The Irish standard., 1896-02-22

RUMoRs RELATING 70 GLADSTONE
Tho Goverrmonts Exp.anatlon About
5s !. Armenia Not Be-
\, sss sfSS s.;.5il siaycd. g.

london, Feb. 15.-The Anglo-Bo
d troubles do not apper likely to be set
tied by a mere exchange of diplomatic
4 correspondence or a visit to President
@f Kruger to London. On the, surface all
/ appear to be clear sailing, but it can be
4 stated with certainty that there is some
thing in the wind Of which the general
public has not yet knowledge.
Advices of Thursday show that the
\ Boer government was incensed and with
reason, because Of Mr.. ChamDerlain's dis
patch to Sir Hercules Robinson, her maj
esty's high commissioner in South Africa
in which the secretary OF state Tor the
colonies set forth the alleged grievance
of the foreign residents Of the Transvaal
and suggested scheme of"reforns which
included the granting OF autonomy to the
residents OF the Rand. President Kruger
thought this an unwarranted interfer-
ence with the internal affairs OF the
South African republic, and he did not
hesitate to plainly say SO. On the face
of things it appears that the moderation
OF President Kruger towards Dr.. Jameson
and his fellow fillibusterers and ostensi-
bic intention Of the British government
to protect the Beers in their rights woula
after some diplomatic correspondence,
result in the restoration Of the condition
OF affairs that prevailed before the raid.
Beneath the surface, however, it appears
that the British government is not act
ing entirely in good faith. The repre-
sentative Of the United Press learns from
an official source that the war office,
acting under orders from the govern
nent, has made every preparation TO
send an army corps of 10000 men to
South African. Despite the sentiment Of
English papers and in the face OF posi-
h!e denials the absolute accuracy OF this
statement can be relied upon. The, war
office was consulted by the government
the week after Emperor William sent his
dispatch 10 President Kruger as to how
long it would take to land an equipped
army in Natal. Plans were prepared be-
tween the war Office and the admiralty
with the result that it was reported that
an expedition could be ready within
three months. The details of the scheme
are known only to the heads OF the war
Office and the members Of the inner cab
met, but the information received by the
reporter Of the United Press points to q
large contingent being drawn from India
cavalry, artillery and infantry, including
Sikhs and other native troops
The promise OF a peaceful settlement
OF the Transvaal difficulty does not ap-
pear to have sufficed to induce the British
government to abandon it's project Final
orders for the dispatch of troops have
not vet been given but if the present
designs are carried out full army corps
will be in Natal some time i'll May.
What real use is to be made of this force
ran only be surmised. The Conservative
organ, the Globe, alone Of all the newspa-
pers. seems to have received some hint
of the governments intentions. 1t ar
CUES that soft words with the Beers is d
sheer waste of time England, it de-
clares, will only get what she wants by a
display OF force, not an actual collision,
but demonstration. Therefore the gov
ernment must increase its force in South
Africa to such an extent as to convince
the government at Pretoria that neither
the Beers nor Germans will be longer
allowed to prevent submission to Eng
lands lust demands The Globe does
not attempt to estimate what force will
be required to Overawe the Beers, but
troops in South Africa at present to do
what at any moment it may be impera
lively necessary to do.
The English, after the thorough de-
feat at Maiuba Hill in 1881, had 10000
troops opposed to the Beers, who were
not at all overawed then. If to the pro-
jected expedition there should be added
the existing forces in South Africa there
would be of all arms combined from 25,-
600 to so, 900 men who could be used in a
ct~ ~0fi inn Inc IRON Nsl
The republic might. and probably would.
find an ally in the Orange Free state;
would receive assistance from Dutch
sympathizers in Cape Colony and would
probably secure the active Intervention
of Europe. 1t would be a big Job for
England to make even limited demon
stration. Although the first lord Of the
treasury. Mr. A. J. Balfour, referred hope
fully in the house of commons last night
to President Kruger's coming to England
to discuss the questions at issue. nobody
within or without the official circle be-
lieveS he is coming.
On Thursday night Mr.. Chamberlain
announced his readiness to abandon his
proposal that home rule should be grant
ed to the residents of the Rand, and to
ask President Kruger to suggest an alter
native. The sturdy Boer president stated
the alternative explicitly in his last dis
patch in which he declared that the
Transvaal would allow of no interference
in its internal affairs. With this dis
patch before him Mr.. Balfour affirmed the
decision of the British government to III
terfere somehow to secure to the foreign
ers in the Transvaal equal rights with
the Beers. The question now is what
form will this interference take? q
The ministerial explanations in parlia-
ment regarding Armenia nave been I'M
satisfactory, even to the governments
supporters, and have distinctly weakened
Prime Minister Salisbury's reputation,
The Liberals have postponed the general
attacks on the governments Armenian
policy until the blue book can be studied
fs Since Mr.. Thomas Sexton refused to ac-
eept the chairnlanship Of the allti-Parnel-
lite section of the Irish parliamentary
party. Mr.. John Dillon appears to have
The hest chance Of being elected to the
position. He will only accept the chair,
u.anslrin in event of his receiving large
majority. The salary of 1000 yearly
which Mr.. Sexton receives as managing
director of the Freeman's S Journal intlu-
B erced his decision not TO accept the chair
$1nanship of the party
II The statement Of the British case in the
Venezuela dispute prepared by Sir Fred
Il sserick Pollock, Corpus Professor Of turis-
4 prudence at Oxford university, is now be-
M a,,;al se fha ,-,nr,rts 4 1,at ~ Il. AZ,