Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1899-09-23

ILOIuOi oCpt. hC SdPS Ao"hSoA
respondent of The Daily Mail says:
President Kruger has cabled a strong
personal appeal to the queen. besee ching
hr to intervene to prevent bloodshed.
1t is about a column in length and Is in
tended to "scarify the cOnsciences Of the
'unco guid'" when published.
Sir Alfred Miner has wired cOur-
teous message to President Steyn. assur-
ing him that the nOrthward march OF
the British troops Is not meant as
menace to the Orange Free State, ana
r. questing to be informed regarding the
latters attitude.
Reliable information has been re-
ceived at Cape Town that large COM
mand of Free State burghers has been
concentrating near Boshof, on the KIM
berley border. Two hundred burghers
were dispatched to that point from
the Free State Joins the Transvaal the
first battle Is likely to be fought at
Boshof
The Cape cabinet has determined to
prolong the session of the assembly In
definitely, so that 1t may be sitting when
hostilities begin.
According to the Cape Town corre-
spondent of The Daily News. President
Kruger, in his personal appeal to her
majesty, addressed the monarch as
Dear Queen"
4. special dispatch from Rome says
:ha. the Italian government, in reply
20 Mr.. Kruger's request for interven-
ton, has advised him to yield.
The Johannesburg correspondent of
The Morning Post says: The Boer
preparations are as complete as the gov
ernment can hope to make them. 1t Is
believed that martial law will be pro-
claimed on Thursday If no reply has
been received from England by that
time. 1t is understood that the dis
patching of British troops to South
Africa will be regarded as casus belli.
The Boer officers are urging the govern
ment to begin hostllitles forthwith. 1t
Is felt that the Orange Free State can
best be forced to action by successful
military demonstration on the part oi
the Transvaal.
England is not going to be caught
mapping any more than the Transvaal.
While Lord Salisbury Is quite at home
In Hatfield House, Mr.. Chamberlain Is
buried in work at the colonial Office. and
double forces at the royal arsenals and
dock yards are straining every nerve to
equip and transport troops to the Cape.
It may be set down for certain that Great
Britain will do nothing to precipitate
matters, and the colonial office is far
from admitting that the case Is hopeless.
The report that Great Britain had de-
handed the disarmament Of the forts
at Johannesburg. together with ma
.erial reduction in the armament of the
burghers, the colonial office would
neither confirm nor deny, although it Is
much doubted.
Meanwhile, the Marquis of La nsdowne
secretary Of state for war. has held long
conferences with General Wolseley and
General Wood, and the activity at head
| luarters is reflected in the contract, sup
| oily and transport department..
The Marquis of Lansdowne has issued
strict order to the staff Of the war office
warning all subordinates to refrain from
giving the press any information with
out the authority of their superiors, and
ealing attention to previous breaches OF
luty in this respect. which, the ordel
| says, Will Uc lOuSCH toACiotSu'
! Advices from Cape Town are to thu
fleet that the Afrikanders declare tina
The Transval will not yield further, ant
that IL the imperial government does no
recede from its present position war II
inevitable. The South African News
supports the contention Of the Transvaa
that the convention Of 1884 abolished tn
suzerainty.
According to other adrices the burgh
ers are rapidly going into Laager. Will
the exodus from johannesburg yester
day reached 1000 persons. The stock ex
change at johannesburg has resolved t.
close the moment martial law Is pro
claimed. In the meantime the mer
chants are erecting barricades in from
of their shop windows.
At Pretoria the interest seems to b
centered in the meeting Of the Orang
Free State volksraad. which. 1t is hoped
may somehow suggest modus vivend
that would save the situation.
On the other hand advices from Bloem
fontein announce the arrival there OF
large number of members OF the raae
adding that the result of today's sittin
Ia already agreed upon, as the Orang
Free State will throw in its lot with tn
Transvaal, all the Free State burgher
being fully armed and ready to start
q ,,oment'H notice.