The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-10-13

in this republic, and, finally, by your
note of September Is, 1898, which broke
off all friendly correspondence on the
| subject and intimated that her ma1es-
| tvs government must now proceed to
| formulate their own proposals for the
| final settlement.
This government a only see In the
| above intimation from her majesty's
| government a new violation of the
| convention of London Of 1884, which
does not reserve to her majesty's gov
eminent the right TO a unilateralx set
Element of a question which is ex-
clusively a domestic n for this gov
eminent and which has already been
| regulated by this government.
ION account of the strained situation
and the consequent serious loss in n
interruption of trade in general, which
h correspondence respecting fran
cnise and the representation OF h peo-
pie of this republic has carried in it's
train, her majesty's government have
pressed for an early settlement n
finally pressed, by your intervention,
for an answer within forty-eight hours
a demand subsequently somewhat mod
flied, to you note of September 18th,
replied to by the note of this govern
ment of September 18th and to your
note of September Is, 1899; n there
after further friendly negotiations were
~ oL IAiA2 AAS
intimation> that a proposal for a final
settlement would shortly be made.
Although this promise was once
more repeated, the proposal, up to now,
has not reached this government. Even
while friendly correspondence was still
going on, the increase Of troops on a
large scale was introduced by her
majesty's government, the troops being
stationed in the neighborhood of the
borders of this republic.
Having regard to occurrences in the
history Of this republic, which it is un-
necessary here to call to mind, this re-
public felt obliged to regard this mill
tary force in the n~eighborhOOd of it's
borders as q threat against the indie
pendence of the South African repub-
lie, since it was aware of no circum-
stances which would justify the pres
ence of such a military force in South
Africa and in the neigh5orhood of it's
borders
I'm an answer to an inquiry with re-
| spect thereto, addressed to his excel
lency, the high commissioner, this gov
eminent received, to it's great aStonish-
ment, in answer a yelled insinuation
that from the side of the republic an
attack was being made on her majes-
| tvs colonies, and, at the same time, "a
| mysterious reference to possibilities,
| whereby this government was strength
| ened in it's suspicion that the independ-
ence of this republic was being thra""-
| ened.
LAS a defensive measure this govern
ment was, therefore, obliged to send a
/ portion of the burghers of this repub-
| lie in order to offer requisite resistance
to similar possibilities"
THE EFFECT IN LONDON.
1 London Octobr 1O-The uItinatum
of the Transvaal government is natu-
| rally the absorbing topic of converSa-
ton at the clubs n in political circles
! tonight. There was no apparent ex-
| element, but a general feeling vas ex-
! pressed that the Beers had made a
mlstake,- as forcing matters would
tend to ALLEVIATE the sympathy which
might have been extended to them had
they thrown the stigma of declaring
war on Great Britain.
The text of the BOer ultimatum on
arriving this morning was sent with
all speed to Lord Salisbury, who came
/ to town this afternoon and a dispatch
box was sent to the Prince of Wales,
which is only done in cases Of special
urgency
A STATE OF WAR TO EXIST TODAY
London, October lit cannot be
doubted that England's reply will be
a fiat rejection of President Kruger's
demands, and that at 3:15 o'clock this
afternoon English time) an actual
state of war will exist.
The cabinet has been summoned to
| meet at the foreign office on Friday
next.
War preparations by Great Britain
are being pushed with the greatest en-
ergy.
WAR BEGUN.
inc are current at Durham that
the Beers have begun shooting the ma
tives at the mines and hat many bod
les have been seen lying on the ve,dt.
A mysterious distribution of Mausers
is occurring at Steynsburg and other
Dutch districts in the Cape Colony.