PREPARING FOR WAR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11148, 22 August 1899, Page 5

PREPARING FOR WAR.

TRANSVAAL TROUBLES. * i THE DELAGOA BAY INCIDENT. RESENTED BY THE BOERS, j AN ACT OF WAR, ULTIMATUM TO BRITAIN. FILLING THE TREASURY. CHESTS. ! DESPATCH OF TROOPS. TRANSVAAL AND FREE STATE. STRAINED RELATIONS. By Telegraph-Press Association -Copyright. Pretoria, August 21. The Transvaal Government has tecently sent supporters at Kimberlay, Jagersfontein, and Iliwala Kortk 150 cases of ammunition. The Transvaal Government has prohibited the export of cattle towards Kimberley. A number of Boer artillery have been sent to Komati Pass. The Rand Post declares that the stoppage of the landing of war material at Delagoa Bay is an act of war on the part of Portugal and Great Britain, and urges the acceptance of the gauntlet thus thrown down. Burghers of Pretoria have petitioned the Government to break off negotiations with Great Britain, London, August 21. The Morning Post states that it is reported that at a secret session, the Raad decided to send an ultimatum to Great Britain, unless the stoppage of the landing of arms at Delagoa Bay is withdrawn. Four hundred thousand sovereigns have been despatched by the Bank of England towards the treasury chest in the event of hostilities. The men at Woolwich are working overtime preparing camp equipments, Several million tins of meat have been despatched. The transport Goth, from Gibraltar, takes 1000 troops to Natal. Bloemfontein, August 21. The Orange Free State declares that the maintenance of the dynamite monopoly is a breach of pledges given by the Transvaal, and the relations of the Orange Free State with the Transvaal are consequently strained. Mr. F. G. Wolraarans, Chairman of the First Volksraad, has been sent here to discuss matters. London, August 20. President Kruger's reply to Mr. Chamberlain's proposal for a joint inquiry on the new franchise law is promised immediately. The communications that have heretofore passed on the subject have been verbal. Capetown, August 20. A body of mounted volunteers started to-day from East London, in Cape Colony, for Buluwayo. Their departure was marked by much enthusiasm.

NEWS BY THE MAIL. South African papers lo hand by the Papamii yesterday show that when that vessel passed I he Oape excitement was still running high all over South Africa. The newspapers contain reports of meetings in Johannesburg of Jews, of Scotch residents, and of traders, all urging the fairness of the uitlanders' claims, and meetings of British subjects to the fame effect are reported from all over South Africa. There were also Fourth of July celebrations in many' parts of the Transvaal, the term Independence Day evidently having a special and significant meaning for the uitlandor, who is hoping sincerely that the outcome of the present trouble will be to secure to him his independence. TROUBLES IN THE COUNTRY DISTRICT. The Johannesburg Star publishes the following statement by Mr. E. W. Hun, a British subject, a farmer, in the Mulder's Drift district About two months ago, when the war scare first started, several Boers came to my farm, and asked me what I intended to do ill case of war. I said I would stop where I was. They asked me to fight with them, and I said I would not fight against my own country. They then said that if I did not fight with them they would shoot me. Several farmers in the district, nil British subjects, met together to discuss the situation, and we decided, if necessary that is, in case of war—that the best thing to do was to clear. In the meantime I have sent my cattle and stock over the border to Mafeking, and several other farmers have done the same. As I was by myself on the farm, I decided to leave last Thursday, and came into town, bringing all my movable effects with me. 1 left my ploughs and liarrows, and other heavy stuff behind. I went out again on Saturday and found that not only had my house been broken into, but that oil my crops had been eaten up by cattle. I did not know at the time who owned the cattle, but on the Sunday afternoon they strayed into my fields again, and I recognised them as belonging to some Boer farmers in the district. I held the cattle, and in the evening the Boers came down to my house and asked mo what I meant by doing so. They were very abusive indeed, and, as I was by myself, I could not prevent them taking them away. I have lost the whole of my crops; in fact, lost the whole year. All the farmers in the neighbourhood who are British subjects are leaving their farms, owing lo the threats and intimidation of tho Boers. Four families left last Thursday for Mafeking, and on Saturday two more families and two single men came into Johannesburg. This week three other families are leaving, these constituting the whole of the British subjects in tho district." THE THREATENED MINING INDUSTRY. Messrs. Goers and Co., Barnato Brothers, and Ecksteins, have transferred their documents of value to Durban, to render them safe in the event of war. Referring to this, the Rand Post, a Boer organ, says:—Should not these agitating gentlemen, however, ask themselves, "Is Durban itself safe?" And will the documents ensure possession if and when the managers are convicted of sedition or high treason? Furthei, should the gentlemen not rather consider whether it is not advisable to first place their own persons in safety? They probably mean, with this Durban expedition, nothing else than to throw a little wood on the fire of unrest. But one can never know: it may be in earnest; and, if war comes, Messrs. the negotiators, the patrons of the Star, and many others, are indeed indicated beforehand for imprisonment, as the presumed authors of that- calamity. This speaks for itself. Nobody who is a little "broad-minded" will condemn them if they should appear to succumb to the great sensation of taking part in political commotion; but, on the other hand, all broad-minded Progressives, and the gentlemen referred to, will, in the first place, agree that it is not more than fair that revolutionary men should bo seized, put in tronk, and punished. This is not. intended as a threat, but more as a friendly warning. If they are afraid of war, let them, in all sincerity, 'fly, and not think about documents; for, if there be war, those suspected of agitation- will-be taken, and, : on conviction of crime, be very heavily punished.

