The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-07-29
FOREIGN AFFAIRS.

| Speculations Concerning the New Admin
| istratiOn - The Present Ouiescent Atti-
| tude of the Irish-AlIeged ROttenness in
! the War Department-An Investigation
! Denied by the War Secretary - Official
| Babes.
! LONDON, July 22.-Thc Queen has &C.
cepted Gladstone's resignation, as usual,
without the slightest hesitation and with
out even extending to him the usual in
vitation to advise her as to lis successor.
The Marquis of Salisbury will arrive at
Osborn, from Royal, in Auvergne, either
tonight or tomorrow morning. The
/ Duke of Argyll and Mr.. GOschen are the
only so-called Liberals who Will in
, any event, take Office with the Tories.
About the new Cabinet it is almost
/ too early to forecast, but l under
stand that Wolseley may 60 to Ireland to
! take command of the troops. Lord Ash
| bourne is as likely as anybody to be Chief
! Secretary. Sir Richard Webster will be
| Attorney General again. SalisburY's
difficulties in forming cabinet will be
necessarily very great, because there are
so few able men among the Conserva-
tive leaders in the Commons. have had
a conversation with T. p. O'Connor, rep
resenting the Irish party, in which he
spoke as follows about the future:
"We regard it with perfect equanimity.
/ would call special attention to the fact
that the attitude of journalism of the
Irish people is exactly the same in all
parts of the world, namely, one of perfect
tranquility, even OH the part of the most
violent Irish-American organs. Such
concurrence of opinion among independ-
ent authorities must be accepted as
representative of very deep and well
founded convictions. Unless there
should be a violent outbreak of crime
in Ireland, of which there is not the
smallest prospect, l am glad to say that
six months or a year will probably wit
ness a turn in opinion, which will give
Gladstone such majority as will enable
him 10 carry out his purpose. The pres
cnt election has been disastrous 10 the
Liberal Unionists, the future elections
will be more disastrous still. In the first
place, the tie between them and the To-
ries will then be broken down; in the
second place, every day proves more
conclusIvely the fact that there is no
standing ground between coercion
and the HOme-Rule scheme which
Gladstone proposes; that if Salisbury
should introduce a measure of coercion
it would be opposed, as there is not the
smallest excuse for such q measure.
Tranquility reins everywhere Throughout
Ireland, except in the North. AS to the
reports of intimidation, they are false.
There is far more intimidation by the
Primrose League. Let me assure you
again." said Mr.. O'COnnnor, Gas we have
most perfect confidence in the future, we
feel most securely that Gladstone's pol
icy is destined to achieve glorious tri-
umph, perhaps at an earlier date, too,
than most people imagine."
THE BRITISH WAR DEPARTMENT.
LONDON, July 23.-The War Office an
nounces that, liz consequence of an article
published IN the Times OF the 10th inst,
charging the officials of the Ordnance
Department with corruption, Generals
Campbell, Reilly and Anderson, success
sively chiefs of that department for the
past eleven years, demand an inquiry be-
fore 4 competent tribunal, and that
Mr.. Campbell Zimmerman, War Secre-
tary, refused to grant an inquiry, because
the charges were vague and were not
supported by any statements of facts.
"Sdch a tribunal" the Secretary says,
"muSt be empowered to examine wit
ness under oath, and such power can
only be granted by royal commission or
by act of Parliament. In order to secure
such a commission, prima-tacie evidence
is necessary. In this case none has
been adduced, and therefore l have no
power TO institute an inquiry. When
charges are made rejecting on the honor
of officers and gentlemen belonging TO a
4
ported by definite statements enabling
the test OF inquiry to be made. Nothing
has occurred 10 weaken my belief in the
of the officers of the depart
ment."
The Times article referred to in the
statement of the War Office declared that
it had long been manifest that the War
Department was Incompetent and that
now it was said to he openly corrupt
"The department." said the Times, is
of military men without me-
chanical, chemical ormetallurgical knowl- |
edge; of mea who are babies in the hands |
of their subordinates, some of whom are
in 4 private gunnery COM
pany. If England should become involved |
in war tomorrow she would be COM |
PEELED to become a Suppliant 10 Krupp to |
supply lHc'iS Vi ueleuuih- heI ha'lohdl
existence. Colonel Hope has offered TO |
prove wholesale corruption against the |
department in supplying guns which |
burst, rife cartridges which jam, bayo-
nets which bend, swords which will not |
cut. Others have offered to prove fraud |
and perjury against high officials of the |
department., who are said to carry on |
quite a thrilling industry in buying con-
dcmncd stores AT one depot and selling |
them 10 another as new stores. 1t is a |
common belief in garrison towns that |
nothing is salablc to the War Office ex-
cept by bribery. The action of the War |
Office in refusing 10 hear evidence is un-
fair and evasive. 1t is 10 be hoped that |
the new Parliament will eXtInguiSh the |
scandal and correct this shameful ineni-
cheney"