The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-09-06
7HE BRITISH CABINET
Meets on Friday to Discuss the
Transvaal Snarl.
THE SITUATION LOOKS wARL1KE.

Great Activity At the british Admiral
~, thewar ONCE and the Colonial OF
! nce-Meantime BoersAngrily Discuss
Assembling British Troops on Border
London, Sept. 6.-The premier, the
Marquis of Salisbury. came to London
today from Walmer to confer with the
secretary Of state for the colonies, Jo-
seph Chamberlain. and a cabinet coun-
Gil has been summoned for Friday,
urgent messages having been sent to
all the masters requesting their at
tendance.
There is great activity at the ad-
miralty, the war office and the colonial
office.
Numerous kilograms from South At
RIGA arrived at the colonial office yes
terday. but their contents have not
been made public.
General Lord Wolseley, field marshal
and commander-in-chief, is In daily
communication with the war Office, as
are also General Sir Evelyn Wood,
adJutant general to the forces. and
Colonel Hector Archibald Macdonald,
aide-de-camp to the queen
The press association asserts that
the officers Of the Highland Light in
fantry at Davenport notified their
men last evening to prepare for de-
parture, probably tomorrow.
The Daily Mail expresses the opin-
ion that the next move will be an ul-
timatum unless President Kruger
yields" It declares that $4,000 men Is
the outside number that the Trans
vaal government can put into the
field.
The Berlin correspondent of The
Daily Mail says: II learn from Boer
sources that reliable news has been
received at The Hague from Pretoria to
the effect that President Kruger will
not give Mr.. Chamberlain time to send
an ultimatum. but will take advantage
of the first suspicious move of the
British troops on the border to assume
the offensive"
The Times, which comments edi-
torially upon the gravity Of the situa-
ton that necessitates cabinet council
at such an unusual period, says: ut
would be objectionable folly to shut
our eyes to the suspiciously dilatory
character Of President Kruger's diplo-
macy and to the energy with which he
is simultaneously preparing for war.
1t Is well known that General Sir
Henry Butler has been selected to COM
mand the British forces, should VIZ
unfortunately come. but 1t Is the clear
duty of the government to take other
steps beside the choice Of a command
err"
According to dispatch from Pre-
toria the volksraad yesterday accept
ed Mr.. Coasters motion to fix the de-
bates TO grow out of the Interpolation
of the government as to the assem-
bling of British troops along the Trans
vaal borders for tomorrow.
In presenting his motion Mr.. Coaster
referred to the Jameson raid and
other outrages and murders commit
ted by British troops" as leading him
to distrust the present concentration.
He declared that the convention of
1884 did not contain the suzerainty
stipulation, and he maintained that
Mr.. Chamberlain had broken that con-
vention by interfering in the internal
affairs of the republic.
Other burghers supported Mr.. Goes
ter, saying that, while negotiations
were proceeding, all the British col
onies were Offering armed assistance.
And must the Transvaal remain
silent?" exclaimed burgher at is
opposed to Christianity to conduct
friendly negotiations and yet mobilize
troops. We must know why the
British troops are on our borders"
The motion to wait until tomorrow
for the governments reply was agreed
to unanimously.
A Capetown dispatch says: 1t is re-
ported that J. H. Hofmeyer, the At
leader. has telesraphed Presi-
dent Kruger that he cannot expect help
from the Cape Colony in the event Of
hostilities.
The excitement in Capetown is at
fever heat. Every edition of the pa
pers is eagerly snapped up, the gen.
eral feeling being that war is not far
distant. 1t is impossible, however, to
ignore the existence of sharp divisions
among the colonists for and against the
Transvaal.
The newspapers protest vigorously
against delay. The Capetown Times
considers that 1.-The best way to effect
a settlement is by the presence of an
army corps" The Cape Argus urges
the imperial government to impart a
different tone into the negotiations,
since it is evident that President
Krugers only object now is to gain