The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1900-09-08

shoulders from the railway station 10
the government house, distance Of
half Il mile.
NEW YORK. Sept. IA dispatch TO
the Tribune from London says:
The news telegraphed from Lisbon
yesterday. that military expedition a
thousand strong is about 10 leave the
Tagus for Lourenco Marques, has caus-
ed much speculation as to the POrtu-
guese Intentions in South Africa. For
some time past II has been hinted that
important developments in Portugu-
ese policy might shortly be expected.
and many people believe that there is
secret agreement between Great Brit
ain and Portugal which viii enable the
former power TO exercise a long cher
ished right Of preemption OF Delagoa
Bay. Others connect the Portuguese re-
Inducements with an intention TO re-
fuse the Boer fugitives an asylum in
Mozambique and the determination Of
the Lisbon government no longer to
permit the Dutch forces to draw sup
plies from DelagOa Bay. ~
As long as the Transvaal was an
independent state. Portugal had no
right TO prevent goods other than con-
traband OF war reaching the frontier.
nor could she prevent unarmed burgh-
ers from entering the territory; but if
Portugal recognizes the British annex
alton of the Transvaal as valid, she will
be entitled TO treat the Beers as reb-
els against a friendly state and could
refuse to grant Kruger or other leaders
Of escaped BOer cOmbatants permission
TO seek refuge within the domains Of
King Carlos
The English government is extremely
anxious that the ex-presdent should not
slip through their fingers. and Portugal
would certainly be doing the British a
very good turn II she denied the old
man asylum and so compelled him to
surrender to Lord Roberts. 1t is still
more important that supplies from Mo-
zambique should be cut of from the
various guerilla bands which are quite
likely to remain in the field. even after
the final collapse of Botha's army.
There are many signs that the mill |
tary authorities regard the end of the |
war as close at hand. Lord Roberts is |
making preparations to return to Eng
land and has already sent four of his |
chargers down to Cape Town. The |
general belief is that Lord Roberts is |
coming home to take up the post of |
commander-in-chief Of the Britisl !
army, which Lord Wolseley viii vacas |
in October Other indications of N I
same kind are that the personnel OF tn
army transport in the Orange River |
Colony has been paid Off and disband- |
ed, and the imperial yeomanry and |
scouts employed in that country have
arrived at Cape Town also with the OBJ
ject of receiving their final pay prior
to embarkation. 1t is hoped the war
may be declared officially over before
the general election. which is almost
certain to be in October.
The greater portion of Lord Roberts
army will have TO remain in South Af-
rica, probably under the supreme COM
mand of Sir Redvers Butler, several
months longer. but they will be consid-
cred as engaged in police operations on
an extensive scale rather than as oc-
cupied in a regular campaign.
There is no truth in the statement
that Sir Charles Warren has been ap-
pointed to succeed Lord William Sey-
mOur in command of the British troops
in Canada. and nothing whatever is
known of any such appointment either
by the officials in Pail Mall or by Gen.
aral Warren himself