Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1899-08-31
|BOERS DEFY
THE BRITISH
Curt Reply by the 1-ransyaaI Gov
eminent to ChamberIain's
Last Proposition.
MILL MAKE NO MORE CONCESSIONS
Great Britain informed that the
Beers Adhere to their
Recent Offer.
SITUATION LOOKS VERY MARLlKE
Hurghcrs Are Getting New Guns
ard IL Large Amount OF Ann
munition Has Been
Imported.
SITUATION LOOKS VERY wARLlKE

Cape Town, Aug. 30. Replying to
the latest proposition of tho British
secretary OF state for the colonies, Mr..
Chamberlain, thl government of the
Transvaal has notified him that it adj
heres to its latest offer and will not
make any further concessions.
According to reports from johannes
burg the burghcrs are everywhere cN-
changing martins for mausers. y
heavy load of ammunition, including
300 mausers, arrived at Johannesburg
ON Friday from Utrecht, the Neither
lands.
he Cape house OF assembly is again
debating the question of the transit Of
arms intended for the Orange Free
State and presumably the Trlnsvaal.
Evidently Il state of extreme tension
exists. as every speech made yesterday
VISA received with almost absolute
| silence in the chamber
The resolution to support the motion
for adjournment was by Rt. Hon. Sir
John Gordon Sprigg, the former pre-
mier. Sir John, who repeated the ar
guments he had used in the previous
debate. asked the premier what action
the Cape cabinet proposed taking in
the matter He said that the recent
| speech of the British secretary OF state
for the colonies, Joseph Chamberlain,
at Birmingham, England, had forced
all to the conclusion that South Africa
| was on the brink of war unless the
Transvaal met the British demands. In
his opinion the Cape government ought
to follow the example of Portus at
Delagoa bay and refuse to permit the
transit of arms as long as the crisis
lasted.
After Sir John Gordon sprigg had
finished pause occurred, the house
waiting for the prelnier's reply. Final
ly MIR. Schreiner arose and declared
that under the customs convention the
Orange Free State was justified in inn
porting arms through Cape Colony and
lie did not intend to tear up that con-
vention, knowing as he did that there
would be no war; iii .he event of
war; he said, 81 would not lack the
true imperial spirit
Mr.. Schreincr then read letter
from Preside mt Steyn. OF the Orange
Free State. denying amy intention on
the part of that government to take up
arms i'm amy aggressive or Offensive or
| Her against the British government or
Cape Colony. 1t was the final policy OF
the Orange Free State. PRESIDE
Steyn stated. never to take up
arms except in it's defense or in sup
port of the constitution. The members
lwelt on the purpose of Importation of
firearms, and MIR. Schre ncr promised,
IN case of further importatiolts. to con-
suit Sir Alfred Miner. which he had
not previously done. He ais, asserted
that the Cape Colony would maintain
neutrality i'm the event of war.
MIR. Schrciner described Sir John
iordon Sprigg's mot ton as a party
lodge" and said he declined to Ec die
tated to or to lie driven into hvsteri-
,al policy Eventually Sir John Cor
Ion Splgg withdrew the mat on for
an adjournment.
To Surround the Transvaal.
London, Aug. 30.-'rhe Cane Town
correspondent OF the Daily hronlc,
says:
british troops will b. Immediately
concentrated at Laings Neck and
Mafoking. and it q believed that the
British program will be TO Surround
the 'lransvaal and then to negotiate
new convention"
According TO the DAILY Mail Cape
Town correspondent the belief is still
entertained there that the British
government is opposed to extreme
measures, and ii is reported that Pres.
idcnt Kruger is so we'll aware of this
that he has just cabled countermand-
ing conditional orders for large meat
supplies.
Though not definitely known it is
assumed here i'm London that Mr..
Chamberlain had the rersv of the
Transvaal government before he de-
livered the birmingham speech. 1t is
also believed that on the receipt of
President krnegers offer OF a five
years franchise and other concessions,
Mr. Chamberlain will reply that they
are unacceptable and suggest moditi-
cations.
If this be so. and the reply to that
suggestions. that the Transvaal gov
ernmeAt adheres to its latest offer and
will hiake mo further concessions be
President Kruegcr's final answer, the
The position of President Steyn's
litter to Mr.. Schreiner lies i'm the fact
that an offensive and defensive treaty
EXISTS between the Transvaal and the
ORANGE Free State