The morning times., 1895-12-29

Major Gen. Miles. and Senator Sherman
| who will be the chairman OF the Commit
lee. on Foreign Relations of the Senate
made visit yesterday to the Washington
Navy Yard. This fact has been the subject
of good deal of more or less speculative
| comment.
Gen. Miles has recently made what was
called an unofficial inspection OF some
OF the forts along the east Atlantic coast
and the general opinion has been that 1t
was with view of determining how long
IL would take to have them fully equipped
for defense in ease of war.
This occnrred when the war fever was
pulsing strongly, and whether Gen. Miles
did or did not take stock in the prospects
OF an early war, the examination was
made. What will be, done TO put these
places In shape for emergencies remains
TO lie seen. It's not believed that Gen.
Miles made an entirely sentimental jour
Dey.
An officer said yesterday that the gen
era, of tie army did not PROPOSE to be
caught in the predicamcnt of NJ. LeBoeuf,
who advised Emperor Napoleon to 70
ahead with the Franco-P russian war, know
ing less about the military status than any
lieutenant i'll the French army.
VIII ihE1 lNSf EClED.
Senator Sherman was asked last night
what was the object of the visit. He said
that he ana General Miles had gone down
10 the Navy YARD and that they We're shown
over the place by Commodore Phythian.
The commodore had given them every OPP
portunlty to see what was 10 be seen and
they were much pleased with their visit.
sir. Sherman was asked If the trip TO
this place where they make big guns for
the navy had any thing to do with the cur
rent talk about "a IultuTe with England.
Neither walls" he SAID, nor even Tgmors
of wars"
Mr.. Sherman, while polite and courteous,
was evidently disinciincd to talk much
about the visit.
Tie dispatches from London, published
yesterday morning and afternoon, have
not left the impression that the war cloud
has by any means disappeared from the
East or the West. In fact, notwithsta nd
ing the pacific construction put on the
situation. it is just as II was when the
war talk was believed to have solid
foundation.
Said an Army officer last night: The
Interim during which President Clcvc-
land Will be selecting the commission is
merely truce TO the violent talk, but
the result is to be-expccted not when the
commission 1s appointed but when IL
shall have reported
BRITAIN GOING AHEAD.
''The very fact that the English govern
inent is entertaining propositions for the
grants of privileges and charters to com
panies within the territory claimed by
Venezuela ought 90 be more than au In
tit1atioD TO our government that the CON-
mission may be atthing to help the United
States hut will not affect the determined
policy of Great Brit ain. II is already
known that Great Britain claims the dis
puted territory partly by cession from
Holland and partly from treaties with
native tribes. The United States is on
record against either sof the propositions
and il would so appear that the record is
already made up -c
In my opinion the commission is a
play for delay and, as you have seen. the
delay is being utilized by our government
and by no one more so than by Gen. Miles
himself. 1 believe that there is great
deal of Significance in the reported visit
of Gen. Miles and Senator Sherman to the
Navy Yard. II this government took stock
in the talk about peace thatis now being
manufactured TO orGer on both sides OF the
a tlautic, thcre-wcu.d not be even semi
official revie " of our coast defcnses, which
some pains has been taken to invest with
the interest of a mere casual visit. 1t is
TO my mind also a rather singular coinci-
occupy one Of the foremost places in the
Senate in foreign affairs, should have been
coupled with the commanding general in
this visit to the Navy Yard"
WHAT THE VERDICT NAY BE.
Now as to the real inside talk IN military
circles. No one with ordinary common sense
fails TO see that either of two things must
happen. II the commission finds tia { Eng
lands claim to the area in dispute rests on
the Holland. or rather Netherlands. con-
cessions and alleged Indian treaties. this
country viii be Obliged to back Venezuela,
in which case England must yield up the
territory or fight for il.
at can safely be assumed that England
is not going 10 admit to the word that
it has hut rested its case on false claims
at this ate day. You can also assume that
this country will not back downlf MI oMcy
has been quoted correctly. and he has not
made any correction OF the speech at
tributed 10 him by Our ex-innister to
Colombia who stated at a public meeting
recently that Mr.. Olney said that Ii Eng
land thought this country was hlUffing
she would know better after awhile. II
is probable that Mr.. 'Olney did not intend
this for the public ear. In my judgment.
and il is shared by great many officers,
who would not like to he quoted. that the
viii cnly delay the war aud
that is its raisOD detrc. In the meanwhile
there win be some more visits TO navy
Yards ard coast defenses by our generals
and officials who learned what the real
temper of England towards this country
was Yesterday when the Rothschids de-
clined to offer their money for an American
loan. People who talk peace ought to
think more and read less OF the romance
of the lion and the eagle
-.