New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-05-24
BRITISH PERPLEXITIES.
A REVIEW BY ARCHIBALD FORBES.
THE CABINET CRIsis-MR. CHAMBERLAIN FIGHTING
THE PREMIER-GLOOM AT HOME AND ABROAD.
Copyright, 1855.
lBY CABLE To TIE TRIBUSE.I

fcally ominous. The hitch in the Anglo
Russian negotiations Is a very serious
the minds of those best informed the Cabinet dis
sensions, after brOodng for time have
reached an acute s;age Anglo-Egyplian af-
fairs are badly dlsorganized; the Eastern Soudan
IS iermcnting with fanaticism and hates
and the relations with France are much strained
Altogether the outlook is grim one.
Beginning with troubles regarding Ireland
which is, however, reasonably peaceful, the Radical
section OF the Cabinet, headed by Mr. Chamberlain
and Sir Charles Dixie, were opposed to a
renewal of the Crimes Act. while Lord Spencer
has absolutely insisted a renewal as necea-
sary, supported by the Wing section, including
| Lord Harrington. The Radical Ministers yielded
at last reluctantly, stipulating that the cocrcvo
cnaciments should be reduced to a minimum, that
local government should be allowed, aud that land
purchase legislation should be instituted III new
! Parliament. SO the arrangement stood when the
| Premier sprung surprise in the Land-Purcbasc
lill in the present Parliament, amazing
! Mr. Chamberlain and Sir Charles Dixie
Such n measure. say they, could only be beneficial
connected with and following on an extended sys-
! ten OF local government. They rs cert that the
local government loans necessary To Irish farmers
| could only be made useful by the application and
credit of local government bodies As a cOmpro-
mise OF he quarrel they exact that the renewal of
! the Crimes Act shall be for only year. and are
re>Oluto on this point This information | have
directly from high Cabinet Minister Mr. Glad
stone IL inclined to side with the II, but he
| has TO deal with n Wing majority in the
Cabinet who oppose concession rs en-
failing embarrassment in the forthcoming
general election. I, Wing candidates Me5-rs.
| Chamberlain, IN kc and Shaw-LofcvTo will scccde
| from the Cabinet unless the demand is accorded.
| Lord Randolph Churchill supports the demand and
viii probably carry numerous Conservatives. John
Morley has given notice Of motion for the re-
lection of the Crimcs Act presumably insigated
by hr. Chamberlain. involving the forGl ion Of
a clique Of Radicals below the gangway
against the Government Under such conditions,
although The Premier with th" support of the Con
,crvaiyes and the loyal Radicals would be able
to meet what opp Ostlon the secession Radicals
might array he would probably yield, and so his
Radical associates would carry their point. Mr..
Chamberlain has comered his chef and there is
little doubt that the latter will give way The ne.
result will be that Mr. Parncll will triumph. and
that in exchange thu Irish will vote for the Radicals
in the English constituencies.
but broader questions are involved in Mr. Cham
berlans attitude His position ~ based on the log
icll contcntol that t. aud immensely IN
creased constituencies he has left prompt astc ld OF
postponed arbiiramcutcn infinitely the most mpor-
ttut question Oi NdilonAl pOllty II IL DC
true. as the Eadcal journal, The Pail NAL Gazette,
contends. that the British vorkiugman shudders at
the spc Of an irish reign Of terror, and will not
so.uple at coercivo measures 10 avert that
grim appautIOn, then lac. in his additional
two million votes. will not hesitate 10 express him
self to THIS effect nc tho general election in Novcm
her II this be his view, Radical candidates will
have but poor show. auda Conservative majority.
as The PdH Nal Ga. he predicts. will re-cnact the
4
and Mr.. Chamberlain to oboquy and discontinue .
IT, on tho other hand. the constituencies rcfus,
TO he led By the nose by Dublin Castle. despsc
Lord Spencers ominous predictions, and accept the
belief that Ireland is to be permanently placated,
not by bayOnets aud batons, but by benign lcgIsla
ton they will return candidates holding Mr.. Cham
berlain's views and the country will have vindi-
Gated his prcsccncc of its opinion. No moro crucial
test of the sincerity and commences of the convic
tons of the said Radical section Of the Cabinet could
be given than that they arc content TO stake their
future ON the verdict OF the now constituencies and
are defending these against legislation which
would postpone their expression OF opinion on
burning questions Doubtless tho end of the recess
will prove Mr.. Gladstonos anxiety to hold together
his team till the curtain falls on moribund Parlia
mcnt and general elcction. Then he will prob
ably retire. Tho Premier is getting TO be very
shaky In health. his physique s much impaired,
his temper gone, and his voice ruined. That once
wonderful organ that charmed men by the nero !
magic OF its music injured during the !
Midlothian campaign by the giving way of some
cord Since then his hoIrscncss has increased to /
an alarming extent. IL is only when reused by |
sOmo very strong emotion that his tones have |
suggestion of their old clarion ring; ut other times
he ~ almost inaudbc. At Miss Tenants mar
ragc, on Thursday. he proposed the health of the
t..tI anil in lR Dp
heard only with the greatest difficulty at the end of
Grosvenor Square dining room.
Abstentlon on the part of a civilized Power from
ratifying arrangement accepted by her am-
bassador and her special envoy is fact very rare
in the history of diplomacy. IL IL SO at odds with
all the traditions and cOurtesics OF international
intercourse that 10 seems necessarily to conceal
soe dryiere pensee some trcacherous purpose. This
in the case of Russia would be by no means ncOn-
sistent with the methods shs has developed from
the beginning IL is not wonderful, then' that the
non acceptance by the Car and his advisers OF the
delimitation line settled between Lord Kim
bcrey and Baron do Staal, aud NJ. Lessar
stimulated a rank crop of startling alarmst re-
ports. The of danger is heightened by the
obstinate reticence of the Ministers regarding the
noints at issue. The truth of the matter believe
to he somewhat "a follows Immediately the agree
ment was announced n number OF the most IN
nuentia London papers freely expressed their
opinion and bowailed EnGand's surrender, protest
ing that the Ministry would sacrifice the last ditch
rather than fight. The Russian Government
failed to take into account the untramclled charac-
tor of the English press, and these utterancos IN
sprcd the astute advisers of the Car with the De
lief that the newspapers reflected the real attitude
of Great Britain and that tho Ministry was easily
soueezablo to much greater extent than was ut
first deemed possible even by the arrogant military
faction having the ear of the Russian ruler 90
negotiations were hung up and are kept 80. IL Is