The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1885-04-25

lies could nave been obtained as QuiCk4
ly and cheaply at home. What has
called for the sharpest criticism are the
contracts entered into with an American
firm to supply certain powerful duplex
pumps for pumping condensed sea-
water from the Red Sea as far inland
from Suakim as might be necessary, and
with certain other American firms for
supplying large amount of canned
meats for the army. The trade Jour
mails threaten the Government with all
SORTS OF terrible things, and alege that
these contracts could have been placed
with English firms who were better able
to supply these commodities than the
Americans, and at a much lower cost tc
the Government.
sPECULAToRs AS WAR NEws-MoNGERs.
LONDON, April l9.-Mr. Gladstone APP
pears to have his entire case well in
hand, seems to be unembarrassed by the
prospect and undoubtedly has the full
sympathy and cooperation of his entire
Cabinet. AS sporting man states it,
"Mr. Gladstone is playing a waiting
game, and knows all the cards" 1t
would appear from this that the Premier
has another coup de theater prepared for
next weeks vote of credit day. Hence,
although all the surface indications war
rant the statement that the prospect is
one OF peace, the only description of the
actual situation which can be given as
literally accurate is contained in
the statement: "TBe sltua.
ton is practically unchanged" Of
course, such a statement is rather oracu.
lar, but so Is the situation, for no one
outsid the Cabinet seems to know Just
what 1t is. 1t may be set down as abso-
lutely true that the rise and fall of war
talk during the ten days past has been
largely due to the speculative money in
terested in making sales or purchases
Never in the history of modern times has
such vast amount of money been inter-
ested in the change of public opinion OF
single nation. The enormous sums in
vested out and out by Berlin, Vienna, Par
is and London capitalists in Russian secur-
tiles and British consols have compelled
vast and powerful interest to maintain
and spread good news. The owners of
the millions Of idle money in London and
in the continental bourses, seeking in
vestment, constitute, on the other hand,
an equally powerful class, whose interest
1t is TO break values by securing and cir
culating bad news. This struggle to re-
tain against this battle to sell has been
largely responsible for most of the war
news given to the public during the past
fortnight. Very little news has origl-
mated in any form from either the Rus
sian or English Government. The Rus
sian Generals are good and ambitious for
fame, but no one supposes they are mar
ket spectators.
England never had a ministry purer
than the present Cabinet. 1t is not only
above suspicion, but out of suspicious
reach.
PREPARING IN EARNEST.
The gun-works of Sir VIM. Armstrong
have been given large number OF new
war orders. Among these is an orderfor
seventy small field pieces, and another
for 400 Nordenfeldt guns. Russia is
strongly fortifying Sweaborg.
CHARTERING CRUISERS.
Hong KONG, April l9.-The British
Government is chartering steamers be-
| longing 10 the Peninsula and Oriental
line and transforming them into armed
cruisers.
AFTER THE SHAFTS DoMINIoN5.
LONDON, April l9.-The Spectator says
that, after clutching Herat, Russia will
| be almost certain to run her attention to
Persia, and attempt to secure control oil
the Shah's dominions by combined at.
tack from Armenia and the Khanates.
me possession of such fertile country
as Persia, situated so favorably, the
| Spectator thinks, would be most valuable
to Russia in an aggressive movement
southwark. Tine only disadvantage which
possession would entail upon Russia
would arise from her subsequent ex'
posure and at ack from the sea, her seclu.
from which has hitherto been source Of
great security.
Ine Government has decided to station
a number of armed merchantmen at the
South African Cape, at Bonn
bay, at Sydney and elsewhere as a pro-
visional means of defense for British in
terests in those quarters Of the world in
case of an Anglo-Russian war.
ENGusH-PERsIAN ALLIANCE.
The Stats advocates the formation Of
a close alliance between England and
Persia. Such an alliance, it is urged,
would enable England, in the event OF
war with Russia, to cut off Russia's line
of communication.