The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1890-06-20
THESEAL FISHERIES
Threatening Attitude of the
London Journals Toward
America.
Egypt and the Fisheries of
Newfoundland May Cause
France Trouble.

LONDON, Special.-Ihe attempt of the
London Times and Standard to arouse a
hostile feeling toward the United States on
the seal fishery question is only adding to
the disgust and alarm with which public
opinion in England regards the recent
course of the Tory government. The
Standard, like the Times, is thick-and-
thin supporter of the Salisbury administra-
ton. and its utterances ar doubtless in
tended as feelers for popular sentiment.
So far the two papers stand without an ally
in their threatening attitude toward the
United States. They undoubtedly voice the
inner prejudice of class influential in the
government circles. The landed aristocracy,
who form the backbone of English con-
servatism, would not object to an American
war; and the farmers who pay rent to the
aristocracy would be benefited by the ex-
clusion of American meat and produce.
These only could derive much advantage
from a struggle that would close British
ports to the United States.
On the other hand, the interests of the
active moneyed and of the industrial
classes are all bound up with peace. It is
estimated that the annual income from
British capital invested in the United
States leaving out OF account the profits of
trade and commerce. is considerably in ex-
cess of 800, 100000. Besides, there are vast
commercial interests that would be par
alyzed by war, and the awful distress in
Lancashire consequent on the lack of COT
ton for manufacturing purposes during the
American civil war would not compare
with the misery that might now follow an
embargo on American raw material for
British manufacturers. Then, most i'm
portant of all, the
ABSENCE OF AMERICAN FOOD PRODUCTS
would mean untold distress for the work
ing classes. The Salisbury government is
in such political straits at present that no
utterance, however Incorporate can do it
much harm, and a foreign war might prove
a relief from an intolerable situation But
there is no desire for conflict with America
while the relations with France are in q
strained and uncertain condition. The
British government would like to bring the
Newfoundland difficulty to termination
by buying the rights now held by France
under ancient treaties, and thus quoting
the colonists and getting rid forever of a
question that is becoming more vexatiou s
with years, But France is unwilling
w uCSOCidUO COACClIlAHS A~CWlOuAO,
land while England maintains the oc-
cupancy of Egypt With the. British
troops out of Egypt and France given free
rein in Northern Africa, the Newtound-
land tempest would soon be succeeded by
calm. But it would be entirely against
Tory traditions to abandon the British hold
on Egypt, while the continuation OF French
interference in the fisheries of the New
foundland shore must excite to blaze the
smouldcring resentment of the people of
that island, who have in this matter the
full sympathy of their brethren through
out British North America.
The animosity between England and
France is every day growing more bitter on
these and other questions and French
war is more than possible. The cordial re-
lations that now exist between Great Brit
ain and Germany indicate that, in such an
event, the English would not be without
continental allies. 1t would be one of the
curiosities of history it the cause which
kindled a European war long before the
American revolution-the assertion of
French claims on the American continent
should again be the pretext for struggle
that would involve the great powers OF Eu-
rope.