The record-union., 1899-09-10
Over the Prospect Of a Conflict With Beers
in the TransYaal.
Papers TEEN With Descriptions of
the Troops Who Are Expected to
Do the Fighting, With Accounts
of Their Equipment and the
Relative Killing Properties of
the Bullets Which Will be
Used.

Copyrighted, 1899, by Associated Press }
LONDON, Sept 9-This week Great
Britain has resembled in every respect
the tremendously exciting week in the
United States which Immediately pre-
ceded the outbreak of the war with
Spain. Dreyfus and other topics are
sunk into obscurity; patriotic enthusi-
asm has been at fever heat and the
slightest sign of preparation for war
has been seized on by the press and
public as an indication of the status OF
the crisis. The difference between the
state of affairs here and the situation
in the United States in April, 1898, is
merely that the projected campaign Is
military instead of naval. According to
reliable statements the army is ready.
The papers TEEN with descriptions OIL
the troops who are expected to do the
fighting, with accounts of their equip
ment and method of transportation and
even the relative killing properties OF
the bullets, which, it is expected, will
soon be lodged under Boer skins. The
particular pet is now a bullet known as
Mark f. 1t is claimed that it's. lead
cone is harder and less fusible than
any tried heretofore. Large quantities
are being shipped to Cape Town.
Though mobilization has never been n
strong feature of the British army, it is
now believed that a system as near per-
fection as possible has been prepared.
The Commander in Chief, Field Marshal
Lord Wolseley, Sir Evelyn Wood, Gen
eral Sir Redvers Butler and other Gen
erals have been working strenuously on
it for months. Many new features have
been introduced, several of them being
based on the lessons learned by the
American troops in the war with Spain.
Among the latter is the extreme useful
ness of mules in such a country as tbs
TransvaaI. The British officers whc
have been in the United States, Spain
and South America, selecting punches
of these animals have now been ordered
to close their purchases and ship the
mules as quickly as possible to the
scene of the probable hostilities.
All these things, to say nothing of the
splendid morale and reputation of the
regiments selected for the Cape, indl-
cate that if war comes it will be waged
relentlessly and strongly and that there
is flooded with British troops in such
numbers that organized resistance by
the Beers will be impossible. Before the
main British body of troops arrive it is
thought possible the Beers may score
some decided successes, and even after
being overcome by the force of superior
numbers they may continue the war IN
guerrilla fashion for many months But
conservative opinion places six months
as the outside limit for the capture or
johannesburg ard Pretoria. If another
Majuba Hill marks the annals of the
possible war, it will not be due to lack
of caution on the part of the British
The Swazs are expected to give Great
Britain considerable aid, and, with the
exception of the Pondes, the whole body
of blacks between Cape Agulhas and
the Zambesi, it is claimed, will rise
against the Transvaal. The Boer plan