Omaha daily bee., 1895-12-08
TEST OF ENDURANCE
Question Whether the Sultan's Will or the
Powers Agreement Will Break.
ENGllSHMeN ANxl0USlY WATCH THE END
Newspapers Urge the Government to Stand
Firm in Its Demands.
JAPAN BUYING WATCHES FOR MEDALS
Prince Henry's Trip to Ashantee Not to Be
Pleasure Excursion.
GOES LIKE ANY OTHER ARMY OFFICER
PAN BUYING WATCHES FOR MEDALS
GOES LIKE ANY OTHER ARMY OFFICER
Government Having Difficulty Find
ing u sufficient Number OF Troops
suitable for that kind
of Campaign.

copyrighted, 1S95 by the Associated Press.)
LONDON, Dec. 7.-Whie 1t is true tina
| domestic politics have been utterly dull, th
surprises of the eastern questions have beef
followed in England with the most intens
interest. Naturally the main point at issu
in the east through ut the wa.k was the gu 's
tion whether the sultan would or would no
grant the permits necessary for the extri
guardships requested by Great Britain, Rus
sia, Austria and Italy to pass the straits o
the Dardanelles. The interest taker
in this extra guardship question Il
not so much due to the fact that
the powers consider it necessary tC
have extra protection for foreigners within
easy reach of the Bosphorus as it is to the
knowledge that it is really a test of the
European accord. If the powers back down
1t will be demonstration that the Turk was
right in believing that the accord of Europe
could not last for any length Of time and
that the sultan was holding out until the
eventual break occurred
But should the powers remain firm in their
determination to have additional guardship;
in the Bosphorus. it will clearly demon
strate that the accord Of the powers is cap
able of withstanding stronger test.
Tle British press naturally demands that
Europe should not recede from the position
taken by the powers and that the sultan
should be forced TO yield by the pressure
brought to bear upon him. The authorities
upon international law, however, contend that
tho sultan is technically right in his refusal
to grant the firmans demanded.
The curious statement has been made here
that the Japanese government has ordered
Is, 600 cheap watches from firms in Switzer-
land with the intention Of presenting them,
instead of medals to the soldiers who were
engaged in the war against China.
The court newsmen have continued booming
the departure of Prince Henry of Battenburg
,(husband of Primers Beatrice) for the Gold
Coast of Africa, in order to take part in the
Ashantee picnic" so-called. The newspa-
pers have been printing details Of the alleged
special equipment and of the luxuries which
were to mark the princes journey, He was,
for instance to travel from Euston, London,
to Liverpool in special sleeping carriage"
and was to be taken on board the Vakana,
the steamship which was to convey him to
Africa, on special tender. On board the
Vakana he was to occupy a special cabin
fitted out for his accommodation.
JUST LIKE ANY OTHER OFFICER.
All this called for a good deal Of ridicule
from the radicals and others until the hue
and cry became so loud and prolonged that
there was a sudden and unexpected change
made in the program, and, instead of being,
fguratvely speaking, wrapped in cotton
wool during the expedition, sami-official
statement was issued tonight that the prince
is going to the Gold Coast simply in the
ha thnr pfi pf hn
British army who are to take part in the
expedition. He will now be on exactly the
same footing as the others, so far as living,
etc, are concerned. The only
difference in his treatment will be that he
will be attached to the expeditionary corps
in a special capacity of some sort, instead Of
a colonel, which, in spite OF the fact that
he only commands militia regiment of the
Isle of Wight, of which he is governor, would
have given him the right to be second in
In spite of the smalness of the detach-
ments supplied to the eXpeditionary corps
by the various regiments there has been
good deal of difficulty in finding the men
needed. and in some cases bandsmen, signal
corps men and even officers servants have
been taken. The unpopularity of the expedi-
tion is due to the fact that there is such
mixture Of the forces and that they are com
manded by officers whom they have not seen,
much less served under 1t is admitted that
there is not single battalion really fl for
This service and therefore the second
battalion of the Yorkshire regiment, now on
It's way home from Alden, is to be trans
shipped at Gibraltar and the soldiers sent
direct to Cape Coast castle for the Ashantee
expedition, in spite of the fact that they
have been away from England for about
fifteen years The whole trouble seems TO
De the short service system.
TROOPS ON THE WAY
The Bathurst with Prince Victor Of
Holstein on board is already well
IN her way to the coast, as is the Angola,
which carries the first contingent of troops.
rhe Loanda has also sailed with stores and
iome officers and the field hospital corps.
over 500 tons of war material and provisions,
thirteen tons Of ball cartridges
md any amount of ammunition for the
and Maxim guns, together with a
arge supply Of war rockets are already on
heir way to the Gold Coast The troops are
o be armed almost exclusively with the
carbne, and the men forming
he British or composite battalion have been
elected with a special view to sending out
he healthiest men procurable. the bsst
hots and the best marchers of the army.
Sot more than 900 British troops proper,
owever, will be engaged, and 1t is believed
hat the entire expedition should not num-
er more than 1900 men.
The great addition to his power which the
ecretary Of state for the colonies, RI. Hon.
oseph Chamberlain, has attained is bother |
ng his enemies considerably. Mr.. and Mrs. |
chamberlain are now visiting some of the |
Exclusive homes in England. aud tile duke |
nd duchess of Deyonshire Will visit Them at |
Iighbury next week. MIR. and Mrs. Cham |
'erlain, with the marction ~ Salisbury |
nd Rt Hon. A. j. Bafour. the first lord OF |
he treasury. viii be the guests OF the duke |
nd duchess of Deyonshire at Chatsworth. |
thursday last Mr. and Mrs. Oh lmb lain @e-e |
invited TO dinner at Windsor castle IN order |
o meet Leopold Of belgium, VINO is visiting !
England with his daughter. Princess Glenn |