The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-24
Charge the Government With
Seeking a Large Naval
Credit.
WAR DISCUSSION REVIVED.
The Kaiser Irritated at the Behavior
of the French Naval
Officers.

ness OF Iue EMPRESS ldSI week was caused
by an attack OF neuralgia. to which affection
she is at all times subject upon the slight
est change in the weather or indulgence in
the least excitement. AS her Majesty was
about starting for Hamburg a furious
attack of neuralgia set in and she was con-
sequently prevented from going there.
Her physicians advised her to abandon
the idea of her going to Kiel, but slight
abatement of her pains, combined with her
eager desire to see the fetes, led her to
make the venture. The imperial circle at
the admiralty ball saw recurrence of her
sufferings and saw them borne smilingly,
but the Emperor on Friday insisted upon
her withdrawal from the remaining
festivities and her retirement into absolute
privacy, After taking short rest at kiel
Castle her Majesty will return to Potsdam.
The officials, especially the high officers,
of the police department, are congratulate
ing themselves upon the fact that the pre-
sumed anarchist plot to spoil the fetes by
the commission of outrages peculiar to the
sect were baffied. According to current
report, the anarchists had arranged for a
grand coup at the outset of the proceed
ings by blowing up the artificial island in
the Alster River. Anonymous letters were
received by the Berlin officials warning
them that such an attempt was contem-
plated and would be made if the most rig
orous precautions were not taken. Small
importance was attached to these menaces
at first, but the repeated inexplicable acct
dents to the electric wires, which were laid
to illuminate the island, caused the
authorities to believe that there was some
foundation for the reports and to resort to
extreme precautionary measures. Boats
were forbidden to approach the island and
the police patrolled the river in steam
launches night and day and the same pre-
cautions were taken at kiel. The conse-
qCence was that if there really was any
serious intention TO commit outrages, the
plan was frustrated. Nobody who was
not known succeeded in getting anywhere
near any OF the royalties present, nor did
they get very close to the scenes of the
various ceremonies.
The Berlin and other German news
papers are unceasing in their laudatory
reference TO the fetes and their praises of
those who made them so completely sue
cessfui. Some of these journals, however,
cannot resist the temptation to attribute
the Governments desire to carry them out
to success SO complete to Interior mo-
tives.
The Freisinnige papers declare that the
Government designed the fetes upon so
magnificent a scale in order that they
might use the popular sentiment thus Gre
ated in the interest of getting the Reich
stag to assent to proposal for q consider
able increase of the navy.
DOUBTLESS, says Herr Richter's organ,
''if the Reichstag were sitting now the
effervescence of national feeling might be
the Governments opportunity to obtain
large naval credit but before the Chamber
meets again just estimate of the value of
the canal to Germany will control the dis
cussions and decisions of the Reichstag.''
Discussing the commercial uses of the
canal. the industrial press concur with the
resolutions passed at the recent meeting of
the German Nautical Association at which
the leading German ports were represented.
These resolutions declared that advantages
could only be secured in the event that the
dues assessed made the passage of the
canal more profitable than the voyage
around the Skaw. Most ship-owners agree
that the tolls, including pilotage duties,
ought not to exceed 80 pfennigs per regis
tered ton, instead of the present tariff.
The Government does not expect any great
influx of traffic Immediately and in view
OF the necessity of testing the trading
capacity of the canal, they don't desire any
sudden thrush of shipping. Before long,
however when traders have learned the
advantages of the canal and the Govern
ment feels that the waterway is secure,
lower charges will induce the traders to
avail themselves of the immense benefits
of the new route.
The Russo-French convention, which the
Paris newspapers allege has been con-
cluded, is said to agree that if Germany
should attack France. Russia would send
100000 men at once to the German frontier
On the other hand, if Austria or Germany
should attack Russia, France would inter-
vene In similar manner. The reports of
the conclusion of such an agreement, how
ever, are received in official circles here
with lncredulity. The Hamburger Mach
richten, Prince Bismarck's organ, in an
article commenting on the reports peats
Prince Bismarck's saying that Russia is
only flirting with France, and that no Sc
rious alliance between the two countries is
contemplated. Limited references to the
alleged agreement are also made in the
semi-ofiicial press. who admit that an en-
tente exists, but contend that there has
been no formal Russo-French convention.
Tie Cabinet crisis in England and the
formation of new Ministry in Vienna are
the factors which hold the Emperor to
policy of suspense. The Berlin Govern
ment expects and hopes for Lord Sails
bury's return to power. which would re-
store the practical adhesion of England 10
the Triple Alliance.
.Inregard to the Austrian Ministry, the
German Clerical leaders are of the opinion
that it will not last more than three
months, an opinion which finds almost
general assent. Count Kilmansegg has a
good official record and has displayed
marked ability in his administration of
the Office of Governor of Lower Austria
He has carried his schemes of Austrian
unifcatfon to Vienna, but the Austro-
Hungarian Clericals will not very long
endure Calvinist Premier for Austria
concurrently with Lutheran Premier for
Hungary. Count Kilmansegg is also
strongly opposed to anti-Semitism, and is,
penerallv eakinp Moderate