The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-03
FEAR OF WAR is GROWING.
EXODUS OF BRITISH RESIDENTS FROM
JoHAENESBURG.
volksraad Meets in Secret Session To.mor-
row to Decide on an Answer to England
Belief That the Beers Will Yield at
the Eleventh Hour-French sympathy.

row TO Decide on an Answer TO England
Belief That the Doors Will Yield at
the Eleventh Hour-French sympathy.
Special Gable Dapateh to The Sun.
LONDON. Sept. 2.-The dispatches from South
Africa clearly show that there Is a widespread
opinion there that matters have reached
highly critical position. The exodus OF British
residents OF the largo towns increases daily
and 1t is also feared that the white miners will
make a similar movement within a week. when
the August wages are received. adding an in
dustrial to the existing political and CONNER
ca crises. Still practically no advance has
been made during the past week. either toward
peace or war. except In so far as another weeks
procrastination increases the danger
Colonial Secretary Chamberlain's publication
yesterday OF the official text OF his reply to the
Beers latest counter proposals proves that he
Is maintaining conciiatory and patient line.
Abandoning his plan OF Joint commission he
agrees that IA British agent. assisted by such
other persons as the Transvaal may appoint
shall make such investigation az may be
necessary to satisfy Great Britain that the re-
suit desired will be achieved. and failing in
this to enable Great Britain to make further
suggestions. which the Transvaal Government
states 1t Is prepared to take into consideration"
Mr. Chamberlain absolutely refused to even
discuss the question OF suzerainty. but per-
haps the most i'm portant part Of his despatch
Is the paragraph reminding the Beers that
there are other differences which need con
current settlement with the franchise issue.
This has been taken in some quarters to indi-
cate that Mr.. Cham berlan is thus keeping the
way open to raise terms to force II war II tho
Beers grant all the rest OF his demands. AS n
matter of fact 1t 10 considered imperative to
definitely settle at once such questions as the
vna 70 hA nli In nd hn
language to be used in the public schools.
The question really remains where it was
after Mr.. Chamberlain's Birmingham speech.
entirely in President Kr0ger's hands. A
definite refusal to grant reforms unless British
suzerainty is abandoned means that war is
certain. The withdrawal OF that condition and
the granting OF what Kruger has already
offered. plus guarantees satisfying Great
Britain that the reforms are bona fde. will
bring about n peaceful solution. The Volks-
raads meet in combined secret session on
Monday to consider their reply. the nature OF
which will possibly advance matters definitely
in one direction or the other.
Despite the universal warlike tone Of the
English press it still seems very likely that the
Beers will yield before tho last ditch is
reached. The European powers have def
nitely shown that help need not be exc
pected from them. and the magnitude Of e1-
penditure in Great Brtain's preparations has
probably convinced the better informed Beers
that the ultimate issue OF the contest is beyond
doubt. while the industrial collapse will imme-
diately and seriously affect the Transvaal
treasury. Moreover the reports cabed to
London concerning the Beers recent purchase
OF supplies. arms and ammunition. are dis
counted by the fact that there is practically no
reserve fund in tho Transvaal. because the
revenue has been absorbed in the secret
service and other exigencies to the neglect OF
the war chest. Again 1t must not be forgotten
that it is England's policy to talk OF an imme-
date war. krGger's long career in successful
warfare by dispatches has led the Beers to
think that this may be indefinitely pursued.
Therefore it is necessary to maintain the
appearance OF absolute infexibility in order
to convince them that the eleventh hour"
has really come.