Show PROBABLY A S GAME OF BLUFF Britain Makes a Big Showing of Her Naval Prowess WAR FEELING SUBSIDING The Czar and Kaiser Beating Round the Bush The Boers Increasing Their Armed Forces in the Transvaal American Amer-ican Interests In Africa Will Be Protected on Cltamuerlains Promise PORTSMOUTH Jan HThe first class battleship Revenge the flagship of the flying squadron carrying 732 officers and men with Rear Admiral Alfred T Dale in command firstclass battleship Royal Oak 712 officers and men firstclass cruiser Gibraltar 544 officers and men and tropedo catchers Handy Harland and Havoc each carrying 50 men were commissioned at 0 oclock this morning The usual salutes were fired and the scene was very effective ver effectve There was an early morning parade of the sailors and marines alongside the the vessels just prepared for sea men being all in white working rig Both corns of marines wore white foreign for-eign service helmets and were escorted into the yard by bands of music They were received with enthusiastic cheers by the crowds gathered at every available avail-able noinr The reserves are under orders to be ready to leave the harbor as soon as roossible and will await the arrival of the other portion of the flying squadron squad-ron from Chatham and Davenport consisting of the firstclass cruiser Thesus secondclass cruisers Charyo dis and Hermoine and three firstclass 2000 torpedo catchers carrying over officers and men All the last named vessels were also commissioned this morning I is understood Admiral Dale is under orders to take the flying squadron squad-ron Saturday from Spithead to Ber haven on the south coast of Ireland with sealed orders relative to future movements The officers and men have all prepared pre-pared for a long absence from England and in some quarters it is believed a tour of the world is contemplated Forces to Be Increased lor lc PRETORIA Jan 4The Volksraad met today and authorized the government govern-ment to increase the state artillery force by 400 men They also adopted a government ment resolution thanking the Orange Free State for its sisterly assistance and also Sir Hercules Robinson governor of Cape Colony and Sir Jacobus Dewet British agent at Pretoria for the powerful power-ful support they had given to the Transvaal government and for their efforts to prevent bloodshed A message was read to the Volksraad from President Krueger to the effect he intends to discuss with the Rand in later and calmer moments the causes which led to the distardly plot against the state and government He was firmly resolved the message said to maintain the sacred Tights and interests inter-ests of the republic and to establish the same on a firmer and securer foundation foun-dation The brief sitting of the Volksraad then adjourned until May Dr Jameson and the officers of his raiding expedition and political prisoners prison-ers numbering 60 are still in jail here |