The San Francisco call., 1896-01-12

going on outside of Germany suggests
much method in this young mans mad
ness. 1t is not disputed that his govern
ment sounded that of Portugal last week
on the question of the right of way for
Germany to force through from Delagoa
Bay TO the Transvaal. This in itself con-
stltutes an unfriendly act, which no For
elgn Office can ignore. Again it is plain
that President Kruger at Pretoria is being
advised from Berlin, where his Secretary
of State is closeted daily with the EN-
peror and Hohenlohe.
1t is known by long and costly expe-
rlence that Kruger is an exceedingly able
man, who needs no mental help from any
body IN Germany or elsewhere. lie VIII
not refuse TO pick the plums out OF what
ever cake is offered to him, but he Will by
no means commit himself to eat 1t all. de
would not suffer Germany to dictate any
thing to him, and his close, constant IN
tercourse with Berlin can mean only that
he has some plan by which Germany can
serve him. England asks itself at once
what that plan may be, and these seems
to be an obvious answer.
Kruger has already in hand some large
advantages over England. He holds
proofs OF the chartered company's scoun-
drelly plot to overrun the republic, and
has a score of its chief men in Africa in
Jail on the charge of high treason. He
has the Beers all armed and spelling for a
fight and the cowardly Uitlanders dis
armed and blanched in terror. He has a
string tied even TO DR.. Jameson, and thus
he sits waiting for England to explain
what she proposes to do in the way of
apoogizing for and Furnishing her free
hooters, ransoming her stock -iobbing Uit-
lander traitors and recompensing the
Beers for their trouble and expense. 1t is
hardly doubted that he has demanded a
higher price than England is willing to
pay, and then Kruger is expected to say
that under the circumstances he must ap-
peal to the general opinion of Europe and
ask Germany's aid in laying his hard case
before the assembled nations in a confer
ence which might, also, while it is about
1t, discuss Egypt and other Anglo-African
questions.
1t was with this probable sequence of
events plainly in view that England
swiftly called out what officials describe
as the particular squadron, but what every
naval man calls the North Sea fleet. The
perfect facility with which this operation
was performed has sweled every British
bosom with pride, and the statement that
three more such extra fleets can be got to-
getner in a week, if necessary, makes the
whole island beam with self-satisfaction.
1t was a stupid lie to say that London
crowd had insuIted and shown violence to
German residents here, but it is wholly
true that England is a unit on the ques-
ton of blowing Germany out OF the water
If she insists on interfering in South
Africa. 1t is pparent that the Germans
more or less realize this fact and respect it,
It remains TO be seen if their Emperor also
grasps it. II he should feel bound to go
ahead it is already clear that nothing
short of recession of Alsace and Lorraine
would guarantee his immunity from at
tack on the French frontier. This, we
may assume, he could not discuss with
the Germans or even with himself
Italy is very sick about the whole thing.
Austria is doubtful and suspicious and
Russia remains as usual inscrutable. It is
believed here that she is tacitIy encourag-
ing William to adventurous courses. II he
were smashed III the process and his en-
pire with him Russia would profit rather
than lose by the fact, and meanwhile
would enjoy free hand to prosecute her
own enterprises in the Levant and far East
without effective English resistance. This
consideration incines the English Foreign
Office to suspect st. Petersburg of egging
on Berlin.