The San Francisco call., 1896-11-15
Tenants, However, Will Not Be
Prompt in the Payment
of Rents.
CONCERT OF EUROPEAN POWERS
English Diplomats Believe That Pres.
sure Will Be Brought to Bear
on Turkeys Sultan.


United Associated Presses learned that al
though the local Irish authorities re-
ported on the failure of the crops in many
districts, the official view was that no seri-
Gus. widespread famine was anticipated.
There can now be no really extensive
famine in Ireland, the arrangements fof
relief having been SO perfected that the
central auth critics in Dublin can assist
the local authorities at almost moments
notice.
Into the question of suspension Of rent
payments by the farmers the officials in
terviewed declined to go. From other
sources il can be affirmed that the Dublin
Castle authorities have been warned of
the wholesale refusal of the smaller farm
ers to pay their rents on the simple ground
of inability. There has been up till now a
remarkable absence of agrarian crime in
Ireland.
Notwithstanding the fact that the Sultan
has promised to execute sweeping reforms
throughout his dominions, his promises
are still looked al askance by those who
have had experience in dealing with his
ar.fulness. In spite of the fact that orders
have already been given for the putting
into effect of some of the reforms promised,
it is not believed that they will prove
effective.
The iubilation among the newspapers
over the restoration of the concert of the
powers, which, it is claimed here, is re-
sponsible for the pressure brought to bear
upon the Snltan, which compelled him to
grant the reforms, may be shortlived.
Cynical observers of the situation do not
place much faith in the claims that Great
Britain had prominent part in the con-
cert. They maintain that Russia, acting
through France, is the country that de-
serves the credit for forcing the Sultan to
understand that he must mend his ways
and do something besides making promises
that be never intends to fulfill.
If this is really the case there is little
room to doubt that there will be radical
change in the Turkish policy, for Russia
is really the only power of which the Sui
tan stands in fear. Great Britain may
blow and bluster, but the ruler OF Turkey
well knows that she is utterly impotent to
do anything more than TO make threats.
and she is not threatening now as much as
she did year ago.
With Russia it is a different matter. OF
course 1t hurts British pride to know that
Russia, acting through France, has been
able to accomplish more with the Sultan
than she, Turkeys seIf-constituted pro-
tector, and it may be that it is this feeling
OF injury that leads official circles here 10
believe that what England could not ac-
compfish would also be impossible for
France. But the fact remains that it was
to Nj. Hanotaux, the French Foreign Min
lister, that the Sultan first promised the
granting OF reforms more sweeping in
their nature than those promised to Great
Britain months ago, not one of which was
ever put into effect, and that already some
OF these last promised reforms are now
being carried out.
The Cabinet councils, arranging the
Government legislation for the coming
session, have decided upon opening busi-
ness with the education bill, followed by
a military works bill and an elaborate
measure dealing with the appointment of
masters and workmen's conciliation
board. The military works measure was
prepared for last year, but was postponed
owing to the exigencies of the parliament
tary situation. The great military har-
bors in Britain are to have their arma-
ments increased, and the forts at Malta,
Gibraltar, Hongkong, Singapore and other
stations are to be enlarged and strength
ened. Conjoined with this military works
bill is a scheme for aiding colonial gov
ernments in the protection of their har-
bors.
The Devonshire Club gives an honorary
banquet to Cham berlain about the middle
of December. The Devonshire Club, since
the split between the Home-rulers and
Unionists IN the National Liberal Club, has
been the rallying-pace of the Liberal
Unionists. Under the fostering care of
Cham berlain the Liberal Unionists domi.
nate the management of the club, and
Austen chamberlain is an active member
of the com IN ittee. The club has q solid
basis, but cannot be said to prosper. The
Liberal clubs are waning in membership,
while Conservative clubs boom.
The Conservative managers of the Con-
stitutional Club have ventured upon a
scheme grander than anything in clubs
the world has yet seen. They are inviting
by private circular subscriptions for the
erection of building which is to be
adapted to the uses of $4,000 members.
This club is to be the focus of all Conser-
vative movements and is to have a ball.
of the party, theater for lectures or dra
matte performances, cheap membership
admission and'a cheap cuisine. The Carl
ton, Junior Carlton, Conservative, Junior
Conservative and kindred groups will sub.
scribe and patronize, but personally their
members hold aloof.
The supplying of water for London from
Wales is an old scheme. 1t is calculated
that between the amount required for the
purchase of the water companies now
holding the monopoly of the supply and
the cost of the works from Wales, the cost
would be over f100, ,0O0 600. This enor-.
nous sum could, of course. be raised by
successive loans, but it would make the
Londoners pay for long time more than
is nov exacted from them by the water
companies. Birming ham and other great
centers are competitors with London for
the water-bearing area in Wales.
The appeal against the decision of the
mixed tribunal at Cairo, forbdding the
Anglo-Egyptian government from draw
ing on the Caisse of the public debt for