Omaha daily bee., 1896-01-26
SITUATION IS UNCERTAIN
General Public Can Form Little Idea Of the
True Condition.
ReARRANGEMsNT OF EUROPEAN ALLIANCES
No One Knows Yet Who Are to lie
Partners English Social
world is Also Under II
Dense cloud.

Copyright 1895 by Press Publishing Company
| LONDON Jan. 25.-It is difficult to
imagine a more complicated and uncertain
political situation than the one which is now
being studied by the statesmen Of Europe.
| Even IL the reported alliance between Russia
and Turkey is the myth 1t Is said to be
north and south. east and west, everywhere
the state of uncertainty as to the future
| prevails, and the general public, 1t would
seem, must for some time to come be con-
tent with being allowed to await develop
ments Rumors Of alliances and counter
| alliances fill the air and crowd the news
papers; but until the shuflling Of the cards
has been completed and the hands rearranged
for the new game of bluff and grab, believed
| to be arranged between the powers, 1t Will
be difficult to definitely decide who are
partners and who are their opponents. But
one thing seems to gleam out clearly from
| the fog OF diplomacy, and that is that a
| Encouragement of the European entangle-
ments is being discussed, IL 1t 10 not In prog
| ress or even an accomplished fact. and there
are persons here who intimate that when the
deal Is completed, Germany and not Great
| Britain will be the Isolated power Of
| Europe. This is said to be borne out by the
| CONCESSIONS that Great Britain has made
| to France and may have made to Russia.
| But Of course this Is simply one way OF
| looking at 1t. and 1t Is by means certain
| that 1t Is the right way.
The social world Is also labor
Ing under cloud almost as DARK
| as the one overshadowing the
world Of politics. This is caused by the
| sudden death of Prince Henry of Batten-
| burg, son-in-law of Queen Victoria, while on
his way to the island of Madeira on board the
! British cruiser Blonden. from Cape Coast
| castle. west Africa. in an effort to recover
| from an attack Of African fever The news
caused great shock to everybody In court
circles and to society in general and has re-
! suited in a complete upheaval Of social fix
| lures. No drawing rooms or social enter
| ta!nments of any kind will be held while
| court is in mourning, which Will be for at
| least six weeks.
| The death of Prince Henry, 1t is pointed
| out, has shown him to be extremely pop
| uar man among th9se who knew him, and
even those who did not have that pleasure
have nothing but kind words for the soldier
who died for Great Britain, even IL his death
was from sickness instead Of on the field of
battle, as he would undoubtedly have pre-
ferred His sad end, likened to
that of the Prince Imperial of France,
has recalled the old story that Princess Beat
rice might have been welded to the son of
ex-Empress Eugene had he not met his
death while fighting with the British against
the Zulus. and there is much romantic
sympathy expressed for the widowed princess.
who seems to have twice had her heart wrung
with sorrow as result of British wars in
Africa
PRINCESS WAS FRUSTRATED.
The telegrams received from Osborne since
the news of the death of Prince Henry was
made known there show that both the queen
and Princess Beatrice were terribly over
|
Leone. The princess was Frustrated through
out Wednesday and did not dine with the
royal family and remained in her bedroom
until IL o'clock Thureday morning. When
| she reappeared 1t was noticed that the prin-
cess bore deep traces Of night spent In
| weeping for the dead, and she sesmed almost
| heartbrcken when her children were taken to
her. Princess Beatrice spent the afternoon
with the queen, who did everything possible
to console her. although her majesty suffered
greatly herself.
Bulletins which from time to time were
posted outside the gates Of Osborne house
stated that the queen and her daughter were
intensely affected but that her majesty's
health was not menaced. These announce
ments were made necessary by the alarming
reports circulated on the Stock exchange.
The police authorities of Scotland Yard
are congratulating themselves on the remark
able absence of crime which has prevailed In
the metropolis during the past year. The
annual police report, which will be shortly
issued shows that London in its freedom
from the effects Of lawbreakers. has made a
| record which may well be envied by the gov
ernments Of all large cities.
Mr.. Bartlett, who accompanied Smith NJ
Weed to London in the interests of the
Nicaragua Canal company, sails for New
York this week. He has been busily
gagged in conducting financial negotiations
connected with the canal, the nature Of
which still remains secret. Mr.. Bartlett
talking the matter over with a representative
Of the Associated press, said: "The recent
war scare has done much to hinder my work.
but the controversy between England and the
United States has not interfered with my
mission so seriously the uproar caused
by the German emperor's action regarding
the South African complications. Although
these conditions have delayed negotiations,
you may say that matters are progressing
favorably.
Business at the leading theaters has been
good throughout the week, although the
death of Prince Henry of Battenburg, fol-
lowed by the court going into mourning, has
ionable thaters. but crowded houses are
still the order of the day at the Haymarket
where the interest In "Trilby" has not In the
leaot abated; at the Lyric the "Sign of the
Cross" is nightly turning away money and
at the st. James, where George Alexander
has. II not wholly artistic. at least a
monetary success.
NOT SUITED TO WILLARD
The other theaters, the Criterion, Garrick
and Savoy, are receiving more than the aver
age business with "The Squire of Dames,'
1.-The Professors Love Story" and the
"Mikado," respectively. Charles Wyndham
has again been commanded te appear before
the queen and would have produced his sue
cessful ''The Squire Of Danes" at Osborne
Monday evening. January 27, had II not been
for the death CT Prince Henry Of Battenburg
Mr.. Wyndham has always been fayorite
with royalty. The new play by ]. NJ. Bar
ris. Of which e. S. Willard had the refusal
proves on its completion to be much better
adapted for exploiting an actress than an
actor. In view Of this fact Mr. Willard has
waived his rights to the iece and overtures
were made to Marion Terry to star In the
play, but an arrangement was precluded by
her prior engagement with Forbes Robinson
1t is now h'nted that 1t will be offered to Mr.
| and Mrs. Fred Terry upon the expiration Of
their contract with Jchn Hare in America
The first performance Of Fergus Hume's new
play, THE Fool Of the Family" will be given
tonight at the duke Of York's theater, Mr.
Cartwright has In the new piece a strong
comedy part and b. b. Irving and Gertrude
Kingston, in the respective characters. Will
be seen to great advantage
The recent stirring events have been
godsend to managers exploiting military
dramas. All the houses presenting such plays
have been doing an extremely large business.
Lieutenant Stuart Gordon, Il. NJ, has col
la1a ia .,E.L