The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-09-20
Beers Are Only Waiting For a
Good Rain,
After Which Hostilities Will
Surely Begin.
DETERMINED TO FIGHT
England Takes It Easy, and
Talks Peace
While She Hurries Reinforce
ments to South Africa.


London. Sept. 2O.-Great Britain's re-
Iations with the Transvaal remain un-
changed and so far as. the former Is
concerned. the situation is not likely 10
take on a new phase until aIter n
6ay's cabinet council. Whether the
Beers will be content to. wait even that
long before ending the suspense with
hostilities appears open to great deal
of doubt.
The second edition of the Morning
Post contains a dispatch from Pieter-
naritzburg. Natal, dated September Is,
saying:
I have never known the situation to
be araver. The Beers only await two
days rain on the veldt before begin
ming hOstflities- They are determined
on war and consider they can expect
nothing else after the last dispatch ana
are prepared to face the cOnsequen-
ces."
The correspondent then describes in
detail the Beers elaborate border pre-
parations-
GERS at Pretoria have devised COM
bined plan of action which he adds, i'll
cludes seizing Majuba, Laings Neck
and Newcastle. Natal, the moment the
Continuing. the correspondent asserts
that the Portuguese officials at Risan-
iO-Garcia have arrested some Boer Of
nClalS on the charge OF constructing a
lager in Portuguese territory. The
Outlander council. as the result OF
meetings held at Pietermaritzburg
and johannesburg, has decided to ad-
dress a communication to the BRUSH
high commissioner, Sir Alfred Miner,
urging the Imperial government to
break oft negotiations. The reasons for
this action are that the severe distress
prevailing may compel the remaining
OutlandeES to accept any compromise
offered. that the loyal British subjects
are becoming discOntented and that
great unrest exists among the natives
It should be borne in mind however,
that Pietermaritzburg has been the
Mecca of the alarmists and the Morn
ing Posts dispatches are inclined to be
sensational.
The secretary of state for the colon
les. Mr. Joseph Chamberlain, spent the
day at the colonial Office. He looked
completely worn out by anxiety.
A dispatch from Pretoria says that at
"a meeting of Belgians there a corps
was enthusiastically formed to help
the Beers in case of war.
Secretary of State ReitZ is quoted as
saying that in case of war the aliens
could remain in the Transvaal provided
they guaranteed their good behavior
The presence of the Orange Free States
officers at Pretoria is confirmed. Mum
erous field cOrnets are at the BOer cap
ital-
Summonses were issued late yester-
day afternoon for a cabinet council,
which. it is understood will be held Fri
day. This is regarded as the result of
the visit of the premier, Lord Salisbury,
to London. whittier he came yeSterday Y
afternoon. remaining at the foreign Of
flee from 4.30 p. m. to $50 p. m Mr..
Chamberlain, secretary of state for the
colonies. was present in the building
at the same time, and as a private
doorway connects the offices. it is pre-
sumed that the summOnses were the
result of their joint deliberatiOn.
The lack of all excitement in official
circles bears evidence to the deliberate
manner in which the highest officials
are handling the crisis Nor is it by
any means certain that the cabinet
council win adopt extreme measures, in
spite of the uncOmprOmising nature of
the BOer reply This deliberation on the
part OF the government, is Interpreted
not only in London, but in other Euro
pean capitals. as a desire on the part
OF Great Britain. to gain time while
the troops are hurrying to Cape Col
ony.
The Berliuer Nueste Nachrichten,
commenting on this today, says:
The present calm is only meant to
deceive the Beers When England feels
equal to the task of facing the Beers
this peaceful tone will give away to a
blatant cry for war. Even rumors OF
movement of the Beers across the
Natal border apparently fail to excite
Tess at least not to fear such a con-
tingency for the present
In the meantime the movement of
troops proceeds. The Royal West Sus-
sex regiment left today for Malta.
where il will replace the First border
regiment, which goes by the same
steamer to Natal 1t is announced this
afternoon that the British first-class
protected cruisers Terrible and Power
ful have both been ordered TO the Cape.
They have reliefs on board capable of
forming naval brigade of a thousand
men.
The steamer Jelunga will take 500
troops bound for Natal tomorrow and
she will embark a rifle brigade at the
island of Crete for the Cape.
According to a dispatch from Dur
ban. Natal, the premier of the colony.
says that the alarm of the people of
Natal at the unprotected condition of
the border towns is quite unwarranted.
and that all efforts TO incite the Zulus
haVe failed.
The luH in the crisis gives oppor-
tunity for the continuance of unofficial
negotiations The government of the
Netherlands IS privately exerting its
1nuuence IN favor of n pacific solution
and IT IS understood that President
Kruger through DR.. Leyds the pIenf-
po1entiary of the South African repub-
lic 10 the European governments. has
unofhcially approached three powers
with view to their intervention
From Cape Town comes a report thai
the government of the COLONY con-
templates fntrOducingg motion in the
Cape house OF assembly urging the
government of Transyaal to accept the
demands of Great Britain.
Sir Alfred Miner has addressed fur
fher inquiries to President Stein of the
Orange Free State. Whatever the Off
cial attitude of the Orange Free State
may be tie temper of its burghers. .judg-
Ing from numerous meetings held ir