Omaha daily bee., 1899-10-08
QUEEN ISSUES The CALL
Royal Proclamation summoning Parliament
to Meet October IT.
AUTHORIZES CALLING OUT RESERVES
british and Boers Are So Close To-
Rcther Along the Western From
tier that Their Patrols
Meet Nightly.

LONDON, oct. "A royal proclamation
summoning Parliament to meet on october II
and authorizing the calling out of the re-
serves was signed this morning. Her maj
esty, in privy council at Balmoral, assented
10 the calling Of Parliament, mobilization
Of the reserves and the continuance In the
army Of all soldiers now serving who in or
dinary circumstances would be entitled to
discharge or transfer to the reserve
The War Office announces that under the
proclamation calling out the reserves, $4,000
men will be summoned.
1t is rumored at Portsmouth that the
admiralty will organize a hying squadron
for the Cape
The field force for service in South
Africa, the war office announces will COM
mence mobiizing next Monday.
The Gazette announces that summons will
be issued today for the number of reserves
necessary to bring every battalion ordered
to South Africa to its fun strength Of 1000
men and the men must present themselves
before October II. This forward movement
here is fully counterbalanCed by stories of
military preparations in the Transvaa and
the Orange Free State.
SO far as the facts go the commencement
OF actual hostilities between Great Britain
and the Transvaa seems no nearer, al
though it must be admitted tnat new ele-
ment of danger has arisen in the eXaspera-
ton caused throughout the British colonies
in South Africa by the stories of brutal
treatment OF refugees by the Beers. Whether
those reports are correct or not the reports
OF outages upon women and childen are
having their effect and are being accepted
in many quarters hitherto incredulous as
confirming the anticpations of the savagery
that will mark the progress of the war.
Bocrs nre Restless.
The dispatches from the front are mostly
concerned with the movements of troops.
There several reports that the Beers
are increasingly restless under restraint and
because of the imperfect provision made for
their welfare. 1t is said that they have
threatened either to raid or to return to
their homes. President Kruger, however,
appears to have reiterated his orders COM
manding the exercise of restraint. The Brit
ish and Beers are so close together along the
western frontier that their patrols meet
nightly.
From Capetown comes the curious state
ment that many officials of the Transvaal
and the Orange Free State have sent their
families into British territory for protec-
tion. w. F. Reitz, the Transvaal secretary
OF state, has sent his family to Natal and
the family of Pesident Steyn of Orange
Free State has gone to Cape Colony.
Other Capetown dispatches describe the in
dignation caused by insults heaped upon
refugees traversing the Transvaal and the
Orange Free State and the sufferings caused
TO passengers travelling in exposed trucks by
the jeers and insults of gangs of armed
Durghers, who have prevented famishing
travellers from obtaining food "blacksnai-
ing the mon and striking the women. The
appearance of many of the sufferers is said
to be deplorable.
The exodus OF Cape Dutchmen toward
the Transvaal continues. All seem to be
smuggling arms across the frontier.
The report of Harry Escombes' mission
Of peace to Pretoria Is apparently incor-
rect. The Natal statesman went instead
to Newcastle, with view OF quieting the
alarm of his friends. Rumors are current
there that Commandant General Jouberts
return to Pretoria was occasioned by pc
tition of the Beers to have Commandant
Viljoen made commander n-chief.
Advices from Pretoria say that the Trans
vaal government has received a dispatch
from the United States secretary of state
Colonel John Hay, to the effect that as
General O'Beirne, recently designated by
President Kruger to represent the Trans
vaal in the United States is an American,
he cannot hold a diplomatic appointment
from the South African republic in the
United States. Secretary Of State Reitz has
asked Mr.. Bosnian to remain and full power
will be given him to act for the Transvaa.
Pretoria, the dispatches say, presents a
most deserted appearance. The government
has ordered all the saloons closed through
out the republic.
General Cronje's forces, near Mafeking,
moved closer to the border yesterday.
Kruger's Reply to Chamberlain.
green book issued yesterday contains
President Krugers reply to Mr.. Chamber
lan's dispatch referring to the petition of
the outanders to the queen. The Transvaal
objects to Great Britain's interference In
its internal affairs and explains that IL the
outlanders had first addressed the Trans
vaal instead of the British government their
complaints would have been Immediately