ARMING POOR BURGHERS. Under the Commando Law, it is obligatory on each burgher to provido himself with a riflo and a certain quantity of ammunition. As regards tho bulk of the well-to-do burghers, it is well known that they are fully armed in anticipation of any contingency; and tha authorities have now mado arrangements to see that the poor burgher residents of Fordsburg and Vredcdorp, as well as the volunteers who have tendered their services to tho Government, are equally well equipped in case of any eventuality. A considerable number of Mauser rifles, with an ample supply of ammunition, have been served out. It had been a matter of complaint among tho destitute Boers that they possessed only MartiniHenry rifles, or no weapons at all. Tho supplies now being served out will remove this cause of complaint. THE TRANSVAAL CENSOR. The following are specimens of press cable* grams from London suppressed by the Transvaal Censor, but published in Cape Colony and Natal and subsequently published by the Johannesburg Star, although the copies for that newspaper were suppressed: — Tho Standard, referring to tho recently published Green Book, containing tho suzerainty correspondence, says Mr. Reitz's tone of lofty equality would bo excessive in a Gorman Chancellor or a Russian Foreign Secretary, but is absurd and impertinent in a litlo Republic, which owes its existence to British indulgence, and which, without British intervention, would long since have been eaten up by a fighting tribe of Kaffirs. Tho Westminster Gazette considers it clear that it is England's imperative duly to persuade President Kruger of her desire to do him justice, and not to humiliate him. When lie does justice, adds the Westminster, we shall feel ourselves doubly bound to defend his independence, and we, therefore, speaking in his interests as well as ours, beg him to mnko terms now rather than incur inevitable disaster for the sake of a short respite. AN EXTRAORDINARY EFFUSION. Acting Commandant Ben. Viljoen, who hal been elected to represent tho Witwatersrnnd district in the Second Raad, has circulated the following letter amongst the police and burghers, which ho has written to his own paper, the Voortrekker.: — My patience, and that of all the burghers, appears to have been absorbed in an indiarubber bag, because for years one insult from England has been worso than the other, and still we are patient as lambs. In our own country, raids are engineered, and conspiracies are promoted. English papers agitato tho British people against us, and the leagues which exist in tho English colonies havo etablished branches in tho heart of Johannesburg, and uproarious speeches aro being made. Sedition is rife, and false petitions aro drawn up for presentation, not to our Government, but to Queen Victoria. Every little corner of the india-rubber bag has been filled, and it is now about to burst. The Afrikander heart bleeds, and tears of revenge flow from his eye. The noble Afrikander mind, animated with honour, piety, and peace, is being shattered by English insults and impudent lies, which aro being spit on our oppressed people. Tho latest outburst from Chamberlain in Birmingham has given me the impression that ho is thirsting for war— he will not bo satisfied till the English flag (Union Jack) will again be completely saturated with Afrikander blood—the flag of which the British are so proud, and which lias been marked with innocent blood since the foundation of England. Who is the Afrikander who can withhold tho thought of England's rapacity and cruelty? Look at the recent blood-spilling in India, and subsequently in Egypt, where people have been killed by thousands because they refused to bend under the English yoke. Tho great Lord Kitchener, who, with uncivi* Used war weapons, Liddite, has killed dervishes by the thousand at Atbara (and. remember, the dervishes were fighting for their freedom and their country). This lord murderer has been awarded £30,000. The leagues which have brought the war to our doors are not satisfied yet with the destruction and poverty prevailing to-day in Johannesburg. No, "war," the Transvaal under the English flag, is what they will be satisfied with. Aro the English people blind? Has tha working class of the Rand been blinded? Because they still go on following those who have caused all their troubles, namely, the "League," an impudent organisation, consisting of criminals, vagrants, and robbers, who tell Chamberlain about the Edgar caso and the murder of Mrs. Applebe (which has possibly been committed by British subjects), but they forget the awful murders committed by the " Ripper" in Whitechapel, and the hundreds of murders which are daily being committed under tho very nose of Chamberlain. This is only one of the insults. Mr. Chamberlain threatens us with troops and navies, with insults and curses; but where is the burgher who is afraid? Wo aro afraid of the Lord, but not of man. Just as America has fought itself free, as Holland has fought for 80 years for its independence, and as wo did in 1880-81, wo will do again if our homo is threatened. God. the ruler of all peoples, forbid; 'but we believe strongly that if we aro engaged in a war, God and the " Mauser" will save our independence.