The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-02-16
THE CAPITAL
OF ENGLAND
Transyaal Question Occupies FIRST
Place 10 Political Parlia
mentary Debates.
RUSSIAN TURKEY ALLIANCE
Stories Of Hsmnosd's Rough Treatmest by
the BOers Caused Mach conment--
Descriptions Of the Black Hols
OF Pretoria"

Copyrighted. 1896 by Associated Press.)
London. Feb. i5.-There Is no denying
that the past week has been a busy ore
In politics. both at home and abroad. for
the manipulators OF British diplomacy.
The Trangvaal question took the first
place In political parliamentary debates.
although the chief event In foreign poll
tics was the baptism OF Prince Boris,
the eldest son OF Prince Ferdinand OF
Bulgaria. by the orthodox Greek church,
the Significance OF which Is that It Is
generally admitted to be a prelude to
Russia's recognition OF Prince Ferdinand.
IL also shows that Russia and Turkey
are now hand In hand. and this Is proved
by the fact that the latter country has
already asked the powers to recognize
Prince Ferdinand. The powers will not
oppose this request, as Il settles a deli
cate question. and Il Is doubted abroad
whether Russia will obtain the influence
in the long run that she hopes 10 attain
through her influence over Bulgaria. The
Pope. II Is known has been greatly an
noyed by Prince Ferdinand's action, and
has declared that II excommunicates
him.
Considerable comment has been caused
by the appointment OF II Hung Chang
20 represent China at the Cars corona
tion, especially as II is connected by a
rumor. at least. with the reported Russo
China alliance.
There is 4 strong belief In diplomatic
circles that Russia VIII try to use Ii
Hung Chang TO the fun extent OF the
latter's capability to being adapted %
push the Cars policy.
The stories OF the coarse treatment to
al ~ He wra I0wn
can engineer and member OF the reform
committee OF johannesburg, and Other
prisoners have been subjected by the
Botrs Of Pretoria, have aroused much
interest. The promptness with which the
secretary Of state for the colonies, Joseph
Chamberlain. obtained the release OF
Hammond upon the representations OF
the United States government. has been
warmly praised, and he has been urged
to act likewise in the cases OF British
prisoners.
The Daily News and Graphic publish
descriptions Of the prison at Pretoria.
and describe the cell In this social ID
black hole OF Pretoria" In which Ham
mond and four others were confined. II
is stated to have been q hideous hole i2
feet square. swarmlng with vermin, hav-
Ing no ventilation or drainage. and pre-
sentirg a sickening scene. heightened, II
is said. by the torrid heat. II trans
pires that an incident which it was at
first thought might cause friction between
the United States and Great Britain,
occurred In the Transvaal In con-
nection with Captain Haney. an
American. and one OF Jameson's officers,
who was handed over to the British au-
thorities. Captain Haney. II appears was
nj an. ~ h. =
now on her way TO England. and II is
said the British government is aware the
captain was an American and conse-
quently explained the matter to United
States Ambassador Bayard. in order to
avoid trouble. Inquiries at the colonial
otfice show this story to be true. But
the official there who admitted this said
that. had II not been for the action of
the British authorities in getting Captain
Haney away from the Transvaal, the
latter would now be breaking stone in
Pretoria II was also admitted that
Bayard has been notified OF Captain Ha-
ney's arrest. and that he had been prom !
ised that the Captain should be liberated
on 1t being possible for him
to touch British soil. This will possibly
be at the Island OF Malta, where the Vic
toria arrived today: The colonial official
added:
I'VE wish It to be clearly understood
that We have not acted in an unfriendly
spirit The government will extend all
Its good offices in the matter. He was
In a similar scrape before. He got into
trouble with the Portuguese and. at that
time, claimed to be citizen of the Unit |
ed States, naturallzed in Chicago. The
British government helped him to escape |
the consequences"