| Show END IN SIGHT Speculation Rife Regarding I Probability of f an I Early Peace i 1I 1 I I RECEIE FIVE MESSAGES Kruger and Steyn Ask for Cessation of Hostilities I WAR OFFICIALS SURPRISED I It is Understood According to n SemiOfficial Statement Issued in London that tho Government Does not Consider that tho Time Has Come for an Authoritative Statement State-ment as to Ultimate Terms of Peace It is if Course Understood that tho Conditions which Existed Bo foro the War Cannot Remain Unaltered Un-altered After the Close of Hostili ties Prospect for Restored Peace Must be Further Advanced Before Government Can Finally Formulate Proposed Terms I London March Speculation Is rife regarding the probability of an early peace President Krugcns appeal to Lord Salisbury for a cessation of hostilities hos-tilities announced on Friday is taken ti tes as foreshadowing that the end will soon be in sight The Governments views arc probably enunciated In he following follow-ing semiofficial statement Issued last night nllhtI i understood that the Government docS1ot con derrt1C tho time I has yet como for an authoritutfvcT statement ap to ultimate terms of peace and no member of tho Cabinet has authorized any public statement on the subject I is of course generally understood among all political parties in this country coun-try that so far as the South African republics are concerned the status quo antebellum cannot remain unaltered after the close of hostilities Their part In the system which involved in-volved a large measure of political and military independence will of course I be materially modified as a result of the war but the growing prospects of restored re-stored peace must be further advanced before her Majestys Government can either finally formulate propose terms of settlement or make any announcement announce-ment of their plan FIVE MESSAGES RECEIVED Several papers l announce that the Government on luesday received five messages from President Kruger and President Steyn in Dutch asking upon what terms n cessation of hostilities could be brought about The messages I surprised and delighted the department concerned While their tenor was understood un-derstood it was found necessary to summon persons thoroughly capable of accurately Interpreting the messages all of which were fed at Bloemfontein CABINET CONSIDERS PROPOSALS I The Cabinet convened on Wednesday to consider the messages and It is believed be-lieved an uncompromising reply was sent which Is known to have reached Blocmfontein by the same means as the Boer cablegram reached the Government Govern-ment The nature of the reply was such as to lead to n further but gradual retirement re-tirement of the Boer forces trement The new war loan which the stock exchange has christened Khakis has proved most popular and has been already al-ready thrice covered exclusively of applications ap-plications from the provinces tile colonies 1 col-onies and the continent I Is understood under-stood that offers have been received from the United States to take up the whole which 1 Is expected will be covered ten to twenty times Dealings have taken place at UJ4 to 2V per cent I premium |
