Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1900-03-07
SOUTH AFRICA

London, March CA special to The
Ilmes from Lourenco Marques, dated
March +, says that reports persist that
the Iransyaal has opened negotiations
Tor peace. On the other hand, it is as
serted the Beers will make stand at
Glencoe and Laingsnek and that in the
meantime the intrenchments at Pretoria
are being extended in anticipation of Il
siege. A conference between the Boer
presidents, it is added and the Boer
commander in northern Natal was hur-
rledly arranged on receipt of the news of
General Cronjes surrender.
Until Thursday night official confirma-
ton of the surrender was withheld. Pres.
ident Kruger sent fervid religious np-
peal to be read to the burghers, urging
them to stand fast and strive in the name
of the Lord, for unless they had faith in
him cowardice would set in, and their po-
stion would be hopeless the moment they
turned their backs to the enemy. Their
past victories, he declared, showed that
the Lord was on their side. The presi-
dent besought the burghers not to bring
destruction on their progeny.
The dispatch quotes a high authority in
Bloemfontcin as declaring that in the
event of repulsc of the Free State
forces the latter will retire toward the
| Transvaal and unite with their brethren
there, maintaining the struggle to the
! last.
The Boer casualties at Colenso during
the week ended Feb % are reported to
be 81 killed and 100 wounded.
The British Budget.
The house of commons was crowded,
and all the public galleries were thronged
in anticipation of the budget statement.
The return of the chancellor Of the ex-
cheQuer Sir Michael Hicks Beach, intro
ducing the budget, shows that an ex-
penditure of t$1o4, 0S2 600 has to be pro-
vided for in the budget of 1901. The
same statement shows that the exchequer
account of 1899 1900 would have given a
surplus of upward of $4,000 900. but that
the supplementary war estimates of f23.-
100000 makes the expenditure exceed
the revenue by f17.770,0O0.
The chancellor of the exchcQuer, after
laying the figures before the house, point
ed out that the country had to face to-
tai estimated expenditure in consequence
of the war no less than six times as much
as had. been estimated in October last.
He explained the various reasons which
led to the early introduction of the budg-
ct, including "a desire to afford both our
adversarics and foreign critics proof of
our earncstness in the work in which we
arc engaged"
He next explained the present financial
situation, dwelling with satisfaction on
the increase in the actual overestimated
revenue being due to the steady and sub
stantial increase of business, pointing
out that the increase in the value and
volume of foreign exports had been quite
exceptional and that it was not the eX-
pense Of home industries.
Reviewing the principal items of reve-
nue.. the chancellor of the eXcheguer said
tobacco had been disappointing and that
the increase in wines was not as large
as expected, which was perhaps due to
the absence of the ordinary winter fes-
tivities.
Against the estimated expenditure of
t15i. US2 600 for the coming year. the
chancellor of the eXchequcr estimated the
revenue. on the existing basis of taxa
ton, at fllG,900, 900, or deficit of i37,-
100000.
Dealing with the war expenditures. he
said the government had made the best
calculations rs to the amount it ought to
ask from parliament With the view of a
successful prosecution of the war. But
it was impossible to be certain when the
war would be concluded, and the cXpend-
iturc might be larger. On the other
hand, however, Il happy change had re-
Gently taken place in the military situa.
ton and it was fact that the season
now approaching was, in the opinion of
all the authorities, unfavorable for Boer
operations.
British Plan of Campaign.
The air of mystery which covers the
movements of the main British army in
South Africa continues. though what in