The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-04-14
HOPE FOR PEACE INCREASED
THE BOER LEADERS HOLD CON-
 FERENCE IN PRETORIA.
Another Cabinet Meeting-Important Dispatches Passing Between Kitchener and the Government-Chamb m berlsin Confers Wtth the King for Two Hours

London, April 13.--The announcement of the presence at Pretoria of the Or ange Free State and Transvaal leaders and generals who have been at Klerks- dorp considering terms of peace, has caused a decided increase in the hope fitness of the public concerning the possibilities of peace.
 The expectations aroused by the con- ference at Pretoria have been further heightened by the movements of MT. Chamberlain, the colonial secretary, and other members of the cabinet, in London, as well as evidences that inn portant dispatches are passing between Lord Kitchener and the government. A conference of members of the cabinet was held last night at midnight in MT. Chamberlain's house. MT. Chamber lain, Mir Brodrick, the war secretary; Sir Michael Hicks Beach, the chancellor of the exchequer, and the duke of Dew onshire, president of the council, were present The conference terminated at 1 o'clock this morning and to-day Mir.
 
 office officials were in their offices. Mes sengers passed between them and Sir Michael Hicks Beach at his residence. At 1:30 this afternoon MT. Chamber lain drove to Buckingham palace and remained with King Edward for two hours. During the afternoon messen- gers carried dispatches from the for eign office to Lord Salisbury, who, with Mr. Balfour the government leader in the house of commons was at Hatfield house. These outward signs of Sunday activity have not been supplemented by any authentic or official statement. The question most discussed thus far has been whether the peace negotiations would affect the governments financial proposals, which promise to be submit- ted to parliament tomorrow. The fact that Sir Michael HicksBeach was en- gagged in his office most all day is taken in some quarters to indicate modif1ca- tion of the budget statement.
 There appears to be no doubt that the Boer leaders have communicated the results of their deliberations to Lord Kitchener. Attempts will be made in parliament tomorrow to draw out what information the government has on the South African situation and to learn it's intentions, but it is not expected that the government can forecast the prob able outcome of the negotiations. What ever instructions have been sent to Lord Kitchener are believed to be- only provisional in character.
 London, April 14.-The comparative ly brief duration of the conferences at Klerksdorp is regarded as an indication that the Boer leaders found little diff ficulty in agreeing upon some basis of negotiation. The transfer of the nego- tiations to Pretoria where both Lord Kitchener and Lord Miner, the British high commissioner in South Africa, are at present, is interpreted by the morn- ing papers as meaning that the Boers are prepared to make formal peace pro- posals.
 The latest reports received here from | the Boer headquarters at Brussels and | The Hague declare that the delegates | will raise no opposition if honorable terms are granted, and that the Boer leaders in South Africa have agreed to accept the maximum obtainable.