The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-26
The War Party at st. Petersburg Urging the
Emperor to Consent to an Order for
the Immediate Seizure of Herat.
Russia Will Not Submit the Disputed
Points to Outside Mediation.
Both Nations Continue Preparations for Max,
ing War on Large Scale-Further About
the Bosphore- -Egyptien Difficulty.
THE FEELING IN ENGLAND.
The Masses Not Anxious to Fight, but They
Will Follow Gladstone's Lead.

The Masses Not Anxious to Fight, but They
Will Follow Gladstone's Lead.
LONDON, April 25-To night the situation ap
pears to be very serious. 1t looks as if Russia
desires war, and as if England will be compelled
to accept challenge to fight. Even many Of
the superstitious folks point to ''omens.n One
of these s'omens" is thus alluded to by person
who makes such things study: 'The only
time last fall that Mr.. Gladstone made himself
conspicuous, socially, was when he appeared 10
theater box the night the news came about.
Gordon's death. The juxtaposition of pleasure
and catastrophe on that occasion symbolized
Fate mocking over the end of British prestige in
Africa. Thursday morning the PRIMER invited
an American actress to banquet with him. At
breakfast, and while the meal was in progress,
dynamite tried to destroy the Admiralty build
ing. This was Revelry colliding with Devasta-
ton, and it signifed Destiny enjoying the fall Of
England on the seas"
The common people of England, that is, those
who read or gossip at the pubs" and know
what is going on, seemed to believe that there
will be war; but they are not enthusiastic at it
London papers do not represent the mass Of the
English people. There is not a paper in London
which has any circulation among 'the millions"
glance will show that these great papers are
issued for the British politician and traders their
space contains little, if any, news Of interest to
'the herd" Now, this herd is the crowd that is
going to do the fighting, if any is to be done.
and if you go among the people who compose it
you will find whore the least jingoism in Eng
land is 1t is easy enough to get the herd to
fight. All you have to do is to make it believe
England has been insulted. But you could
hardly get the herd to furnish a recruit to fight
for any such thing as is at present in dispute be-
tween England and Russia, in ASIA if the herd
really knew what the row was about.
Mr.. Gladstone, more than any Premier Eng
land ever had, is development Of the British
populace. He has probably not single affinity
with anything aristocratic, or with mere diplo-
macy His sympathies are essentially with the
people, the herd. He doesn't think that a diplo-
matte insult, for instance, or mere push
against prestige, is sufficient cause for war.
His enemies even go so FAR as to say Mr.. Glad
stone would have allowed the Soudan to slip
away rather than fight for it, but for Gordon,
and that he does not consider the retention of
India worth the cost of q war with Russia.
Mr.. Gladstone has given no sign of what he
thinks about the present situation, except to
indicate that he prefers to not fight, if he can
avoid it, If he decides to fight, he will fight
hard, and fight to win, and the whole English
people will be with him, because they know per-
fectly we'll that he values soldiers lifo higher
than does any other statesman in Europe, and
that when he appeals to the sword, it is the last
of 1,eb,, - ofx 4J1.n
source.
1t is this characteristic of the British Premier,
coupled with his supreme reticence during the
past few days, which makes thoughtful men be-
lieve that war is imminent 1t is everywhere
taken for granted that Russias expected reply
to England's recent remonstrance against Gen.
Komaroffs account of his conduct at Penjdeh,
will be at least evasive. 1t is even thought the
Car will endeavor to justify Komaroff's action,
and establish its rectitudesfrom the very text of
Sir Peter Lumsdens account of the conduct Of
the Afghans The attitude of money to day is
Que of doubt and uncertainty concerning the
Anglo Russian situation. The financial markets
may be described as stagnant. There seems to
be an inability on the part of even the greatest
fnancers to get at the exact intention of Eng
land Capitalists are at present lending their
money from day to day; they get good terms ON
these cali loans and seem afraid to loan for longer
periods. The holders of Russian securities, both
in England and in Germany, are slow to part with
their investments. This reluctance may be ex-
planned, of course in two ways. 1t may be
said that the small investors initiating the
large holders, who, they suppose, are ''on the
Incl 10 and Zoo hat hax-a
posed superior information On the other hand,
it may be explained that the steadiness main
tanned by Russian stocks in the markets is main
ly due to the refusal of the holders to offer freely
for fear of causing a too rapid decline. This
latter if the true explanation, would make it
clear how it has been that Russian securities
have been steadier than the seriousness of the
situation has warranted. The fear to break val
ues by selling too rapidly would also stitfen
Russian securities by deceiving ordinary specu-
lators, who would buy on small offerings, on the
supposition that they showed peace to be assured.
The London Spectator says that it thinks
that the very persistence with which the Russian
papers are urging the SEIZURE of Herat is an ev-
idence that they have been inspired for the pur-
pose of repairing the Russian public mind for the
event The Spectator goes SO far as to say it
believes that tine seizure of Herat has already
been ordered by the Gar, and declares that
British troops will be powerless to prevent its
capture The security of Herat against Russian
occupation the Spectator thinks, now depends
entirely upon the courage of the Afghans who
may defend the city against the Russian in
vasion.
Nearly all of the London newspapers have per-
feeted arrangements for securing by special tele-
gram news from the scene Of hostilties in tho
event of war between England and Russia. The
Times and the Standard are the only papers
which have arranged to secure exclusive tele-
grams. Most of the other metropolitan papers
have gone into syndicates with the provincial
press.
The Economist, commenting upon the situa-
ton. saws it looks as ii the remainder of Europe
would remain quiet during the struggle. II war