Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-12-28

QuenCe o. the occupation OF DelaBOd
Bay, the French journals are curious to
know what the Washington govern
ment will do regarding the seizure Of
American vessels by the British navy.
Whatever that action may be, reports
that Mr.. Choate has interviewed In the
matter are premature and unfounded.
The British prize courts will, without
doubt, be allowed to do their work pre-
cisely as the American prize courts
operated during the war with Spain,
and the questions OF contraband Of war
and neutral rights will be argued in
due course.
Russian and French rumors that all
neutral powers will Intervene II Eng
land takes effective measures for clos
ing the back door against the entrance
Of contraband Of war into the Trans
vaal are colored by the general belief
that there is secret agreement with
Germany relating to any emergency
which may arise on the east coast.
The war Office has repeated the ex>
pertinent OF supplying the country with
a brief summary Of news from the seat
Of war apart from the casualty lists.
While the situation is reported to be un-
changed Gen. Gatacre's motive In occu,
plying DOrdrecht Is disclosed as a desire
10 reopen communication with the In
dive collieries and Gen. Methuen's force
is shown 10 be yigllantly watching the
enemy and reconnoitering his lines with
mounted infantry. The Boer force be-
yond the Modder river Is also reported
to be increasing, and the queene mes
sage has been received by the soldiers
with great enthusiasm. This news Is
OF greater value than the belated dis
patches from both Gatacre and Methu-
en- received from special correspondents.
From Buffers headquarters there Is
no official news, but there are lively ac-
counts OF outpost sklrmishes In fyont OF
Colenso, In which the Beers killed two
men one day and the British two men
the next day, one surprise following the
other ike a Roland FOR an Oliver. The
outpost affairs bring out the high utl-
lily Of the Natal mounted force the val
ue Of which has been al last appreciated
by the British generals for the work Of
scouting.
From Capetown comes the record that
battallons Of infantry are going on TO
Durham and that serious Dutch con-
sprscy has been discovered during the
holidays.
Consul Maorum will not arrive In Eng
land until week after next. His retire.
ment from office at Pretoria is a mys-
terry here, as Il Ia in Washington. No
body connected with the American en-
bassy has the slightest clew, and his
arrival in London is awaited with great
interest. South Africans who are ac-
quainted with him in Pretoria describe
him as a man with little force, who
was unequal to the responsibilities Of
an important post in war times. He had
few friends In either Pretoria or Johan-
nesburg. among the American or Eng
llsh residents. A representative Of one
Of the largest mining COM
paries in the Transvaal tells
me that Mr. Macrum was more in
innate with Mr. Reitz. state secretary
Of the Transvaal, than anybody else
and was not only a strong partisan Of
the Boer cause, but was also hostile 10
British interests and did not hesitate
to display his dislike for Englishmen
on public occasions He lived modest
ly In Pretoria on a small salary, and
attracted little attention before the out
break Of the war. When Conyngham
Green retired from Pretoria Mr.. Mac
rum had a fine opportunity for return
ing useful ard friendly services which
British dlplomatists and consular OFF,
GERS had rendered 10 America during
the previous year In Spain and Cuba.
His abandonment OF the post OF duty
when English friends were anxious TO
receive information from the hundreds
OF officers and soldiers imprisoned there
Is explained by South Africans as
natural result Of his strong PARTISAN
ship Of the Boer cause, and his dislike
Of everything English. They scoff at
the idea that he has made any political
discoveries respecting the cause OF the
war or that he can have any revelation
10 make upon his return TO America
apart from Reitz's special pleading OF
the Boer cause.
The unpleasant impression created In
England by Mr.. Macrums inexplicable
conduct has been effaced by the APP
polntment OF Adelbert Hay as his sue
cessor The latter has been indefatga-
BILE I'm HIS labors and zeal since his ar
rival In London answering hundreds Of
letters from friends OF the prisoners
with his own hand, and receiving day
after day q large number OF inquiries.
Ills NOulitflf Aa'N anu NiAAtN no
have delighted every caller and he has
been received with special distinction
by Lord Salisbury at the foreign office.
Paris, Dec. 2S-The publication by the
Lokal Anzeiser Of Berlin, Of the secret
treaty between Germany, Portugal and
Grea, Britain. providing for the partl-
ton OF the Portuguese colonies, meets
with no credence In official circles here.
a foreign Office official said TO a repre-
sentative o. the Associated Press. that
their advices from Portugal and Ger,
many left no doubt that the publication
was largely Invented. They could moi
believe Portugal would sign a treaty
stripping herself Of her colonies and
50 far reaching and harmful to Portu-
gal"
Notwithstanding the denial Of the
French foreign office, II Is believed In
other quarters that an agreement be-
tween Great Britain and Germany ex-
lists outside OF the understanding ar.
rived al between them this year as an
outcome OF the negotiations to build
a telegraph line connecting Capetown
with Cairo.
Berlin. Dec. 2S--A German news
agency issued a statement last evening