The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-03-18
FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.
Various Matters Considered In House
Of Commons Yesterday.
OSMAN DIGNA SAID TO BE AID.
YANCING INTO SUAKIM.

The Parity Of Gold and Silver Discussed
Italy Much Pleased Over Great Brit
fan's Position-The Abyssinian War Is
Not to Be Abandoned.
London, March I'm the House of
Commons today, Mr.. Curzon, read tele-
grams received at the foreign office by
Lord Cromer, the British diplomatic
agent in Egpyt upon which the govern
mont bases it's decision to advance upon
Dongola. The kilograms included infor-
nation that Osman Digna was advancing
into the Saukim district. Merchants
who had made their escape from Berber
reported that the Dervishes were prepar-
ing to attack Murad Wells, and large
force of Makdists had left Omdurman for
Dongola. The kilograms contained a dis
patch from the British consul at Suakim
announcing the renewal Of the activity of
the Mahdists, under Osman Digna, and
stating that the Dervishes were raiding
Tokar and had resppeared at Sinkat.
Mahdi had proclaimed a holy war against
the Italians and had forbidden them to
engage in traffic on the Berber coast.
Joseph Chamberlain, secretary Of state
for the colonies, replying to Mr.. La
boucher, said that the objections made to
the continuance of the chartered South
Africa company ought to be removed by
a decision of the government to take the
whole military police into It's own hands.
George Curzon, parliamentary secretary
for foreign affairs, said that the italian
government had informed the govern
ment Of Great Britain that it viewed
with pleasure the advance of the British
expedition upon Dongola, which could
not be otherwise than an advantage to the
exchanged, he said, in regard to mutual
assistance.
J. M. White, member for Forfarshire,
asked Walter Long, president of the board
of agriculture, whether he could not post
pone the permanent exclusion of
Canadian cattle until the report OF the re-
monstrances of the Dominion parliament
should be received.
Mr.. Long said that he could not see any
way of postponing the exclusion.
Herbert Whiteley moved a resolution
declaring that the House was of the
opinion that the instability Of the rela-
tive value Of gold and silver since the
action Of the Latin Union in 1898 had
proved injurious to the best interests of
the country, and urging that the govern
ment do everything possible to secure by
international agreement stable none
tary par of exchange between gold and
silver.
Sir Michael Hicks Beach, chancellor of
the exchequer, reminded the House of the
passage of a resolution at the last session
urging the government to cooperate
with other powers in a conference aiming
to remove the evils arising from the
fluctuations in gold and silver.
The present government did not wish
to recede from that resolution, the gov
ernment was willing to enter into nego-
tiations with the powers for a conference,
but on the understanding that it was
not prepared to abandon, the gold stand
ard in the United Kingdom. (Cries Of
:" Hear, :" "Hear.")
some OF his colleagues, notably the
first lord of the treasury, (Mr. Balfour,)
were pronounced bimetallists. ALI agreed
in thinking that they would not be justi-
fed In departing from the gold standard
in the United Kingdom. The prospects
of an agreement between European ma
tions in favor of bi-metallism was not
great. There was no doubt that if the
silver that the Indian government would
reconsider the question of re-opening
it's mints All the leading English mon
etary experts held that the wealth of the
country had been built on a gold stan
dard, and its permanenoe and prosperity.
was dependent upon the existing system.
In view. Of that opinion, no
responsible government would pro.
pose to change the present conditions.
A long debate followed. Sir William
Vernon Haroourt, formerly chancellor of
the exchequer, now opposition leader
in the House, said that he welcomed the
declarations of Sir Michael Hicks Beach
that the government did not intend to
depart from the established monetary
system. 1t is not creditable to England,
he added, that until now doubt exist.
ed as to the views Of the government on
this question. This ought to be the
last appearance Of the bi-metallists in
parliament.
Mr.. Balfour. first lord of the treasury.
made somewhat lengthy defencs Of his
known views as bimetallist. The reso-
luton was adopted without division.