The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-04-30
OUR LONDON CABLE LETTER.
REVIEW OF THE VARIOUS COM
PLICATIONs CONFRONTING
GREAT BRITAIN.
A SERIOUS CONFLICT MUST GONE.
Between the British and Beers, Is the
General Opinion-Dervishes Along
the Nile Inactive-Comments on
the Venezuelan Question.

london, April 2j.-(Copyrighted. 1896
by the Associated Press.y-With the
South African, Egyptian, Venezuelan
sand far eastern complications on his
smind to say nothing Of the European
sentanglements, the Marquis Of Salisbury
scan hardly be said to be free from care
aOr likely TO regularly enjoy his sleep, UNI
disturbed by nightmares.
President Kruegcrs declnatiOn Of the
invitation of the secretary of state for
the colonies, Mr.. Joseph Chamberlain,
TO visit England on the ground that his
presence in the Transyaal is required
by the volksraad has cast a damper over
South African negotiations although it
is said the Anglo-Transvaa relations will
be greatly benefited by the decision Of
the Johannesburg ''reformers' to plead
guilty. II is declared that this deter
mnation was reached upon advice from
high quarters and in order not to give
the Transvaal any further annoyance an
announcement that the other counts
against the prisoners have been aban-
doned is interpreted as indicating that
the authorities have accepted the pris-
oners' plea as an apology.
President Krueger's refusal, however,
has caused great deal of irritation and
it is felt that the Boer statesman is
''foolng" Mr.. Chamberlain by his dial
1ylIH HHSWtT, Inc IuIltT ~ StNtTtIy
blamed for the passage in his recent
speech which described the Transvaal
government as being defective and cor
rupt. This is classed as unnecessarily
offensive 20 the Transvaal ut delicate
juncture and the explanation of the sec
rotary of state for the colonies that it
was matter of common repute is re-
garded ms rather tame
The English newspapers continue to
publish stories of the GermanTransvaal
entente, the arming of the burghers and
the erection of forts, make calculations
of the number of Dutch in South Africa
who could take the field and estimate
how many British troops would be re-
quired in case of war.
In brief, it is the general opinion that
. n serious conflict between the British and
Beers must come, but that the Trans
wal will delay the moment until fully
armed and Great Britain will delay until
the memory of Jamesons raid is effaced
from the minds of the Afrikanders and
the younger men of the Transvaal are
ready to turn against the so-callcd an
tiquated clique ut the head of affairs.
The news of the sortie from BuluwayO
and the heroism of several officers and
troops in risking their lives to save com
rades has aroused much enthusiasm here
and tins feeling will increase when it be-
comes more generally known that half
of the wounded received their injuries
while assisting wounded companions in
arms. An officer was killed after giving
his horse to n severely wounded friend.
The news from Egypt shows that the
Dervshes along the Nile are unusually
inactive. 1t was thought they would
have already attacked the lines of COM
munication, but apparently they are
waiting for the khalifa's orders or are
planning n combined attack upon the
-Anglo-Egyptian forces.
The under secretary of state for foreign
affairs, Mr.. George Curzon, is to make Il
further statement in the house of com
mons on Monday regarding the progress
of negotiations with the United States on
The subject of Venezuela.
Meanwhile the Times editorially accu-
rately reflects the government view. Since
the plan for general arbitration has been
proposed in England it is considered in
Washington that the proposals for arbi-
tration of the Venezuelan frontier dis
pute were merged into, it.
The Times says: 1t is assumed that
the Marquis of Salisbury rejected the
Washington proposals in regard to Nene-
zuela. The marquis certainly did not
accept the proposals MS they stood, but il
was not imagined that the action taken in
regard to them should possibly be regarded
ms rejection.
The difficulty was in regard to the def
milton of settled districts and the Mar
.auis of Salisbury's efforts to protect Brit
ish subjects did not promise to be sue
>cessful. and accordingly he attempted to
solve the problem of Venezuelan arbitra-
ton by solving the problem of general
arbitration.
The Times statement that the Uruan
incident is settled is classed MS being pre-
mature. although it is added that there is
every prospect of its ultimate satisfacto-
ny settlement.
The American athletes, who have COW
cred themselves with glory in the Olympic
games at Athens. Greece, passed through
Turin, Paris and London on their way
home and caught the North German Lloyd
steamer Spree Mt Southampton on Thurs
day evening They all expressed them
selves as being delighted with their trip,
though anxious to get back home,
A dispatch from Monte Carlo tells of n
serious accident to and narrow escape of
the Hon. Mrs. William Reginald Fitz'
williams. whose husband is the fifth son
of Earl Fitzwilliams. 1t appears that
the much admired lady referred to set
fire to her hair, after applying to it GER
tain petroleum hair dye and mixture, ana
before the flames were eXtingulshed Il
considerable portion of her beautiful au-
burn hair was destroyed.
A new magazine entitled Tomorrow"
contains severe protest by Stanley Jones
against the rising social aspirations of
actors and actresses. He declares that
no modest woman who goes on the stage
can have failed to be shocked if not de-
moralized The writer adds that there
is no other perfection in which woman
or man openly leading an evil life can
command such respect and honor"
According to the Westminster Gazette
the young Duchess of Marlborough for
merly Miss Consuelo Vanderbilo is de-
veloping strange taste for pets. She
has started menagerie at Blenheim with
two ostriches, several eagles, number
of yultures, two ibis and a garter snake,
all purchased on the banks of the Nile.
which she has tanned in wonderful man
ner.
The paper mentioned adds that the
''dark-eyed Nuban in native costume,
also brought by the duchess from Egypt
will accompany her in her walks about
Benheim."