The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1896-01-23
ENGLAND HIGHLY ELATED
Events Of the Past Week Give
Her the Big Head.
SHE FEARS NO COMBINATION
Agreement as 10 Siam and Ashantes's
Submission Are Gratifying
More War Material.

London, Jan. 1S-It seems to be the
general opinion here among the English
that events of the past week have In no
way impaired the prestige of Great
Britain. The agreement arrived at with
France regarding Slam is, for instance,
gravely looked upon in some quarters
here as being an excellent reply to EN-
peror Williams dispatch to President
Kruger on the result of the Transvaal
invasion, in spite of utterances to the
contrary of the French newspapers.
La Libertie of Paris on Wednesday
had an interview with M. Berthout, the
French minister of foreign affairs. in
which he was quoted as saying: 1.-THE
convention (Mekong) does not modify
our external policy The English news
papers are willfully mistaken In declar-
ing that England has obtained Frances
cooperation in the settlement of Eng
fish foreign difficulties"
Yet. in the face of this, the newspa-
pers here look upon the Mekong agree
ment as being a triumph for British
diplomacy and slap at Emperor VIII
liam. On the other hand, 1t was credi-
bly, announced today that the Ashantee
war had been ended with the complete
submission of King Prempeh, and the
news Is received with great satlsfac-
ton, as 1t frees Great Britain's hands
from what once promised to be a trou-
blesome little war.
MORE BLUSTER.
The elatlon of Great Britalns APP
parently successful issue from deli
cate situation. combined with the con-
fdence aroused by the promptness with
which the naval preparations were car
ried out has given a tone of cocksure-
ness to portion of the press and a ma
jority OF the people.
The Standard is so elated that II talks
about Great Britain's holding her own
against any five or six OF the great pow
ers. and thinks 1t matter of supreme
indifference as to how the powers may
group themselves.
The st. James Gazette, however,
strongly reproves Englishmen for utter
Ing such an opinion. describes the
Standards remarks as swagger and
asks, pertinently, If Great Britain is
prepared to take on France, Russia
Germany, Austria and the United States
and says: Surely this is making a
great deal too much OF the fact that we
built few ironclads and cruisers rapid
1y during the last few years"
Although matters look decidedly more
peaceful than they did a week or so
ago, the production of war material
here appears to have been Increased
rather than diminished. The staff of
workmen at the dockyards and arsenals
has been increased largely, and 1t Is
looked upon as being significant and as
having direct bearing upon the future
that the workmen have been mostly
promised permanent employment.
The military authorities have enrolled
large number Of additional employees
at the government gun factories, and
the men are all working overtime Car
tridges for the new magazine rifle are
being turned out by the million, and
enormous quantities Of shells are being
manufactured. The factories are also
turning out as rapidly as possible a
large number of field and naval guns,
and steps are being taken to push this
branch OF the defenses very strong.