The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-10-05

There was nothing very tangible in to-
days war news; but the situation re-
NAMED as strained as ever, unless hope
might be derived from the apparent fact
that the forces on the frontier were re-
garded by both sides as wholly defensive
for the present, and from the statement
that Mr. J. H. Hofmeyer. the Afrikander
leader in Cape Colony, was still prepared
10 endeavor to secure the adhesion OF the
Transvaal government 10 the ''irreducible
minimum" proposed at the Bloemfontein
conference to President Kruger by Sir
Alfred Miner. the British high commits
sioner, if the imperial government would
stand by the high commissioners original
proposal
The stock exchange was influenced dur
ing the opening hours today iby vague
rumors that Queen Victoria had cabled
President Kruger and President Steyn.
holding out the olive branch. and by
report that the Beers had been defeated
in a small engagement Prices rose. but
there was a speedy relapse when both
stories were discredited.
Sir William Vernon Harcourt the dis
tinguished Liberal statesman, member of
parliament for West Monmouthshire. had
another slashing attack in today's papers
upon the policy of the secretary of state
| for the colonies, Mr.. Joseph Chamberlain.
He reiterated his original statement that
! Mr.. Chamberlain's assertion that the
Transvaal refused to redress the grievan-
| ces Of the Outlanders, was the reverse of
| the case, and he insisted that Great Brit
ain was responsible for 'slammiug the
| door in the face OF President Kruger just
when arrangements were approaching a
! settlement"
Advices from Cape Town announce that
| General Sir George Stewart White. V.
| c., who will command the British forces
| in Natal, will proceed to Durham today.
| On his arrival at Cape Town he found the
situation on the Natal bordes so grave
that he wired for immediate transporta-
ton for himself and staff to Durham; and
the British second-class cruiser Forts was
placed at his disposal.
A London news agency publishes the
following dispatch from Volksrust. Trans
vaal, dated October 8: AN unconfirmed
report is in circulation here that the time
allowed the British troops TO withdraw
from the Transvaals border will expire |
at o'clock tomorrow afternoon and that |
failure to comply with the demand viii be |
considered tantamount to a declaration |
OF war.
The British foreign office this afternoon |
informed the Associated Press that abso-
lutely nothing was known there Of any
Transvaal demand for the withdrawal OF
the British troops from the frontier.
A meeting of liberal members of the
house of commons including several for
mer members jof Liberal cabinets, was
held this morning at the private residence
of the leader Of the Liberal opposition in
the house, Sir Henry Campbell Banner
man. The subject under consideration
was the governments South African poll
icy, and the meeting resolved to support
the government on the re-assembling Of
parliament even at the expense OF plac-
ing the political official leaders OF the
Liberal party in conflict with their former
Sir william Vernon Harcourt
and Mr.. John Morley.
The various announcements regarding |
Boer movements seem 10 indicate their
probable plan OF campaign IN case Of hos
tilities. Their chief force would surround
the narrow stretch of Natal territory jut-
ting into the Transvaal, thus threatening
Laing's Neck, Charlestown and Dundee.
while the Orange Free State commando
from Harrismith Is expected to operate
near Van Reenan's Pass and threaten
Military critics are confident
that Great Britain will hold her own in
Natal The Free State commanders ap- ,
pear TO be moving slowly. II Is proba-
bic that the government has loaned por- !
ton OF the Free State artillery TO the
Transvaal. The only concentration at
present It at Harrismith in the northeast ,
arn section Of the Free State. and at Bo-
shof, northwest Of Bloemfontein, a posi-
ton threatening Kimberly, and at Roux- :
vile, where the burghers expect the aid ,
of the disloyal portion Of the farmers and
at Allwai North. IN Cape Colony. Lich- q
tenburg Is the base OF Commandant Cron- ,
les movement on the western border,
nenacing the Mafeking railway. between ,
and vryburg In Bechuanaland. j
There is a well authenticated report that 7
/ large force OF Beers Is assembled al
selik at the junction Of the Crocodile and
Pongola rivers. evidently with the object /
II destroying the railway. J
The northern commander, whose base Is t
It Petersburg, confronts Plummers col {
lmn which will move nearer the border n
II once. The report regarding the extent 7
" Boer artillery Is probably exaggerated. {
IS 1t Is believed the burghers possess few .
ield guns; and II Is unlikely that they S
would dismantle their forts in order TO 3
end garrison pieces 70 the front The a
Military authorities estimate there are /
low 1890 Beers In the field. y
Late advices from Cape Town this after F
loon indicate a widespread impression Z
here that unless the Beers begin hosun- 7
les by Thursday. they will not fight, but A
-ield to the imperial demands when form Y
lated. o
The Cape house OF assembly last even y
ny agreed 10 a motion instructing the p
ape government 70 demand the speedy
rturn 70 Cape Colony Of any and all roll 8
ng stock now In the Orange Free State II
r the TFanzvaal. d
A special dispatch from Johannesburg y
avs the Beer officials there continue to ?
irga the British subjects who remain 70 81
cave. and IL Il believed that ali who do
lot viii be marched. under escort. along
he railway until a train IS reached 10
AIRY them of. Orders have been issued :.
rom Pretoria closing al the saloons in !,
be gold fields. =
The Trsnsvaai government has taken =
yer the Perreiss mines and al the mines
n the gold HslGs. A group of Eve Of the
Sckstsin mines have been closed
Additional transports with troops from