Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1900-03-16
IpllIRS ARE WARNED or.
M hbury Gives Notice That In
tervention Means War.
BRlTIsH AT BLoEMFoNTEIN.
s1Aa1 E0bsFs Reports the Formal Sur
RsndsR Of Their Capital by Omcisls Of
ItAs Free Stste-Bosrs Determined to
IN Jight to the End.

ysashtAgton. March 16.-Great Brit
In her answer received by the
~ Rte department today to the over
lures FOR peace submitted by the Unit
I'd States government in behalf Of
b Presidents Kruger and Steyn, serves
lptice on all the rest of the world that
ssShe will not tolerate any interference
~ any Of them with the prosecution
Of the war in South Africa. This ulti-
tnatum is distinctly set forth in Lord
.Balisbury's response, the declination
SSf the Boer suggestion that the Unit
I'd States be permitted to mediate be-
ing applicable by Lord Salisbury to
! amy nation"
It 10 regarded here as warning to
Russia and France that If they at
tempt to bring the war to an end be-
fore the British government is ready
TO make terms Of peace the two con-
atinental powers must be prepared to
Staght Great Britain. That is the plain
English OF Lord Salisbury's brief re-
ply.
In the dispatches which have passed
between Pretoria, Washington and
London with reference to the peace
svertures Of the Boer presidents, the
word Intervention" has been used in
describing the character of the action
which the Beers desire the United
States to take. Intervention, in the
language Of diplomacy, is equivalent
70 q use of force. The term was con-
tanned In the message of Presidents
Kruger and Steyn, communicated to
the state department by Adelbert S.
Hay, the American consul at Pretoria,
but it was evident from the character
OF the request made by the Boer au-
thorities that they used it as syno-
nym OF mediation" 1t is this last
Interpretation which has been adopted
by the United States government, and
evidently by Lord Salisbury in answer
ing the appeal from Pretoria.
The dispatch said that Lord Sails
bury thanked the United States gov
eminent for it's willingness to act as
an intermediary between her majesty's
government and the states presidents,
, but was not prepared to accept the
intervention" of any nation. This
general application Of the British re-
Spouse was made, it is supposed, in the
belief that the American government
would make public the correspondence
on the subject, and thus warn all the
continental powers that any interior
,ence by them in the South African
war would be regarded by Great Brit
ain as an unfriendly act. The state
department, however, has decided not
], 10 make public the correspondence, or
to furnish any official statement as to
its contents.
London, March 16.-Gen. Roberts
yesterday eabled the war Office as fol-
lows:
'Bloemfontein, March 10, 8 p. NJ
BY the help Of God and the bravery of
her majesty's soldiers the troops I'M
der my command have taken posses
sion OF Bloemfontein. The British flag
flles over the presidency, which was va
Gated last evening by Mr.. Steyn. late
president Of the Orange Free State.
"Mr. Fraser. member Of the late
executive government, the mayor, the
secretary OF the late government, the
landdrost, and other officials met me
two miles from the town and presented
4 the keys of the public offices. The en-
envy have withdrawn from the neigh
borhood. All seems quiet. The in
habitants gave the troops cordial
welcome"
The news of the fall Of Bloemfon-
tein came too late last evening to call
forth any great popular demonstration,
but 1t caused scenes of patriotic en-
thusiasm in music halls, theaters and
clubs and in some of the West End
streets. The truth is that what Eng
lishmen most long for is news Of the
relief of the brave little garrison I'M
der COL Baden-Powell at Mafeking.
When it comes, if come it does, there
will be q renewal Of the marvellous
scenes Of Ladysmith day.
A0 NJ 81 oIo6O Va LlAC VOL 10 AO" uCl-
initely finished, but there Is the widest
divergence Of opinion as to what the
future developments will be. Some be-
lteve that the complete collapse of the
Boer resistance is impending, while
others fear that when the struggle is
confined to the Transvaal borders, full
" six months will be required to COM
pletely subjugate the burghers.
It is now clear that President Kru-
gers so-called peace proposal accom-
plished cleverly two objects. First, it
has given the best opportunity to any
power wishing to undertake the role
of Intervention. There is as yet no
sign that this will be acted upon; in
deed, there has at no time been any in
dlcation that England's rivals would
sndeavor to accomplish their ambi-
tious purposes by means Of such pro-
eedure. Second, President Kruger Is
now able to give to any Of his faint
hearted burghers an official declaration
of Great Britain's purpose to annex
both the Boer republics. Their only