People's Pilot, Volume 5, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 January 1896 — BRITAIN IS INVOLVED. [ARTICLE]

BRITAIN IS INVOLVED.

WAR SEEMS INEVITABLE IN THE TRANSVAAL. Armed Force of the British South African Company Invades the Territory of the Boers —Chamberlain Orders Them to Return. Berlin, Jan. 1. —An alarming telegram has been received here from Pretoria, Transvaal, which states that an armed force of the British South Africa company, numbering 800 men, with six Maxim guns and other artillery pieces, is reported to have invaded the Transvaal territory. A telegram from Pretoria further states that the British force has already reached the vicinity of Rustenburg and is advancing upon Johannesburg. On learning of the news President Kruger of Transvaal ordered that a further advance of the invaders should be prevented by force of arms, and he issued a proclamation upon all burghers to defend the country. An armed conflict as a result of the appeal is inevitable. London, Jan. 1. —A dispatch to the Times from Cape Town says, consequent upon a letter signed by the leading inhabitants of Johannesburg, which was sent to Dr. Jameson, at Mafeking, on Saturday, Dr. Jameson on Sunday crossed the Transvaal frontier, near Mafeking, with 700 men. It is known that he passed Melmani at 5 o’clock on Monday morning. No further direct news has been received from Transvaal. Mr. Joseph Chamberlain, secretary of state for the colonies, returned to London unexpectedly and remained at the colonial office the whole day Tuesday, from 10 o’clock in the morning until 7 o’clock in the evening. The Times in an editorial thinks that the letter hardly justified Dr. Jameson’s startling move. It is known in official circles that in the course of the day Mr. Chamberlain wired to Dr. Jameson ordering him to return without delay to the company’s territory. The Times understands that Dr. Jameson’s force is well provisioned for fqur day’s march. It will probably take him four days to reach Johannesburg and the opposing forces. It is estimated that the Boer force, well armed, consists of from 800 to 1,000 men with Maxim, guns and about 5,000 burghers armed with their own rifles.