The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-01-16
RUMoRs CONFUSE LONDON.
In the Absence of Authentic News
There II an Atmosphere OF
DisuuietinE Suspense.

Disquieting suspense.
LONDON, Jan. 16, 4 a. m.-Gen. Buffers
latest authentic word as to what he and
his 10000 men are doing, was wired from
Springfield after his first forward step.
Striving to think out the unknown, London
Is confused by surm!se and rumor and dis
quieting suspense.
Spencer Wilkinson, the lucid military ex-
pert of the Morning Post, asserts that the
Boer force in northern Natal Is larger
than Gen. Buffers and Sir George Whites
together SO that the Beers are able to leave
a force around Ladysmith larger than that
within the town. and yet to oppose Gen..
Butler with a force superior to his own.
Reports from the Boer camps affirm that
the circle of investment has been drawn
closer by the occupation of some hills near
the town, thus liberating reinforcements to
oppose Gen. Butler.
Rumors Circulated TO Deceive.
The Daily News suggests that multi
tude Of the rumors that originate In South
Africa and London are given currency by
the English military authorities in order
to mislead the Beers. The war pages Of
the great dailies this morning are almost
barren. Nevertheless, the instruments on
the loops connecting the war office with
the cables continue to click.
Trouble In Recruiting Yeomanry.
The yeomanry recruits are disturbed by
the fact that they are able to get only one
and one-half companies out of upwards of
1000 applicants in the metropolitan dis
tricts. All the other applicants fall short
of the requirements One thousand would
be regarded as a very small number even
were all accepted. The provinces are do
ing better, although to raise 10000 appears
far from the easy matter 1t did fort
night ago.
An Old Interview with Kruger.
J. B. Robinson, the South African mil
lionaire. in a signed article in the Daily
News this morning. relates conversation
he had with President Kruger and
describes several interviews in which the
Jameson raid was talked over. On one Of
these occasions President Kruger said:
do you mean to tell me that you do not
know that the men who organized and en-
gineered the raid organized 1t for their
own benefit? They had decided how they
would divide the Transvaal. and how each
of the parties was to have certain inter-
ests in the country.
MANY reformers who were put in iail
were perfectly innocent They were ignor-
ant of the schemes of the men in the in
that inner circle, and they were to divide
the Transvaal among themselves.
"They and their companies found the
money for the raid. Do you think we are
so innocent as not to know that Rhodes.
metaphorically speaking, held pistol at
the heads of certain men in England and
said to them: II you DO not support me l
ghon xrntf nd nil ri " In
the raid?'"
Arming at the Time.
At this stage. according to Mr.. Robin
son, President Kruger became more excit-
ed and shouted SO loudly that people In
the street stopped to listen to the conver-
sation. Mr.. Kruger then said:
"And now you are demonstrating with
me about arming. 1t Is time am arming
and it is because / see clearly that must
defend my country"
To this Mr.. Robinson replied: '"The
British public is aroused. II any attempt
were made again to enter this country
there would be a great outcry In Eng
land, and the imperial authorities would
take steps to punish the organizers and to
prevent such freebooting expeditions
President Kruger, approached Mr.. Rob-
inson, placed hand on his shoulder,
made violent effort to suppress his ex-
citement and said:
"You mean well. but have lost ali
confidence. What has happened would
take place again. and I am determined
TO guard against it,
Later MIR. Kruger said:
what is to prevent Rhodes and his
coadiutors again engineering some dia-