Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1899-09-13
Great Britain and the Taans-
vaal No Nearer a Set
Element.
CHAMBERLAIN MAKES A TALK
He Explains the British Side
lrlshmen In America to
Help Beers.

London, Sept. 13.-The associated
press learned today that the British
message to the Transvaal does not
| demand a reply in forty-eight hours
but requests an immediate reply. The
message is not an ultimatum in the
generally accepted sense of the word
1t expresses the hope that President
Kruger will accept the propositions
to relieve the present tension. The
only part at all aggressive is the re-
iterated declination of the British
government to discuss the matter of
suzerainty In any form. British Of
icials refuse to deny or affirm the cor
rectness of the latest Pretoria dis
patches, saying the British terms are
five years franchise, quarter repre-
sentatlon for the gold fields in the
Volksraad, equality for the British end
Dutch volksraai and equality for old
and new burghers In regard to presi-
Dental and other elections.
A special TO the Pail Mall Gazette
from Cape Town says: "The British
reply is regarded as an equivalent to an
.ultimatum. Correspondents advices
from Pretoria indicate that war is inevi-
table,"
A report that the Rand Irishmen
have formed a corps to help PRESIDENT
Kruger is confirmed. 1t is said at
cape Town Q cablegram has been re-
ceived from New York saying 10000
Irishmen there are ready to help the
Transvaal.
The message OF secretary of state for
the colonies, Mr.. Chamberlain, says he
understands the concessions made In
President Kruger's note of August Is,
have been withdrawn on account of the
British attitude regarding suzerainty
and adds: "Her Msjesty's government
absolutely repudiated the view of the
political status Transvaal taken by the
Transvaal government, claiming the
status Of sovereign state, and there
fore are unable to consider any proposal
made conditi0nally on acceptance of
this view."
Continuing, the note says: The Brit
ish government is satisfied the law en-
bodying the proposed alleviatiLg meas
ures for the Outlsnders is inefficient to
secure an immediate and substantial
representation which It is understood
the Transvaal admits to be reasonable.
It then says:
Moreover the Presentation proposals
In the note OF August 8 indicate that
the government OF the South African
republic themselves recognized their
previous offers might with advantage
be enlarged and the independence of
the republic thereby ia no way i'm
paired"
The dispatch them goes on to say
that Great Britain is still prepared to
accept the franchise proposals of Aug
ust Q. provided court of inquiry shows
the new scheme to be unencumbered
by nullifying conditions. In this con-
nection the British government as.
sumes that the new members of the
raad are to be allowed to speak their
own language and adds that the ac-
ceptances Of these terms would at once
remove the tension and would, in all
probability, render unnecessary any
further intervention of her msjesty's
government to secure redress for griev-
ances which the Uitlanders themselves
would be able to bring to the notice of
the executive council and the volks-
raad. Her majesty's government is in
cressingly impressed with the danger
of further delay in relieving the strain
which has already caused so much in
jury to her interests In South Africa
and earnestly press for an immediate
reply.
SUGGESTS MEDIATION.