New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-02-17

cuAxGrs-Dr BATE IN THE COMMONS
-pRocEpURE-THE CORRUPT
BOARD OF WORKS.
10y ABLE TO THE rRIBUNE.l
C.,r,ohf ; 1888: Bu The Nso- York Trfb't~e
tovpo~. Feb l6-The exact relation when
England occuyics to the Powcrs composing uhe
Tribe Alliance may, / believe, he defined rs no,
an engagement but an understanding. lhere -
70 treaty, no promise, no written undert"K'ns .,
any KIND by which Italy could in the eVen' 0.
war call upon Great Britain for he'll? but l'oru
Salisbury has given 10th Prince Bismarck anu
Sienor Crispi assurances which they "e""
..a,;stoo,or,. Ibcv may he called personal
but they are binding on the frime Niin.
,nc O. ma,ns Prime Minister
Shoul3 raIv bc attacked an English feet VIII
nrotcct the Italian coast. This is somc'"hg h'o''
tlan conjecture II has twice been "h'h''" "S
e." ,adirc Conservative organ. which as rnle'
siscussos foreign affairs in accordance WIN
Minister;ai wishes and not without Official khowi
,aoc The leading Vienna raper asserts the same
,binc and extends the English obligation 10 lle
dcfcnce OF the Austrian coast
The Government have twice been questioned OH
the subject in the House of Commons. Ihey ut"S
moth ne exce;t those specific engagements "hioh
are net alleged 10 exist. The word uSed oS ,ne
"Ncne Frci Prcsse" was arrangements 10
the question whether there were no arrangerieh'o'
Sir lanes FERGUSON declined 10 Ieriy England
tokcs il all quietly, though il is certain thai any
such arrangement must compel this country "
take part in general European war
France meantime. is known TO he engage" III
active negotiations for defensive treaty with
Ru,sa NJ Flourens's recent elecllonecfhe
speeches sem to strike German critics as wari'ke
The strongest thing the French Foreign Minister
has said is that s'ncc olher nations were coneen-
trotino their military forces it bchOoved France
TO do likewise.
The English press continues to comment ON Me-
Haine's Withdrawal. One idea and one spirit
sre at 4bc lotion of all the articles. They con-
slider this event solely with reference II the ques-
lion of free trade and protection. VIII il help
or hinder Mr. Clevcland's reelection? Will II
tend TO give British manufacturers control OF
American markets? The Daily News" "hlch
rails at everybody, rails Al Mr.. Blaine as fana-
zeal Protocti0nist who has grown too Protection
list Tor the Protcctioniss themselves; he has oicd
the machine of Republican party politics Win an
assduity that has precluded all concern Tor MS
personal purity. and there is general demahu
fer another candidate: the selection O. Mr. Blame
would be misioriunatc Ter his country lhls
paper appears 70 give credit 10 the state scan'aS
sup lied to il 10y its New-York correspondent
Tho Times is better informed and less ram
corous in its Free Trade enmity of the PINectionlSt
leader II refers to personal attacks on MI
Blaine hut dismisScs them charges to which
il was generally admitted Mr. Blaine had made
answer.
brief dispatch this morning announces that
the Fisheries Commission has reached an agree
ment and that treaty has been signed. No
particulars are given. The only morning paper
VIII n discusses the subject Is The Standard
which naturally rcoices over Mr.. Chamberalns s
success and cordially praises his tact patience, good
temper and persuasive skill Mutual concessions are
believed by this journal to have been made Certain
il is that the concessions must be extraordinary
indeed To raise any objection on this side Eng
lands one desire is TO see the dispute honorahly
settled Ii manitcstly,' says the ConserNa-
tive organ. Il case for compromise. and we assume
that the Commissioners have been able TO find
one which satisfies the interests OF one party ana
does not wound the pride of the other"
Further dispatches appear this afternoon. The
evening Radical papers which predicted Mr Cham
bcrain's total failure as a negotiator now iaII
back on the Senate and trust that that body may
prove lis success to be a failure
Now that Sir Michael Hicks Beach has accepted
the Presidency of the Board of Trade, ramors OF
further Ministerial changes are rife. Baron dc
Worms's grievances must he remedled somehow
and his friends complaints silenced His succesS
with the sugar bounties entitled him TO reward
Instead of q reward he has got what amounts to a
slight With his chief in the House of Lords
tie Baron was somebody in the House Oi Com
mons, where he represented his Department. with
Sir Michael Hicks Beach as President of the Board
of Trade Baron de Worms becomes a cipher III the
Commons. SO the cards TO be shufied Sir
Henry Holland is likely TO be made peer re-
manning of course, Colonial Minister. Then Lord
Onslow VIII be shifted from the Under Secretary
ship Of the Colonies to the Financial Secretaryshlp
OF the Board of Trade. Baron de Worms Will
succeed him, and continue TO be the spokesman
for an important Department in the House OF
Commons. Many other changes are mentioned,
but nothing is yet settled.
Debate in the House of Commons has been en-
hvcned by o speech from Colonel SaundersOn and
another from Mr.. I. w. RUSSELL and an alteration
between Mr. BarttelOt and one of the l1arrlng-
tons These incidents, however, have not brought
IT. up a high level nor did MIR. Herbert Glad
stone add much yesterday to the discussion. The
leaders take hold to-day and tomorrow MIR.
OBrien Mr. Morley, Mr.. Balfour and Mr. Glad
stone are all down the list. Public interest
in the whole business like the thermometer movers
about the freezing point.
Mr. Smith is far convinced of Mr. Parnelrs
sincerity in renouncng obstruction that the
Ministerial proposals about procedure IN
the House of Commons will be con-
siderably modified. A draft of them has been
submitted to Mr.. Gladstone. who is now consider
ing The whole subject. Closure by a bare majority
il not now expected, but 1t is believed that Mr.
Gladstone will agree TO reduce the present limit
from 200 to 100.
Lord Randolph Churchill will have one con-
siderable advantage in dealing with the Board
of Works. Some members Of the Board seem dis
posed TO turn Queens evidence. The Board itself
has probably committed sins enough officially 10