Mesa free press., 1900-09-21
PORTUGUESE INTENTIONS
Intend to Stop Kruger file Takes Flight
in Their Direction.
DUTCH LOSE USE OF DELAGO BAY
End of War Believed to be Close at Hand
Fighting Still Goes On Ovation to
Baden. Powell.

New York.-A dispatch to the Tri-
bune from London says the news tel
egraphed from Lisbon yesterday that
military expedition 1000 strong is
about to leave Tagus for Lorenzo Mar
quez has caused much speculation as
TO the Portuguese intentions in South
Africa. For some time past it has
been limited that important develop
ments in Portuguese policy might
shortly be expected, and many people
believe that there is a secret agree
ment between Great Britain and Por-
tugal, which will enable the former to
exercise long-cherished right Of pre-
emption of Delagoa Bay. Others con-
meet the Portuguese reinforcements
with an intention to refuse the Boer
fugitives an asylum in Mozambique,
and the determination of the Lisbon
government no longer to permit the
Dutch forces to draw supplies 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
rebels against friendly State, and
could refuse to grant Kruger or other
leaders or escaped Boer combatants
permission to seek refuse within the
dominion of King Carlos.
The British government is extremely
anxious that the ex-President should
not slip through their fingers, and
Portugal would certainly be, doing the
British a very good turn if she denied
the old man asylum and so compelled
him to surrender to Lord Roberts. 1t
is still more important that supplies
from Mozambique should be cut off
from the various guerrilla bands who
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
England, and has already sent four of
his chargers down to Cape Town. The
general belief is that Gen. Roberts is
coming home to take the post of COM
mander-in- chief of the British army,
which Lord Wolseley will vacate in
October. Another indication of the
same kind is that the personnel of the
army transport in the Orange River
Colony has been paid off and dis
banded and the Imperial Yeomanry
and scouts employed in that country
have arrived at Cape Town, also with
the object of receiving their final pay
prior to embarkation 1t is hoped the
war may be declared officially over be-
fore tho -sonosa1 alaatien. -vl.ivluts ar
most certain to be in October.
London.-Lord Roberts from Bel
fast, Transvaal, under date of Wednes-
day, September 5, as follows:
"Ian Hamilton traversed Dulstroom
yesterday With slight opposition.
Butler engaged the enemy's left
this morning. Hamilton is endeavor-
ing to turn the enemy's right.
"Boers with two guns and one POM
pom this morning attacked 125 Cana
dian mounted infantry guarding the
railroad between Pan and Wonders
fontein. Maher proceeded to their as
sistance, but the little garrison had
beaten off the enemy before he ar
rived. 1t was very creditable per-
formance. The wounded were Major
Henders and Lieutenant Moody, slight
ly, and two men. Six men are miss
ing"
OVATION TO BADEN-POWELL.
Cape Town.-General Baden-Powell
arrived here this morning. In spite
of the early hour of his arrival a great
public ovation was given in his honor
The crowd carried him on their shouI-
ders from the railway station to the
Government House, a distance of half
a mile.