The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1885-05-30

since the war excitement began, has kept
almost open house. Dinners, receptions
and parties, bringing the representatives
of diplomacy of Europe together under
his roof, have followed each other In
rapid succession, and at this moment the
best inforSed man on foreign affairs
In Great Britain, after Lord Granville,
Is he who would instantly step into
Gladstone's shoes In the event of
change Of parties. Count Munster, the
German ambassador, and the iCountess
are close friends of the Salisburys All
the recent dinners at the town house of
Lord Salisbury have been followed by re-
captions, attended largely by members of
both houses of Parliament, who have Just
been brought face to face with the for
eign ambassadors and ministers, and
members of the entire diplomatic corps.
When Lord Salisbury starts the state
ment that the time has come 10 substi-
tute action for words, that the pen must
be dropped and the sword taken up,
all the organs of public opinion possess
sing accurate sources OF information fol-
low in the same warning tone, and the
hopes inspired by the alliance rumors
grow faint and the actual prospect be-
comes more distinctly defined.
VALUELEss RUMoRs.
A member of the Government, who,
from his intimate relations with the treas.
ury bench, must necessarily be accurate
ly informed, said last evening: "The
positive statements you hear from day to
day IN quarters usually rejecting State
affairs do not necessarily mean that mat
tiers have reached definite stage one way
OF the other They frequently do no
more than indicate momentary hitch or
| passing phase. When it is stated, for In
stance, that the Guards have been ordered
| TO stop at Alexandria, on their way home,
something may have occurred calling Tor
a demonstration of some sort. And so
with hundred instances that have re-
Gently come to light, in no idle spirit OF
display, but with serious intention OF
proving that material resources exist, ana
that more of the same sort can be found
when the dire necessity arises, are these
demonstrations made. Further drafts OIL
British troops under orders for home
from Egypt have been suddenly stopped
by telegraph from the Horse Guards in
consequence of the threatened com0ina-
tions of the powers hostile to British in
terests in their country"
WILL HOLD on TO EGYPT.
Before separating, the Cabinet are un:
derstood to have arrived at a unanimous
resolve to keep possession of Egypt at all
cost during the present unsettled state
of affairs. There are on board French
Government ships passing through the
canal, in harbor at both ends and al
points in the Mediterranean and the Red
Sea within easy steaming distance, q
force estimated at 5000 men OF all arms,
and in official quarters 1t is said there is
absolute certainty that the trooping ar
rangements of the French War Office in
sure an equally large force being con
stantly in the vicinity awaiting the British
evacuation. The departure of the last
British garrison would be the signal for
French occupation. Excuses as good as
those which were held to justify the BON
bardment of Alexandria by the British
exist in abundance.
OTHER NATIONS AT HAND.
British troops are concentrating at Al
exandria, points along the canal, Suei
and at Alden, and the naval force in these
waters and at both ends of the canal il
being quietly strengthened. The French
are reinforcing their garrisons in thu
North African stations and ON the Soutt
Mediterranean coasts. Italy is accumu
lating war material for two corps d'arme'
at the arsenals and dock-yards on the
Mediterranean. The Turkish garrison
in the Balkan districts, on the Black Sea
in the northern districts in Asia and oil
the newly acquired Russian frontier arr
being rapidly strengthened, and a proc
of the extent of the war preparations nov
going on is afforded by the fact that al
conscripts liable to service have unex
pectedly been ordered into barracks fol
training. and the War Department is rails
ing the army as rapidly as means ALLOW
to war strength.
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