Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-12-20
II Made Things Lively on the Lon
don stock Exchnnge-AIexander OF
Insult to sergius.


Give action by the Powers may be further
delayed, but that such action is immi-
nent is proved again to-day. II proof
were needed, by the significant move
ment OF the allied fleets ana the military
activity at Odessa and sebastapol. which
all the stringent precautions OF the Rus
sian authorities have been unable to en-
tirely conceal. and by admission in Of
fetal quarters where the truth is known.
The Daily News to-day confirms from
more than one source the accuracy of
the version OF the : tuation cabed last
week Had not NJ. Nelidoff been unavoid-
ably detained i'm ST. Petersburg. a crisis
would have been reached by to-day
If 1t had not been for the fact that
the acton of the American Senate's For
eign Committee anent Cuba was made
known here Saturday which is always
an off-day for busine men. the London
Stock Exchange would have had a first
class panic to-day. AS ii was, things
were pretty lively during the first hours
the Exchange was open; and after Of
fetal hours there were excited dealings
I'm the street, desp te the gloomy wealth
er and severe frost, which kept the older
operators i'm doors. A funny feature OF
the matter is that everybody was taken
completely by surprise. One would have
been excused for supposing that there
were no cable between the United States
and England and that coplous reports
OF what was going on In Washington had
not been cabled during the whole week.
The average Stock Exchange operator
apparently mad not the slightest know
ledge of all this. with the result that h.
spent a good deal OF this afternoon IN
cursing American politicians for upset
ting his little plans.
After business hours In the Stock Ex-
change people took courage 10 discuss
the situation, and there seemed some
thing like unanimity OF opinion that
everybody had made fools OF themselves
by allowing a bogy 20 scare them half
out OF their wits. II is pretty CERTAIN
therefore, that when action is really taken
I'm Washington. London operators Will
again be taken by surprise. and that there
will be a panic from which men able 10
keep their heads cool will be certain 10
.roht.
COMMENT UNFRIENDLY.
The opinions OF London evening papers
do not count for much, but il Is not with
out interest TO note that their comments
to-day are by no means particularly
friendly tc the United States. and in this
respect they echo the views Of four Lon
is that the United States will force virtu-
Gus. peace-lovirg and humane Spain into
declaring war md tha the Americans
will suffer severely before they will be
able to organize their forces and take the
offensive, prospect which is by no means
displeasing here. If one may judge from
the opinions expressed 10 the Sun reporter
at the Spanish embassy here this after
7 noon.
Responsible Spaniards do not expect any
serious trouble with the United states.
They pin their faith upon Mr.. Grover
Cleveland. They are confident that he
will shield them from unpleasantness
over Cube as long as he is at the White
House. and they promise 10 have the
rebels wiped out Of existence long be-
fore Mr.. Mckinley is inaugurated. This
belief is so strongly held at the London
embassy that the Senate Committees ac-
ton caused them no excitement. ard as
il TO emphasize their indifference, all the
officials OF the embassy came on duty
late to-day, and went away early. As
their normal hours of business are from
. TO 4 in the afternoon, the eXhausting
character of to-day's work may be esti-
mated without mental fatigue. The Sec
rotary OF the embassy found time from
his labors TO praise an article In to-day 5
ST. James Gazette. and as the view Of the
writer is that Spain will sit quiet and do
nothing TO provoke the United State. X
may be fairly inferred that this is the pre-
vailing opinion in official Spanish quarters.
The Embassy had. however. received no
news of any kind, either from Madrid or
Washington, and did not appear 10 eX-
pect any.
EXPOSURE BY TRUTH.
The latest service rendered to his coun-
4 s.l... l.
editor of Truth, has been the exposure
of a scoundrel known for years past as
the king Of Begging Letter-Writers. "
! This fellow, Rev. George Brooks. was
formerly a Methodist parson. who, brood
ing. disconnected with his small stipend
and limited sphere OF enjoyment, took 10
the lucrative profession Of begging. Mr..
Iabouchere got upon his track early IN
his career and week after week for years
denounced him as an imDoster in the
columns of Truth with pungency and a
persistency which were an abiding JOY 70
the readers OF that smart paper. He
spoiled many a deal of Brookss. but Tor
all that there are too many fools In Eng
land to permit man Of Brooks's pecu-
liar talents to starve. II was his custom
to study the weaknesses Of public men
and ascertain the political and religious
views of private citizens Of wealth. and
TO write his begging letters accordingly.
BY these means he succeeded In extract
ing large sums of money from Cabinet
Ministers dukes, archbishoDs, directors
Of the Bank Of England. generals, ad-
rnirals and at least one American mil
lionaire. William Waldorf Astor-to-wit.
But undeniably his greatest achieve
ment was the obtaining of grant OF f2co
from the Royal bounty. A fund Is voted
every year by Parliament TO enable the
Queen to help necessitous literary men
and women, and Brooks qualified for IN
clusion in that category by writing
trumpery pamphlet OF some kind. People
who are conversant with BroOkss career
could scarcely credit the Official announce
mont and II has never yet been satisfac-
torily explained how this proiessionai oss-
oar managed TO bounce" the Right Hon
Arthur Balfour. First Lord Of the Urea
sury. into recommending him TO the
Queen as a proper recipient OF the Royal
bounty but he did II. and success en-
boidened him 10 further and even more
ambitious efforts.
SUIT FOR LIBEL
II also nut Henry Labouchere upon his
mettle. and Truths denunciaticns there
after became so vigorous and telling that
Prooks's income began TO diminish, and
finally he resolved upon the daring and
desperate expedient OF prosecuting Trutf
for libel. No more impudent action was
ever brought in any court OF law, bu'
such is the operation OF the English la"
OF libel. in protecting scoundrels hh'
Brooks. that the action was by no means
as hopeless as II looked at first sight
The case occupied the High Court oil
Justice for three days this week; am
resulted on Thursday In Mr.. Laoouchere
triumphant acquittal II was shown i