The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-01-14
LESS WARLIKE.
excitement Over Transvaal Affair Is
Cooling Down.
LIGHT ON VENEZUELAN DISPUTE
In State Document of Half a
Century Ago.
Copyrighted. 1893. !

LONDON, Jan l4.-It seems pretty we'll
established in the public mind that EN-
peror William did not mean TO threaten
war upon England by his message OF sym
pathy 10 President Kruger, and tho re-
ports which werc circulated few days
ago Of European alliance back OF Ger
many and against England find little fur
ther credence.
1t seems to be accepted that the German
emperor simply intended To express his
own opinion OF the Jameson raid in that
message, and the temporary sentiment OF
irritation which IL caused him. This is
the general feeling, apparently, Of the pub
lie mind, and those organs OF public
opinion which are in touch with the gov
erpment have undoubtedly sought to
deepen this impression.
But this still leaves unexplained tho
since contradio'ed assertion that the Ger
man government did not apply to Portu-
gal for permission to pass marines through
Portuguese territory at Dclagoa Bay to
the Transvaal, nor does IL explain the un-
tagging preparation of war materials and
equipments OF war forces In ngland.
OF more force seems the argumen OF
some newspapers that the wavering sup
port of Russia and France has admonished
the German war lord that the interpreta-
tion put upon his message by England
has put him into hazardous position.
Whether this or some other considera-
ton has altered the situation, IL is certain
that the diplomatic agents of all the gov
ernments of Europe have been kept busy
in the last few weeks, and 1t Is believed
that the full result of their labors is not
yet known.
That England has had vision Of the
destruction OF the "balance of power in
Europe, with herself in the descending
scale, is certain. Whether she has made
other strokes in the hidden field of diplo-
macy besides her formidable show OF naval
force is not yet known.
Tho first feeling OF assurance over tho
better situation OF the relations with Ger
many is met by notes OF warning that
there arc still possible seeds for muoh ran
cor and danger in the situation in the
Transvaal and that the Venezuelan ques.
tion Is, after all, not yet settled, nor any
basis agreed upon for its settlement.
Naval Activity.
Interest in the great naval preparations,
however, continue TO absorb the public
mind A report which has been circu-
tends to mobilizs the volunteer forces was
denied last night bur il is certain that APP
peals from the war Office have recently
been sent by circular 10 the commanders
OF all the volunteer regiments, asking
them TO return the probable number Of
volunteers that could be mobilized. and TO
state the arrangements that would DO
necessary for doing so.
NEnnltwich al 81
covering 100 acres of ground, is receiving
constant additions TO its great store OF
naval material, and the activity in all de-
partments there is unabated. The tor
pedo factory is increasing its outputs, and
the men in that department are working
many hours overtime.
The torpcdoes, rs fast as they are manu-
featured. are dispatched To Portsmouth
aud Dovcr--the former the principal
naval station of England, with fortified
harbor that will float the whole Of the
English navy, and the latter the chief
port of communication bcrwccn England
and the continent. The government in
tends, it is announced. to have these well
supplied with torpedo boats and with tor
pedo destrOyers.
Ono feature Of the war scare which is
ilAlNAA hNNiN upon btit ~ Nilt III ~ HAS
done to German trade. German import
trade houses here announce that there has
been big decrease in their orders since
the scare. The orders OF one big fancy
goods firm, it is announced, have decreased
90 per cent. 1t is feared that the quarrel
will thus result in n permanent injury to
trade.
All VIII End Well.
A Paris dispatch says: The Temps pub
fishes an interview with the Transvaal
representative, Herr Blokland, in which
he said that the situation Of affairs con-
cerning the Transvaal is now satisfactory,
and that everything will end we'll. The
Transvaal, he said, had fully accepted the
convention of 1884, and had not dreamt OF
denouncing il. The term British suze-
rainty. in connection with the Transvaal,
he thought, was misappled, as Great
Britain only hUd the right 10 veto, within
six months, conventions concluded by the
Trensvaal with other powers which might
be RI gardcd as dangerous to British inter
ests
Ea ell