The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1899-10-14
TIE BOER ULTIMATUM.
War Is Practically Certain,a and the ResPons
sibiIity Fer 1t Falls Upon
Kruger.

London, Oct. 1.-THE stOlidity, il
,ot the placidity of the English char
acter, never was better shown than it
S in London to-day, when England is
ACE to face with war.
Although it was only ha1f-past five
o'clock yesterday when Mr.. Chamber-
aims secretary handed to a represent
alive of the press the first copy of the
Transvaal ultimatum, an hour later
every evening paper had the news
There was not a trace of the excite
ment attendant upon the announce
ment of the result on the night after
he first race for the Americas cup.
England Realizes the Situation.
But this must not be interpreted to
mean that England is not alive to the
realities of the situation. The audacI-
ty of the Transvaal's dispatch
tarily stuns the public, and it was only
when under the glare OF the music
hall lights, and listening to the STIR
ring bars of the national athem and
other patriotic airs that the effect OF
the momentary rebuff was lost in DEM
constructions that shook the rafters. At
the Alhambra Gen. Sir Redyers Butler
was present. The first bars OF "Ru:e
Britannia" brought the entire audience
to its feet, and for a quarter OF an
hour the house resounded with the
choruses of national airs and with
cheers.
Officers and Men Enthusiastic.
The Army and Navy club, Familiarity
known as the Rag" has not for many
a day seer such a gathering of cam
paigners as was =, ere last night.
Nor was the slowly aroused enthusi-
asm confined to the officers. At Well
ington barracks, where a battalion OF
grenadiers, which forms a portion of
the First army corps, had Just returned
from 16 months service on the rock OF
Gibraltar. the enthusiasm knew NO
bounds. Seldom does Tommy Atkins
permit himself the luxury of enthusi-
asm, but the regiment had had 2 long
spell of dreary garrison d.. and
hailed the call to active service with
schoolboy delight.
1t VIII NOt he . Picnic.
Underneath all. however, officers,
subalterns and civilians recognized the
fact hat the Transvaal campaign will
not be a picnic. and the sober reality
of this gives a sterner note to London
life than anything hat has occurred
since the DAYS of Gordon and khar-
toum.
Lord James Hereford Talks.
The first minister to speak publicly
regarding the ultimatum was Lord
James Hereford, chancellor of the;
Duchy of Lancaster, who. s2caking at
Aberdeen last night, said:
Responsibility on the T~rnnsvnaI.
The government has done every
thing in their power to preserve peace.
Apparently. however, diplomacy is
ended, and the hopes of peace are rir-
tually destroyed. and that not by the
action of the queens government. but
by the Transvaal government. Pres;-
lent Kruger has sem an uitimatum.
Ii we were to withdraw our troops al
his bidding we should suffer the grea--
est humiliation, and the government.
would deserve to be hunted from Office
as craven cowT!Iths."
4 sudden Conversion.
Lord James said he had intended BE-
fore receiving the news of the ulti-
matum to take a different view of the
position, but now nothing remains but
to commend our cause to the God of
battles and arms, and to implore his
blessing upon the engagement about
to be entered upon"
Loud and Prolonged Cheers.
Lord James, whose remarks were
greeted with loud and prolonged
cheers. concluded by expressing Il hope
hat the war would be short and hui
namely conducted. and that when it
was terminated counsels of moderation
would prevail as to the way in wLicjt
the enemy should be dealt with"
Beers Seen on Natal Territory.
Ladysmith. Oct. lit is learned
from an authentic source that a de-
tachmeut of carbineer scouts saw d
party of Free State Roers in Natal fer
near Berg. Upon being OBJ
the Beers retreated Immediate
ly.
Commandment Nilioen. commanding
the Free State artillery. is marching
Alhertina. nea S~tanreenens,
where the Beers are massed.
Re Ready to Advance.
Cape Town. Oct. ia Gispatcb
from Pretoria. to a Cape Town news
paper says that Commandart-General
Joubert has issued a notice to the
troops in the different Laagers 10 hold
themselves in readiness for an iuule-
advance.
The Transvaal. the dispatch also
hopes to arrange to send the Eu-.
mails by way of DeIagca Bay.
A Short and DiGnined Answer.
London. Oct. 1.-THE Daily Nails
Cape Town correspondent. telegraph
ing Tuesday. says a short and very
reply has been communicated
% Conyngham Green, the British dip
Dlomatic agent at Pretoria by Sir AL
red Miner, British high commission
r in South Africa. to be handed TO the
3oer government on Wednesday,.