Evening star., 1899-09-21
DOWN ON HARCOuRT
War Party in England Disapproves
His Peace Utterances.
ANTI -BOER PAPERS CRY TREASON
Action Of Afrikanders at Cape
Town Also Criticised.
NEXT CABINET MEETING

| LONDON, September 21.-The speech of
| Sir William Vernon Farcourt, the former
| liberal leader, to his constituents at New
| Tredegar last night and the message of
! the Cape Town Afrikander members Of
| parliament to President Kruger. have
| proved red rags to the "war-at-any price
party.
The cape papers declare the action of the
| members of parliament amounts almost to
treason and the same terms are applied to
| Sir William Vernon Harcourts remarks by
| the English anti-Boer papers.
Those who claim the situation has not yet
passed the Rubicon of pacific negotiations
see in President Krugers answer to the
Afrikanders a genuine desire to avoid hos
| tilities. The report that he has personally
petitioned Queen Victoria to avert hostili-
ties certainly does not bear out the alarm
ist reports of the English correspondents
in South Africa. that President Kruger de-
termined long since upon
War Preparations Continue.
Nevertheless preparations for that event
| uaity continue theoretically on both sides.
The Beers are laagering and British troops
are reaching Kimberley and Ladysmith.
The onward march of the British is marked
by enthusiastic ovations by the scared in
habtants and hordes hurrying southwark
for safety
The latest report of Boer activity eman-
ates from New Castle. Natal saying the
Transvaa forces are encamped at lands
print and intend to raid Natal Immediate
ly after they understand that Mr.. Cham
berlain's reply is not satisfactory.
The British army nursing service sails
from southampton tomorrow and Major
General French sails Saturday. He goes to
Durham. Natal, to command the cavalry
brigade.
The foregoing includes all the actual de-
velopments. but they help little to solve the
universal question-"Wil there be war?''
The answer of President Steyn of the
Orange Free State to Sir Alfred Miner,
the British high commissioner of South
Africa, is not regarded as a satisfactory
explanation of the free states position
and by no means dissipates the increased
seriousness with which the situation Is
regarded. Since the first it has been re-
ported that the free state would aggres-
sively assist the Transvaal.
Vanity Fair Says "NO War;
Vanity Fair. frequently we'll informed re-
garding political secrets. today emphatical-
ly reiterates the assertion that there will
be no war. 1t says:
president Kruger is an old man. but
he IS no dotard. He would like to get his
own way, but not at the cost of defeat
Climb down he will. We maintain the be-
lief that there will be no war"
Vanity Fair takes the view, which Is
shared by several weeklies, that the alarm
list daily papers have created q fictitious
crisis
Conservative sitting Of the conflicting
| opinions and rumors now prevailing regard
| ing the outcome Of the dispute will be
more practicable after tomorrow's cabinet
| meeting, though the official announcement mt
| of the ministers decision is likely to be de-
! layed q few days.
The Transvanl is Ready.
The Johannesburg correspondent of the
Morning Post says
The Boer preparations complete
| as the government 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 dispa ching of
! British troops to South Africa will be re-
garded as a casus belli. The Boer officers
| are urging the government to begin hostili-
| ties forthwith. 1t is felt that the Orange
| Free State can best be forced to action by
| a successful military demonstration on the
part of the Transvaal
Mr.. kruger to the Queen.
The Cape Town correspondent of the
| Daily Mail says
president Kruger has cabled a strong
| personal appeal to the queen, beseeching
| her to intervene to prevent bluodshed. 1t
al
| tempt to awaken the cOnSciences of the
| English. He is said to have addressed the
| monarch Dear Queen
Hnrcourt Against the War.
Sir William Vernon Harcourt, liberal
member of parliament for West Monmouth
| shire and former leader of the liberal op
| position in the house of commons, in the
| course of address to his constituents
| las, evening in New Tredegar said he could
not read the persistent attempts of the war
press to aggravate the Transvaal situation
without Indignation and reprobation.
Great Britain said the speaker. can
not claim general sovereignty in the Trans
vaal when she has only partial suZerainty.
and President Kruger cannot claim for the
Transvaal the position of an international
sovereign state. Both sides. therefore,
have made allegations which cannot be
| maintained by either"
Sir William declared that there was no
| casus belli, and expressed the hope that a
| shameful catastrophe might be averted.
The London edition of the Standard and
| Diggers' News of Johannesburg gave out
| a cable dispatch today purporting to be
| from Johannesburg, saying that the re-
| turns from the field cornets of the Trans
| vaal and Orange Free State show that 3d.,
| 600 burghers are ready to take the field at
| short notice.