Waterbury Democrat., 1902-05-24
PEACE NOW ASSURED
Not Yet Announced, but De-
 lay Is Only Technical.
BRITISH TERMS SAID TO BE LIBERAL

One Reason For SIowness Is That
 Boer Leaders While Themselves
 For Peace Arc Unable to Guar~
 antee Action of Followers.
 LONDON, May 24.-There is every reason to believe that peace in South Africa is practically secured. How soon 1t will be announced depends appar- ently more upon the convenience of the Boer leaders than upon the incli- nation of the British government. The private and official advices just re- ceived in London from South Africa all point to the same conclusion. The delay is technical, and to end the long war seems to be the desire of both Brit ish and Boer leaders. The latter, how ever, are unable to convince all their followers of the wisdom of acquiescing to the terms of peace.
 Information as to what transpired- at yesterdays meeting of the cabinet : is closely guarded, but it is not likely that the cabinet transaction were of vital import The surmise of one well informed person places the sum total of the deliberations of the cabinet ministers at decision regarding points of the peace agreement of entirely mi nor importance.
 Another surmise is that the cabinet has merely sent a rather mock ultima tum to South Africa which can be used by the Boer leaders in explanation to their forces. Both these surmises prob ably contain an element of truth, but neither can in any way affect the wide spread belief in the best informed quar- ters that the end of the war has come.
 In fact, those persons who are best acquainted with the actual details of the present negotiations only qualify this optimistic expression of opinion by guarded reservations concerning the extent of the personal control of the Boer leaders over their commands.
 Were the Boers a thoroughly disci- plined force, dependent upon the action of their general officers, peace would probably be proclaimed at once, but Botha, De Wet and the other generals themselves seem unable positively to guarantee the degree to which their ex- ample will be followed.
 The delegates at yereeniging. accord ing to information in possession of the war office, are fairly evenly divided. Consequently extreme precautions are exercised both in London and Pretoria to prevent any premature action or re- port which might adversely influence the burghers.
 The most pessimistic forecast heard only admits that few isolated bands of irreconcilables may be left in the field.
 A member of the house of commons who is in close touch with the govern ment said to a press representative last night that he believed everything was settled and that the British terms would be found unexpectedly liberal.
 The British public is still quite igno- rant of the course of events in South Africa, and there are no demonstra- tions on the London streets, although on all sides the question asked is, 'Is it peace?" On the other hand, the Stock Exchange throughout the day was a seething mass of brokers who eagerly bought South African, while long after the close of the exchange nearly a thousand brokers crowded Throgmorton street and did a frantic curb business on the strength of the peace outlook.
 The appearance of MT. Brodrick, the secretary of state for war, at the vol unteer service dinner last night was watched eagerly i'll the hope of gaining an inkling of the governments private frame of mind. But Mr. Brodrick's listeners had to be contented with one brief and adroitly turned reference to the present situation. Responding to the toast, "The Imperial Forces" the war secretary said:
 q would go beyond my duty should enter into details of the communica- tions which are now passing and which prelude, as we all hope, the surrender of the Boers.'
 Mir. Brodrick then proceeded to re- iterate the oft declared intention of the government not to be drawn into any compromise which would jeopardize future peace in South Africa.