The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-10-05

ward the frontier. The situation is
most critical. The magistrates and
municipal authorities have assembled
IN the town hall to concoct measures
for the defence of the town against an
unexpected attack. All the women and
children have been ordered to leave for
the interior Of Natal"
LONDON, Oct. 1.-THE most interest
Inr announcement in connection with
the Transvaal crisis to-day is that the
chancellor OF the exchequer, Right Hon.
Sir Michael Hlcks-Beach has already
sanctioned the provisional expenditure
q, $1,000 900 and that the government
will exceed that limit without authority
from parliament. which will be asked
10 vote sum not exceeding esi9oo.o0o.
A melting Of the war board to-day
discussed and drew up arrangements
10 ensure the safety Of the route from
Durham to Laing's Mex so that large
bodies Of troops may on Decentralization
be rapidly forwarded to the front with
uut confusion or crOwdins at the base.
1t is stated tonight that the war
oFlse has decided that the army corps
for service in South Africa shall be
much larger than originally estimated,
and that 1t now consists Of over 10000
men.
The preparations for the despatch of
this force, including the ehartering Of
bis ocean liners, is steadily and sntis-
factorlly proceeding.
The Press Association learns that the
despatch drawn up by the government
on Friday was still unsent up to this
evening.
On the other hand, a telegram from
Brussels gives from a ''wen informed
source" the news that DR.. Leyds, the
in Europe of the South
African republic. has received confirm.
alton. of the report that President Kru-
ger had addressed an ultlmatum to.
Great Britain demanding the with
drawal of the British forces from the
within forty-eight hours, and
that & was delivered on Monday. This
however, still lacks official con-
British are Confident.
The confidence Of the military au-
thoritIes at the Cape is shown by dis
patch received tonight from Cape
Town, which stated that at conference
between the military authorities there
and General Sir George Stewart White.
V. c., who will command the British
forces In Natal, and Lieutenant Cen
rral Sir Frederick Walker, held to con-
slider the situation. General White ex-
pressed himself az confident that the
British would be able to present n
force sufficient to repeI any attack.
General White. who intended to go to
Durham on board warship, hos now.
in order to save time. abandoned the
idea and will go by train tonight.
A line steamer left Lourenzo Mar
uuez, Delagoa Bay. to-day, with 1000
Rand refugees. Large numbers were
left behind. and all trains are crowded
with those taking part in the exodus
from the Trnnsvaal.
a dispatch from volksrust says the
9}oer camp on the Natal border now
comprises 5000 men and is growing
daily. The camp breathes a religious
.fervor. The commlssarIat arrange
mcnts, the dispatch says. are defective.
One OF the largest corps lay in the
vedt without shelter during a heavy
thunder storm.
Situation Grave.
AdvIces from Cape Town announce
that General Sir George Stewart White.
V, c.. who will command the British
forces In Natal will proceed to Durham
to-day. On his arrival at Cape Town
he found the situation on the Natal
border so grave that he wired for i'm
mediate transportation for himself and
stan to Durham; and the British second
class cruiser Forte was placed at his
disposal.
The various announcements regard
Ing Bocr movements seem to indicate
their probable plan OF campaign In the
event NJ hostlllties. Their chief force,
apparently would surround the narrow
stretch of Natal territory Jutting Into
The Transvaai.thus threatening Laing's
"eE'ShHrlestown and Dundee. while the
ofang" Free state commando from
HlfrismIth is expected to operate near
van Eeenans pass, and threatening
LadysmIth.
Military critics are confident that
Great Britain Will hold her own In Ma
''h The Free State commanders ap-
pear To- be moving slowly. II Is proba-
Die that the government hns iohned n
portion Of the FIRE state artillery to the
Iian'ynm. The only concentration at
Present is Mt Harrlsmith, In the north
eastern section OF the free state nnd nt
"''hnf, northeast Of Bloemfontein,
position threatening Kimberley and
Iouriern Streams. nt Rouxvllle, where
,n' burEhcrs expect the aid of the dis
.pyaI portion OF the farmers and at ALI
wal north In Cape Colony.
L'chienburg is the base OF cOmman-
u'ht cronjc's movement on the west
~" border. menaclng tho Mnfeklng