Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1899-09-14
REACHING FOR IRANSVAAL
England Evidently Intends to
Regain Her South Afri-
can Possessions,
1T MAKES EUROPE SMILE
Those Under British Rule Make Light
of President Kruger's Threat
ened Opposition.
Declared That If War Comes it VIII
BE EWaged Relentlessly- England
believes Johannesburg Can BE
Taken in Six Months-The Beers
Plan Purely Defensive.

London, Sept. Everybody is ask
ing whether or not there will be war.
The newspapers are filed with infor-
nation relating to troops going to
South Africa. Eight brigades have
been mobilized in home districts, and
are ready to start at any moment. The
troops are bursting with enthusiasm.
Volunteer regiments are pleading to be
sent to the front
Every Englishman knows that the
Transvaal will either have to belong
to England or else England will have
to get out of South Africa. Mr.. Glad
stone gave the Transvaal away Mr..
Chamberlain is determined to get it
pack. England may not believe in Mr..
Chamberlain, but the situation de-
lnandS Il strong man, and the strong
man of the Cabinet is Chamberlain.
III Is Il little power against Il big.
Ihe EnSlishmen recognize that Kruger
has some rights that ought to be re-
spected. but England also recognizes
that in South Africa there is Il bit of
country filed with gold that she needs.
and England has n way of getting
what she wants.
1t seems like n small affair. and all
the nations of Europe smile ut the idea
of the Transvaal opposing England
But England knows better. She has
learned by experience.
There may not be war. but nearly
everybody thinks war is certain I'm
der any circumstances there cannot be
war inside of two months. The Beers
can put 10000 troops in the field; the
Orange Free State can put 10000
Regiment after regiment is leaving
England, and among people of expert
ance ii is recognized that Gread Britain
will require at least 100000 men to
| obtain a territory that once was hers.
The Commander in Chief, Field Mar
shal Lord Wolseley. Sir Evelyn Wood.
Gen. Sir Redvers- Butler. and other
Generals have been working strenuous
ly on it for months. Many new fea.
lures have been introduced, several of
them being based on the lessons learn
I'd by the American troops in the war
with Spain. Among the later is the
extreme usefulness of mules in such Il
country as the Transvaal The British
officers who have been in the United
States. Spain. and South America Sc
lectin@ these animals have now been
ordered TO close their purchases and
ship the mules as quickly as possible
10 the scene of the probable hostilities.
| All of these things, to say nothing
| Of the splendid morale and reputation
IF the regiments selected for the Cape,
indicate that if war comes it will he
waged relentlessly and strongly and
| that there will be no abatement until
South Africa is flooded with British
| troops to such numbers that organized
resistance by the Beers will be impos-
sble. Conservative opinion places six
months as the outside for the capture
If Johannesburg and Pretoria.
| The ROer plan of mobilization is said
| 10 be purely defensive, embracing 40
! 300 men. who would occupy strategical
points in their own country. But this
| IS not likely To prevent a raid upon
poorly defended Natal. The greatest
| dangers the British contemplate fac
mg. apart from the Beers steady hands
and Mauser rifles, are climate, lack of
'orage. and the scarcity of ammunition
owng to the difficulties of transporta-
| lion. Precautions have already been
taken TO avoid the two last, but there
| Is no doubt that if war comes many
British lives will be sacrificed to en-
tpric fever