The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-09-15

OF THE REPLY
OF TRANSYAAL
Received in Great Rritain But its
Purport Has Not Been
Given out.
THE TENSION NOW EXISTING
May be Relieved soon..c Chamber
lain Still Maintains a Dis.
erect Silence,

LONDON. Sept. ll.-A forecast Of
the first Transyaal reply to the last note
Of the British secretary Of state for
the colonies, Mr.. Joseph Chamberlain,
now under discussion by the volksraaa,
has been received by Mr.. Chamberlain,
but its nature is not yet known.
At the colonial office q reporter for
the Associated Press was informed that
nothing would be given out for the
present.
1t was regarded as significant how
ever, that the nature Of the Boer reply
was communicated to the commander
In-chlef, Field Marshal Lord Wolseley,
who Immediately summoned General
Sir George Stewart White, v. c., for
mer quartermaster general, the pros
pectlve commander of the British forces
in Natal.
The tension now existing here and
at the Cape may be temporarily settled
at any moment by the publication OF
President Kruger's reply. On the
other hand, 1t may be several days be-
fore the general public learns what
answer the Transvaal has made. II
President Kruger has answered def
antly it does not necessarily mean the
immediate breaking of of negotiations.
The British would probably reply with
an unmistakable ulhmatum. It Is
scarcely to their advantage to bring
about hostilities until the reinforce
ments are nearer the scene Of action
than they are at present.
Moro Diplomacy.
Whatever the nature Of President
Krugers reply 1t is probable that sew
eraI more stages Of diplomatic pro-
cesses will be gone through with be-
fore there is definite war or peace, un-
less, of course, President Kruger should
take the initiative, and raid Natal. 1t
is the possibility Of this move that
makes definite news OF his reply so
eagerly and anxIously awaited.
Regarding the nature Of the Boe: re-
ply, whether this came from President
Kruger or was merely the, British
agents forecast it is impossible to say.
The text Of the reply will not be re-
celyed. in all probability, for several
davs.
The latest advices from Pretoria say
the Transvaal government has COM
pletcd the first draft of the reply. which
was then being considered by the raad
in secret session.
The consul general Of the South Afri-
can republic, Mr.. Montague White,
said to a reporter Of the Associated
Press to-day: 81 have good authority
for believing that the Transvaal reply
will be unsatisfactory to the British
government"
The news received by Mr.. Chamber
lain to-day, It is now said, was prob
ably information regarding the mature
Of Boer reply.
Comforting With Chamberlain.
While the stan OF the foreign office
will maintain continuous communlca-
tIon tonight with Afr. Chamberlain at
Birmingham, It ls not believed now
that the result OF the debate in the
Volksraad will be received before Fri
day. Dispatches from Cape Town,
dated midnight. attach great import
ance to an article In the Onsland, the
organ Of the Afrikander bund, which
urges the Transvaal government to re-
new Its offer regarding u conference de-
claring that there Is no reason why the
Transvaal should not accept confer
ence, calling attention to the fact that
the word "suZerainty" is not mentioned
by Mr.. Chamberlain and that, there
fore, there is nothing to indicate an OBJ
legation on part OF either government
TO abandon Its views on the subject.
This article rs understood to be the
outcome Of an important Afrikander
caucus, held 10 discuss the Chamber
lain note, and It ls understood that the
argument has been fortified by strong
messages to Pretoria. urging the Volks-
raad to foregO the suzerRlnty objec-
tlOn md to cOnced the British pro-
posals. There is every reason to be-
lleve that Mr.. Hofmeyer, the Afrikan-
der leader, has wired President Kruger
to the same effect, and similar repre-
sentntions have been telegraphed from
the Orange Free Stnte.