The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-01-16
Gen. Warren Reported in Front Of
Beers Position.
Gen. Roberts Reports That Nothing
Important Has Happened

London, January 15.-4 q. m.-Gen.
be and his $1,000 men are doing, was
wired from Springfield after his first
forward step. Striving to think out the
unknown, London Is confused by sur
mise and rumor aud disQuieted BY sus-
PENCE Mr.. Spencer Wilkinson, the lucid
military expert OF the Morning Post, AS
serts that the Bosr force In Northern
Natal Is larger than General Buffers and
sir George whites togssher so that the
Beers are able to leave force around
Ladysmith larger than that within the
town and yet to oppose Gen. Butler with
fore, 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 nearer the town, thus hberating re-
inforoenients to oppose Gen. Butler.
Mr.. j. b. Robinson, the South Afri-
can millionaire. In signed article In the
Daily News, this morning. relates con-
vsrsations he has had with President
Kruger, and describes several inter-
views In which the Jameson raid was
talked over. On one OF these occasions
Presi dent Kruger said:
"Do you mean to tell me that you do
not know that the men who organized
and engineered the raid organized 1t for
their own benefltS They had decided
how they would divide the Transvaal
and how each OF the parties was to have
certain interests In this country.
"Many reformers who were put in
jail were perfectly innocent. They were
igu GRANT OF the schemes Of the men from
the inner circle. There were only IL
men In that inner circle and they were
to divide the Transvaal among them
selves.
"They and their companions found the
money for the raid Do you think we
are so Innocent as not to know that
Rhodes, metsphorically speaking. held
a pistol at the heads of certain men n
England and said to them: If you do
not support me. l shall denouncs you
and your com plioity In the raid
At this stage, according to Mr.. Robin
son, President Kruger became more ex-
oited and shouted SO loudly that people
In the street stopped to listen to the con-
versation. Mr.. Kruger then said;
"And now you are demonstrating with
me about arming. 1t is true l am arm
ing, aud 1t IL because see clearly that
must defend my country"
10 this Mr.. Robinson replied:
"The British public Is aroused. II any
attempt were made again to enter this
country there would be great outcry
in England; aud the imperial authorities
would take steps to punish the organi-
zsrs and to prevent such free -booting sx-
peditions.
President Kruger approached Mr.. Rob-
insos, placed hand on his shoulder
made a violent effort to suppress his ex-
citement and said;
"You mean we'll, but have lost all
confidence. What has happened would
take place again and l am determined
TO guard against IT."
Later Mr.. Kruger said!
"what is to prevent Rhodes and his
co. adjutors again engineering some dia-
bolical attempt against the Independence
Of my countryi
Mr.. Robinson purposes to publish
book giving 1.-THE true history Of the
Jameson raid"
Ths Birmingham Mail, the organ Of
MIR. Joseph Cham berlain. says:
Eve understand on the highest authori.
ty that, II the government Is defeated In
parliament on the question Of ths war,
the cabinet will Immediately appeal to
the country. all the ministsrs having de-
oided to stand together and NOT to per-
NIT any individual minister to be made
q scapssoat."