The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-06-11
No settlement VIII He Satisfactory,
Political Rights to All.
PREPARATIONS FOR TROUBLE
GREAT BRITAIN REINFORCING HER
ARMY In SOUTH AFRICA.
Major General Butler in Command of
1000 Men-Transvaal Fighters
Said to Number Over 5000.
Copyright. 1891, by tn. Associated pres.l

Copyright. 1sse. by the Associated Press.l
LONDON, June Io-when the secretary
of state for the colonies, Mr.. Chamberlain,
In the House of Commons, on Thursday,
summed up the result of the Bloemfontein
conference by declaring that new situa-
ton has been created" he used a pregnant
phrase, open, apparently. to variety of in
terpretations, but, in reality, only open to
one. The politicians who have followed the
affairs of the Transvaal and Mr.. Cham
berlain's attitude with respect to them are
fully satisfied that the colonial secretary
plainly meant to declare that, by means OF
these open negotiations, in which the Brit
ish high commissioners. Sir Alfred Miner,
had exhausted every diplomatic resource to
effect a reasonable settlement OF the mat
ters In dispute, 1t had been proved def
nitely that President Kruger was irrecon-
cilable, and that all hope Of an arrange
ment by a suggestion Of diplomatic pres
sure was henceforth vain.
The British are especially exasperated, be-
cause they feel they have been trified with,
and the question on everybody's lips is,
What next?' Mr.. Chamberlain Is not the
man to be diverted from his course. He
has publicly and deliberately espoused the
cause of the uitlanders. and his next step
will be demand. Then there will be en-
ergetic action 10 support the demand. 1t
may be reagrded as certain that this con-
tingency has been fully foreseen for months
past. Fresh troops and large quantities of
munitions of war have gone TO South Af-
rica by every steamer. The troops have
been described as reliefs. but those they
were supposed to relieve have remained in
South Africa. A steamer which sailed III
May took 500 of these reliefs. and passen-
gers who had previously secured accom-
modations had to yield their places to the
officers and men. In Natal, notably at
Lady Smith, large force has been as
sembIed fully equipped and ready to march
at a moments notice. Hundreds of mules
from South Africa and Cypress are on the
srot the storehouses full of forage and
the magazines are packed with the am
munition-
IT Is estimated that the Transvaal could
muster fighting force of from 1900 to
5000 men, while the British troops there
already number 11,00O men, commanded by
the veteran Maj. Gen. Sir William Francis
Butler. who has been in command of the
troops in South African since 1898. His wife
was Elizabeth Thompson, the well-known
artist He served In Canada in 1870. in
Ashinty in 1874 during the Zulu In
lS7S-s. in Egypt, 1882 to lSS4-S5. and COM
manded the British troops at Alexandria
from 1890 to 1893 In addition, the British
have large body of splendid mounted rifle
men and mounted police available. SO If hos
tilities break out events will move quickly.
While the country generally is backing Mr..
Chamberlain. many well-informed people as
sert that. urged by Cecil Rhodes and the
potent social influences of the British
Chartered South African Company, he is
hurrying the country to disaster They say
not only will President Kruger not retreat.
but that the TraLsvaal forces. familiar
with every inch of the country, will be able
to cope with any force Great Britain can
put in the field. His artillery is known to
be much superior TO the British artillery.
and signs are not wanting to show that the
Beers have more than moral support Of the
Orange Free State.
A detachment of 200 royal engineers sailed
to-day for South Africa from Southampton