Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-10-08
$3.50. AssoeIated Pressl

can scarcely be grasped by the mere
reading of individual items as these
appear from day to day. A fair notice
of their immensely can be gained from
the semi-official statement that, for the
transport OF the army corps, about sew
enty ships of from 1900 20 1000 tons
burden are required, not including q
score or more of transports already on
the way to the Cape. II these vessels
effectively disembark their eargoes OF
men, horses and equipment within five
weeks from their date Of sailing. the
programme viii have fulfilled the fore
casts of the most optimistic British
military experts.
II all the troops are able to rake their
places in component parts OF the army
corps by the end OF November, they
viii have done, according to the best
available opinion, remarkably we'll.
The disembarking of General Skaters
army from its thirty-seven transports
is not forgotten by British officers.
Although the vessels 20 be employed
in the Cape service are of considerably
larger average tonnage than those
which carried the Americans to
Santiago de Cuba, the admiralty, In
accordance with the existing regula-
tions, is supplying them all and taking
complete charge from waters edge &c
or Cra
dous outlay OF capital. Nor do the
arrangements
ESCAPE CRITICISM
Letters begin to appear In the news
papers alleging favoritlsm and declar-
ing that some OF the transports are
rotten hulks" The recent breakdown
of two vessels, with troops on board. Ia
cited as substantiating this charge but
there docs rot seem 10 DO any serious
ground for supposing that the Admirala
ty Is actuated by wrong motives.
Although the impending army corps
Is a matter OF prominent military inter-
est, the troops already on the scene OF
probable action constitute no ingigniil.
cant body. The original Cape garrison
was 5000 men. and this has been fn-
creased by 4 500. There are 10000 men
at sea, on the way to the Cape. and
their arrival will make the aDDroxi-
mate total OF British troops In South
Africa prior to the arrival OF the army
corps. 25,500. These troops do not In
clude the irregular forces, the Caps
Mounted Rifles, the Port Elizabeth aud
Graham's own volunteers. the Natal
police, the Durham light infantry, the
Australian force, nor the regular naval
brigade.
The Cape squadron now Includes ten
warships, all heavily manned, and the
British frst-class protected cruisers
Terrible and Powerful will soon arrive,
enabling the navy to land brigade Of
about 1000 men.
Against this array are opposed the
Transyaal and its ally, the Orange Free
State. with perhaps a sprinkiing Of
natives. This is about all that can be
said regarding the Boer forces. They
are virtually non-reglIlars; and at
tempts to estimate their fighting
strength are hopeless, although various
appear daily In the Eng
lish newspapers. ranging from 10000 20
125 goo, the latter figure being obviously
very extravagant.
THE WHOLE QUESTION
was summed up to-day for the Asso-
clated Press by an influential member
Of the House OF Commons. who said.
Before this is ended Great Britain
viii have 70 face every Boer-man or
boy-strong enough 20 fire a gun for the
sake Of bis country"
The part which the foreigners who
are volunteering under the Boer stand
ard, especially Americans. will take in
the expected conflict pr0vokes much
supvosition and comment The eorre-
spondent OF the ST. James Gazette AZ
PetegmarHzburg says:
american civil and mechanical en-
gineers have been engaged by the
Beers To dismsntle the Netherlands
in the event OF Boer retro
grade movement upon Pretoria. They
will certainly not meet with too con-
siderate treatment II taken prisoners.
Something like A dozen OF these adyen-
turous Yankees are professional rail-
road wreckerg now living in compare
tive clover in Pretoria"
The Boer ranks will certainly include
a number OF Irishrnen and OF former Of
hcers Of the German army
u Is said the Beers wifi adopt the
policy they adopted IN 1881. when
TEN SHARPSHCOTERS
we're detailed out u each company 70
pick Of the English officers.
The Alaska negotiations proceed. al
though Sir Louis II. Davies. the Cana
dian minister Of marine and fisheries,
Is taking a short vacation IN Scotland
with Lord Strathcona and Mount ROYAL.
the Canadian high commissioner. The
Associated Press learns that there f. a
good prospect Of tentative settlement
within fortnight. although a defnits
arrangement apparently cannot 10
reached until the joint high commission
ra<ifes the pending moaus Fivendi. "A
Is understood that II Sir Louis Davies
expresses satisfaction on behalf u Car4
ada regarding the present propositions.
tie whole question wiil be practically
settled. All reports alleging 70 give de-
tails = the settlement are prononnced
By the authorities here premature and
srf4 1srss4t adan4Ia4n h4ofn