The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-09-07
WORSE THAN EVER.

(By Gable TO the Associated Press)
LONDON, Sept. 4 1899.-If the Trans
vaal situation has changed at all yester-
day it is for the worse. The Boer request
for an explanation as to the massing of
British troops on the frontier of the
Transvaal has an ominous note of irrita-
ton and impatience which, at such a
critical stage, can scarcely be interpret
ed as anything but defiance.
Both here and in Cape Colony the ten
sion and the arming continue. Whether
tomorrow's Cabinet Council will. afford
immediate relief is still question of
great doubt. The more conservative be-
heve that the Cabinet will only put a
time limit upon the negotiations and that
the interim will merely be repetition OF
the anxious times which have marked
the past few weeks
Cape Town advices say that the
Afrikanders regard the latest Boer reply
as evasiye, while others regard it as de-
signed to entangle the two governments
in further negotiations. The average
opinion of the British press is inclined to
regard 1t as the sraw which would
break the back Of the most long suffering
diplomatic camel
The second edition Of the Morning
PostD today, contains special despatch
from Pietermaritzburg, capital of Natal,
saying that an ultimatum would be for
warded to the Beers today. This is
scarcely credible, however, as every well
informed source here believes that the
Cabinet viii decide upon the advisability
of an ultimatum.
The same correspondent adds that the
Beers have received or will receive a
frnr
Governor of Cape Colony and British
High Commissioner of South Africa de-
nlanding the release of Mr.. Pakeman. the
editor Of the Transvaal Leader" who
was arrested September on the charge
of high treason.
Continuing, the correspondent says
for Standerton. and declares that the Pie
termaritzburg troops are ready to march
at two hours notice.
Colonel Stopford, Chief of the Mobiliza-
ton Division of the British War Office,
emphatically denied to a reporter of The
Associated Press today that the War Of
flee had issued bulletin notifying the
reserves to send in their present address,
es. He said this false report was probab bly,
based ION our request to the officers on
leave that they keep us posted regarding
their addresses
The London edition of the STANDARD
and Diggers News the official Boer or
gan, today says
I'VE can state that the diplomatic cor
F6SpcHQGuCS pGlWGGu lll6 1IdilSVddi anu
the Colonial Office is of a .reassuring ma
ture and that the dispute has now mar
rowed to an issue which should make a
settlement possible and even speedy The
Transvaal Is prepared for all eventualities
but remains hopeful of a peaceful settle-
ment."
Nothing which can be learned here
tends to confirm the foregoing statement
and, owing to the pro-Boer source from
which it emanated it is regarded with
suspicion.
The special correspondent of the Pail
Mall Gazette at Cape Town in de-
spatchr dated today, says
cit is believed in Afrikonder circles here
that the Transvaal intends forcing mat
ters to sudden issue and that war may
possibly break out within forty-eight
hours. 1t is supposed that the first act on
their part will be an advance on Laing s
Neck (the sole route from the Transvaal
to NataD. It is also rumored there is a
plot at Pretoria to simultaneously blow
up the British agency there"
1t may be pointed out in connection with
the foregoing despatch that the Pail
Gazette has not been conspicuous for the
accuracy or judgment of its South Afri-
cam specials and too much credence
should not be placed on the present. ad-
vices