The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-01-19
England is Still Specializing on Whether
II is Coming This Way.
IS LORD SALISBURY INPRUDENT ?
The Talk of an Anglo-French Alliance Re-
garded as Idle-The Partition of the
Malay Peninsula Grsb-Nc-
Carfby's Resignation.

us course VIII Do lOWdttS lle west III
dies. Some inkling OF Rear-Admlral Dales
instruction has certainly transpired. Re
port says the fleet Will proceed 10 either
Bridgetown, Barbados. or a port Of
Spain on the island OF Trinidad, which
/ lies directly north Of Venezuela. The
officials at the Admiralty, when ques-
toned on the subject protest that they
are in entire Ignorance OF where the
squadron viii be sent, but it can be
stated that within the Admiralty circles
IL Is taken that, as il has been decided
TO send the vessels to the Southwest,
their course will - Somewhere near
/ Venezuela.
THREE-YEAR COMMISSION.
The squadron is commissioned for
three years, and IL is not intended that
| It shall be stationed long at any one
point. As the trouble over the En-
peror's attitude on the Transvaal ques-
! ton seems to have been placated, the
/ Conservative papers no longer associate
/ the flying squadron with a demonstra-
! tiOn against Germany, and they carefully
/ avoid using the word demonstration"
IN connection with the dispute with the
! United States. which dispute has again
become the leading anxiety
The Speaker says: IF the Congress
endorses the new Monroeism, and
the United States Government
NIliid-lho 'ithl 1flldll $ arCtI-
tance thereof, 70 would be equivalent
to declaring war. for Great Britain could
never sumbit 10 make a virtue Of the
surrender Of her possessions IN America
until she had exhausted all her re-
sources Of resistance"
The St. James Gazette says: "If the
Americans insist upon the new Monroe
doctrine, rendering the United States the
absolute and irresponsible arbiter Of af-
fairs on the continent, one-third Of which
is British. what can be done? Great
Britain cannm avert the consequences
by yielding. The issue Of peace or war
lies with the Americans not with us.
IT IS misleading optimism, TO pretend
anything else"
NEW GOVERNOR OF GUIANA.
Sir Augustus Hemming the new Cow
ernOr of British Guiana. viii sail for
Georgetown ON Februadry 25th lie
viii be authorized TO negotiate with
Venezuela for a settlement Of the bound
ary dispute If the latter assents 10
treat with him. There is reason 10
state that ON his arrival at Georgetown
overtures viii be made TO the Govern
ment az Caracas, which IL is expected will
bring Sir Augustus in direct communica-
ton with the Venezuelan Government
The Foreign Office ignores the Venc-
zueian consulate here ,in matters OF
diplomacy, so the consulate, OF course
knows nothing officially OF Yhat is going
Nevertheless, it can be stated. on good
authority that Lord Salisbury is endeav-
orng through neutral power 10 resume !
direct negotiations with Venezuela and |
VIII propose the appointment Of a joint |
commission 10 delimit the frontier.
should this commission fail TO reach "A |
complete agreement, the points i'm dis |
Ullfe Will IT Tlfarr4H 20 "a,
decision.
PARLIAMENTS ACTION.
Unless the Government shall be able /
TO announce in the Queens spsech which |
Will be read at the opening OF Inc com /
ing session OF Parliament, that there is /
a definite prospect of the difficulty with |
inc United states being arranged. the /
question OF arbitration VIII be- the lead /
ing appointment TO the address in replv 10 /
the speech. As a large section of tho /
Conservatives coincide with The Ti,erafs
regarding arbitration. the Ministers will 1
have TO be provided with sufficiently good /
eApiahauons OF me whole course OF their |
ueallisa win the Government at Wash I
nston' or FISK division which. despite
their mechanical majority VIII shake the
position OF the Government.
The sending of the flying SQUADRON fo
the West Indies viii not strengthen pub
lic confidence in Prime Minister Sails
bury. The report that the squadron will
80 TO either Barbados or Trinidad seems
so contrary to prudence that outside Of
naval circles 30 IS received with Gre
uulI'|' Ihe service papers make no men-
tlon OF The destination OF the fleet
The Army and Navy Gazette cautiously
asks II the flying squadron Is not ln-
lehded Tor the Cape Of Good Hone. or is
IT, Whatever danger threatens. 10 be- eent
around the world To- act as reinforce
mcnt TO the squadrons already In the
Medditerranean, or elsewhere.
HAS 1T BEEN DECIDED?
The latest report from Portsmouth is
that tho squadron viii leave Spithead ON
Tuesday next for Pere Haven. ana v.iH
probably proceed 'thence to Gibraltar
where IL will await further orders. II is
questioned by some whether The Govern
ment has yet decided upon the squadron's
objective point. and the opinion is held
IN some quarters that having rushed ite
concentration TO sooth the public during
the anti-German-lever, the main point
mas Deen served, and the squadron can
now patrol the seas waiting for events
that may transpire anywhere.
The abundant talk Of an Anelo-Frencb
is pased solely on the agreement
recently signed by Great Britain and |
france relative TO the partition of Siam
The fate of fhe weak republic In the
western hemisphere. II they are not pro-
lected by the United States can be seen
IN this spoliation Of a wealthy. but de-
tenceless country. Under the new con- |
venton France acquired whole western !
valley Of the Mekong river and part OF
The eastern valley Of the Upper Afokong.
an of which territory comprises the rich
'st Of the Siamesc provinces England !
lakes the territory west Of the Nenan
Valley and absorbs the Malay Peninsula
so that the Indian empire will extend in |
On unbroken line from Beloochistan 10
he Straits settlements. France wanted
to seize BankkOk. the Siamese capital.
which would have completely nut an
end to the kingdom Of Siam. but England
objected.
SIAM
Siam proper viii now be confined TO the
7alley OF the Menam
Neither power can allege the slightest
'eason for their breaking up Of a great
state Slam was progressing in civiliza-
ton ana developing her internal and
external commerce. France began the
'obbery by poaching along the rich coast
md river regions. Three years ago Eng
and formally protested that she would
not allow further Interference with the
integrity of Slam. but finding that France
Mas preparing for a larger swallow OF
erritofy. England Joined IN the whole
;ale meal. Both powers now turned their
.ttention 10 a settlement Of the question
4 the Nigre territories In Africa. for
which purpose joint commission will be
Ormcd