Birmingham state herald., 1896-05-31
A WAR CLOUD IN THE EAST Crete Threatens to Become the
 Apple of Discord. THE PORTE HURRIES TROOPS The French Press Says That British Intrigue Has lncited the Christians to Rebel. HALT CALLED IN THE S0UDAN CAMPAIGN Fear of Trouble in the Transvaal the Rea- son-Who's to Pay the Piper p-Indi-
 cations Are That John Bull Will
 Reluctantly Do So.
THE PORTE HURRIES TROOPS
HALT CALLED IN THE SoUDAN CAMPAIGN

Scanea, Crete, the scene of serious fight ing between Christians and Turks, has telegraphed details of the trouble to the foreign office, confirming the worst ac- counts of the fighting in the streets. Though order has been temporarily re- stored, the people of the town and in the country round about are preparing for further trouble.
 The official Turkish communica tions affirming that there has been no upris- ing, that probably nothing has happened beyond the street affray and that all the excitement has subs.d do not tally with the measures being taken by the porte for the hurried dispatch of rein forcements to Crete from Salonica and Smyrna It can be said that though the Christian inhabitants of the island are not now in full revolt against their Turk ish rulers, they are on the eve of an in- surrection as great as that of 1878, when the porte was forced to concede through Mukhtar Pasha the then governor, a quasi autonomy, which was afterwards found to be unavoidable. Since 1S40, when the island was restored to the Iufks, there has been instruction after lnsu1- rection, all of which proved futile. Now ~ the Christians mean to gain, If possible, complete autonomy-a union with Greece -or have some European power eStap- fish a protectorate over them. At any rate, they propose to overthrow the rule of Turkey. The disturbances reopen the whole eastern question in an acute form, and the prospect of pacific settlement Is very slim. The French press declare that British intrigue has melted the Christians to instruction and that BTU fish agents are supplying the insurgents with money and arms with view to ultl- mate British occupation of the island.
 The Speaker contends that the British are abused. It has theory Of It's own Tn regard to the troubles, which Is that the Russian and French consuls fomented the disorder in order to bring about French occupa ton. The accusations thus banded between the British and conti- mental press show the depth of the Jeal- ousies which are interfering with the summoning of European congress, which diplomatic circles now discuss as the only. mode of solution that will pre- vent a European war.
 Unwilling as Prime Minister Salisbury may be to accede to the holding of con gress that would likely be to include Egypt in this decision, the trend of events tends to make a conference inevitable. Great Britain would object to the cesslon of Crete to Greece, as the latter country is under Franco-Russian influence, ana would prefer the granting of autonomy and the naturalization of the island un- der an European guarantee.
 Recent news from Egypt indicates that the government has modified its inten- tions with regard to the campaign in Soudan. It is now probable that no ad- vance will be made beyond AkaShehm. The change is generally attributed to uneasiness as to the attitude of the Boers and the possibility of such demands be- ing made upon Great Britain's military strength as will make it difficult to sup port the movement along the Nile With a substantial British force. The decision to send Indian troops to the Red sea sup ports the belief that plans have been changed. By reason of this new depar- ture Sir Herbert Kitchener, the present commander, will likely control opera tions throughout, and neither Sir Red vers Butler nor Sir Evelyn Wood will be sent out. The so-called advance seems likely, to reduce itself to gradual elong- alton of the frontier line.
 The king of the Belgians is expected in London early in June, when something may be arranged about the plans for the new Congo State railway. A number Of preliminary surveys have already been sent to London from Brussels and over and above the loan of 10,000.OO0 francs, which the Belgian chamber has agreed to guarantee, a further loan of 15,- 100000 francs will be guaranteed after the line has been commenced. It is prac- tically settled that the new railway. which vii penetrate into the interior, is intended to be worked largely in con junction with English enterprise for the development of central Africa.
 The advanced radical section in the house of commons. which formally con- stituted itself an independent party at the Whitsuntide recess has not it must be admitted, made much headway either in the house or in the country in the in- terval. The new party admit that they cannot do much to advance their views in the house of commons at present and are confining their efforts mainly to the constituencies where their reception is generally lukewarm. Time seems al- ready to have justified the hostile crit icisms of Sir Charles Dilke when he ad- yised the radicals not to frame any def mite programme until the people at large had some more experience of the legislative blpnders of the government.
 The refusal of the British and Egyptian governments to ad- init the competence of the Egyptian mixed tribunal to decide as to the legal ity of the advance of money from the Egyptian treasury to meet the expenses of the Soudan expedition has not de- tered the tribunal from delivering it's judgment As was expected, the judg- ment is against allowing the commission of the public debt to be drawn upon. The commission is composed of Frenchman, who Is It's president; Dutchman, who was formerly employed to conduct French suits in the courts of Alexandria: two Egyptians and a Per- tuguese ex-advocate, who was nomi- mated by French influence. The court is held to be impartial, but the judgment affirming that no grant can be made for the purpose preferred without the unanimous consent of the six powers represented therein has an important bearing in connection with the protest against the expedition made by France and Russia. and their attitude on the Egyptian question generally. The Brit ish and Egyptian governments can ap- peal to higher court at Cairo. but as this court-consisting of two 7 French Judges, one English. one Italian and one Austrian--is notorious for it's political bias, an appeal is not probable, apart