The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-05-17
War WOULD BE BAD POLITICS
And England Will Probably Have No
Conflict With The AfflkandeTS.
HOPE KRUGER WILL MlKEA MISTAKE
This Is the Wish of England, But IL APP
pears 20 be "A Remote Contingency.
New Lease of Life Tor the south
African Company.

| LONDON, May ls.-Thcre mas been
| much discussion OF late IN high political
ana military quarters as TO the course
TO be pursued by the British Government
TO consolidate her interests ia south
Africa and 10 maintain her position as
the paramount power la that part OF tho
world. Against the opinion Of Field Mar
shal Lord MOlselty chief
OF Her MaJcstys forces, General Lord
Roberts, and all the other military su-
thcrities in England and India, the Gov
ernment has decided against ayalling it.
self OF tho preparations that have been
made for war in South Africa, though
some time ago IL was considered certain
by those in the inmOst circle that south
Africa would be the scene OF am armed
conflict between the British ana the COM
soldated forces OF the Afrkandcrs. Tho
political. and not the military, consldera-
tions were too much for the Cabinet TO
brush aside slightly or otherwise. Tho
Government has not succeeded IN forcing
Portugal to grant the concession OF Della
goa Bay as a basis for British military
operations apart from the right OF pre-
emption which Great Britain holds I'm re-
spect OF Delagoa Bay.
The question OF cost has been part OF
the trouble. The five million pounds stcrl-
ing, the first offer from England, has
been raised TO twice that sum. with thu
further quittance Of the debt OF PoftugaS
due TO England though the latter would
be merely nominal quittance, In view or
the fact that Portugal has long since
been released OF the debt by default.
DEIAGOA BAY.
The interesting point OF the matter,
however, is that European intervention.
anu that Of Germany or France or per-
haps both, has obliged Portugal TO reject
Ia "a
present, therefore, IS that IL Great Britain
should be forced to conduct operations
against the Transyaal She must. as tho
only practicable basis for the dispatch OF
large expedition into the interior and
Tor supplying II with everything neces-
sary use Delas0a bay without the con-
sent Of Portugal. a proceeding that ccr-
tainly would result in undesirable entan-
clements with either the French or the
Germans. These reasons have undoubt-
edly much 10 do with the decision or the
Government 10 lie low and see what tho
next move of the BOcrs VIII be- As be
fore stated I'M the cable correspondence, IL
appears as though President Kruger had
completely chlckmatcd Colonial Secretary
Chamberlain and the other members OF
Lord Salisbury $ Government An Eng
lsb paper recently summed up the sit
uatiOn BY declaring that President Kruger
was only human. and expressing the hope
that he would shortly make a mistake.
tHi1f jRuEiNh lltlh litNfilt liiiiitttoNr,
Is not contingency Of the near future.
It is very evident from present indica
tiOns that the British South African
Company has secured a new lease of corr
porate life. A batch OF Pretoria telc-
grams, which date from October, were
published here to-day. They entirely con-
firm the story OK the plot 10 overthrow
the Government OF the Transyaal but
the British public does not intend 10 let
this affect them. They prefer 10 accept
the Governments auti-German insinua-
tons. which even the respectable Spec
tator voices by saying:
Mr.. Chamberlain has in his posses
sion some facts which It would be ndis-
Greet 10 reveal Hence his eulogy OF the
energy with which Mr.. Rhodes had anticl-
pated and rendered impossible certain de-
signs which would have prevented the
expansion OF British dominion in South
Africa"
This line OF argument saves Mr.. Rhode
and lustlfes the Governments inactiOn
regarding him among many persons who
disapproye OF the attack in the Transyaal.