Lord Hampden :
attention to the fact that he was wear
ing the same sword used by his Lord
ship when the latter belonged to the
New South Wales Lancers. Lord
Hampden was about to examine the
weapon when the Sergeant Major eau
J lioueu ulIIl saying.
That sword has been sharpened, and
is ready for active service"
The reports from all the military CEN
ters show that the mobilization orders
are received with the greatest enthus-
iasm, now that President Kruger has
crossed the rubicon and taken the ir-
Ireyocable step of issuing an ultimatum.
The wonder is why, if President Kru-
ger is resolved upon fighting. he has
waited so long. The explanation seems
TO be that his hand has been forced
by the fact that the Beers have got
out of control, or that if he awaited the
arrival of the British army corps. the
chances of military success for nlm
would be of the slimest possible char
acter.
The expiration of the time limit of
the ultimatum tomorrow evening does
not leave Great Britain much time to
strengthen the present military posi-
ton, although there are still a few
troops at Durham, Natal, available to
dispatch to the front, but the Govern
ment will doubtless now adopt the sug-
gestion to form the refugees from the
Rand into volunteer regiments. Thus
while relieving their distress, utilizing
excellent material
Outside the momentous news of the
ultimatum nothing of moment has been
received this morning from the scene
of action except the announcement that
the Beers have constructed forts COM
manding Laing's Mex and that guns
have been mounted on Mount Pogwane
and Mount Prospect.