Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-12-29
THE BOER'S DREAM
Is That Great Britain Will Soon
Sue for Peace.
Will Demand 920,000,000 Indem-
nifty, Territory and independence.
Ladysmith ShelIed, Thursday-The Beers
Strongly Entrenched at Colenso.

Mr.. Winston Churchill on arriving
here after his escape from the Beers,
received a tremendous ovation He
says that from conversations with
members Of the Transvaal executive
at Pretoria, he learned that the Beers
began the war with trepidation, but
that President Kruger is now confident
Great Britain will soon sue for peace
In the highest Transvaal circles, Mr..
| Churchill asserts. there is serious talk
OF compromise, by which Great Brit
ain would cede the territory now occu-
pied by the armies of the two repub-
lies pay an indemnity Of 100000, 900
and acknowledge the complete indepen-
dence of the Transvaal.
London, Dec ga dispatch to the
Daily Mail from Pietermaritzburg.
dated Dec. %, says: Every day re-
Veals some new fact regarding the
strength Of the Boer position at CoIen-
50. Thanks to the services Of CONT
mental officers, the character of the
campaign has changed. We are no
longer fighting a foe who rely upon
guerilla tactics, but we have to deal
with what is rapidly becoming a dis
cipltned army. enjoying the advan-
ta2cs Of knowing the country and of
selecting the scene Of contest without
the burdens of a cumbersome commits
sariat
The Beers have converted the hills
near Colenso into fortresses Of i'm
mense strength. Everywhere they
have splendid trenches, many of them
bomb proof. Tramway lines permit
the shifting of guns with astonishing
rapidly. The main positions are con-
nected with the outlying positions by
underground passages and the forts
proper bristle with machine guns. that
command the approaches. Probably
mines are laid.
One hears less. nowadays, about
Boer shells not bursting. Observers Of
the Colenso tight say the Boer shell
fire was very effective This is due
largely to the fact that the distances
are marked off with white paint
The enemy's discipline is improving.
The trenches represent great manual
labor. for which the Beers have keen
dislike. and the way in which they re-
strained their fire vlen our troops
were advancing is another proof Of
improved soldering"
Henry Spencer Wilkinson, the Morn
lnS Posts military expert in his re-
view Of the situation, today, SAYS:
The time has apparently arrived for
the nation To insist, If not upon a mill
tary dictatorship, at least upon the
admission into the cabinet Of a milf
tary minister. empowered to veto any
proposals detrimental to the successful
prosecution of the war. and also that
the administration Of the army should
be placed wholly in the hands of
tried military administrator"
4 corresp ondent Of the Standard at
IourenZo Marques, says: "Delagoa
Bay IS the residence of Herr Pott. a
Hollander. who is consul general for
the Trdnsvaal and consul for the Meth
eriands Pott is the principal medium
between Pretoria and DR.. Leyds in Eu
tope. He controls the Netherlands rail
way through the Transvaal and is the
head of the Transvaal customs. He IS
also head Of the Dutch East Africa Co.
ma mas the ear of the Portuguese gov
-fhor. as well as the chief of each de-
partment 1t is openly asserted that
rot mas private wire to the frontier
una knows "a hours before others what
5 happening. About him gather all the
pther cnnsuls, the Portuguese officials
ma the German forwarding agents.
III Delagoa Bay is closed the Beers
Will retaliate by raiding Portuguese
territory"
me standard says: Lord Salisbury
would be reluctant to bring pressure
o bear upon Portugal except in a case
4 urgent necessity. Great Britain
would prefer not to place herself in the
nvidious position Of using force to-
ward another petty country; and there
: no temptation to raise any further
nternation questions"
1T is satisfactory" says the Times
ditorially. this morning, "to learn that
ne Washington government is acting
With regard to the American cargoes
cized in Delagoa Pay, as we should
az" wished ana expected. 1t is a mat
er Of course that we shall make full
eparation. if reparation is proved to
g due In the meantime it may be
otcd. as the Americans themselves ad-
nit. that the facts are in considerable
oubt. and that some Of them seem 70
CONTINUED on napa 0l