Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-04-12
KRUGER is SHIFTY.
chamberlain, on The Other Hand, Is
Frank and Direct.
,oxpoS EXPEDITION.
Far n Is disappointing 20 the
british Authorities-The Ad'""se
:. s,ow-poers Suspicious of Mafa-
beIc Operations.
belle Operation

,ubllshed. be found TO be models
,.,rs and direct statements on the
1t NJ the former and OF diplomatic
&c yelled with an air Of simplicity,
., the part Of the latter. a month
- ., "a likely that Mr.. Chamberlain
an be compelled by events TO issue the
..s,onaence in a blue-book. in order
- ,pstify whatever strong action may be
zen after diplomacy fails 20 settle the
..,,hles between Great Britain and the
south African republic.
Tho reporter of the United Press Is
o,e TO predict. on thoroughly reliable In
,,,oation. that Mr.. Chamberlain will
,,r,e out OF the negotiations with
,,l~btened reputation. Throughout the
denominations he has not budged from
,,a hubble declarations to adhere to the
Boer convention of 1884. while.
connecting the international importance
- the result. The Pretoria authorities
rss certain organs In London as media
t,r The spread OF useless fictions that
a. CHAMBERLAIN will cancel the conven-
,lon. that he has telegraphed TO the
roor Government that Great Britain has
70 Intention OF sending troops 10 Cape
Colony. etc: doubtless. with a view to
fcepence public opinion here. Mr.. Cham
h,risiu counters these stories with the
sv,lcit denial that he has sent such tele-
Grams The public is half conscious that
d final crisis is near. and accept the de-
mails implicitly. Whether the country
viii ultimately confirm Mr.. Chamberlain's
policy is doubtful. but II is impossible
mat tho developments will show him
10 have been duped by President Kru-
ger
GREAT BRITAIN SUZERAINTY.
Instead OF weakening on the clause Of
The convention giving Great Britain SUI
zeralnty over the Transvaal, he proposes
10 strengthen It. The present clause en-
powers the Transvaal to conclude trea-
lies with foreign Powers, subject to the
veto Of Great Britain. This clause Mr..
Chamberlain has sought 10 have altered
by making Great Britain party 10 the
treaties on lines similar to those exist
ing IN the case Of Great Britain and her
Colonies
with regard 10 the protection Of foreign |
residents OF the republic. Mr.. Cham
berlaln continues to recommend that the |
franchise be given 70 them after five
Years. and he also recommends autonomy
l1T the kdlu, the iutdShito lifif eihpbtfh
90 be subject TO the veto Of the Presi-
dent
To none OF these proposals has Presi- |
dent Kruger definitely assented. He re-
spends that the Nolksraad is not likely
O. give its consent 10 such changes as
the British Colonial Secretary proposes.
lie has taken no steps TO summon the
VOlksraad. Notwithstanding the reports
that no proposed 20 summon Ii at
.r,1 fCY. etnl
opening Of the regular session. The |
position Just misses a deadlock through |
he stiffness OF the Pretoria Government. |
A report is credited in the Colonial Once |
that Mt Chamberlain has asked the as
sent OF his colleagues 10 a proposal not |
b wait FOR the decision OF the Nolksraad |
regardlng the visit of President Kruger |
10 London. but to send a plenipotentiary |
20 Pretoria as q last effort to arrange |
the terms Of settlement. The Earl OF |
seiborne. parliamentary secretary OF the |
Colonial Office. is mentioned as the envoy, |
but he IS too young TO be entrusted with |
such q mOmentous task.
GOVERNMENT BONDS HIGH.
Consols yesterday touched no. "a, the |
highest price on record, and were hard TO |
procure at that price. Indian per cents. |
were quoted at over Ill, which was also |
a record price. These values would have |
been held incredible a year ago. The |
rise IN consols IS largely attributable TO |
the buoyuncy Of trade as shown in the |
Board Of Trade returns and the increase |
IN ihe impora and exports. The strength |
OF the IndSn securities leads to the |
expectation Of a conversion operation.
PARLIAMENTARY.
The government proposes that the |
House Of Commons snail commence sit |
ting 10 the morning, beginning on Tues |
day next. with a view 10 expedite busi- |
ness, 50 as 10 enable Parliament 10 be |
proroglel az the middle of August. The |
proposal is not acceptable to the Liberals, |
who suspect that the early rising OF |
Parliament means giving the government |
"a free hand 20 carry out its plans 10 ex- |
tend operations in the Soudan. Neither |
does 90 meet with the approval of the |
Irish members, who rightly calculate that |
u viii delay consideration of the land |
tIL mr. Gerald Balfour ChNf Secre- |
iaIy OF Ireland. viii. on Monday, intro |
eice bill 10 put the proposal into effect. |
lne opposition has. therefore. deter |
mined. apart from other reasons. to enter |
upon a campaign OF obstruction, and not |
- withdraw from II until the govern
ment pledges itself TO hold an autumn |
Session.
SOUDAN EXPEDITION.
As far as It has gone the Soudan expe- |
elIion is Disappointing 10 the War Office |
ana The government. Dispatches are sent /
eAlly from Cairo pralsing the rapidly OF |
me movements az the front. and the COM
peieuess OF the preparations. The truth, |
as known at the War Office. which is |
sustained by private advices. is that the |
advance beyo9i Assouan is excessively |
slow. being hamperad by deficient river |
service and wanr of forage. The worst |
itaiuie for the government is the enor- |
nous and unexpected expenditures that /
have been and are yet to be made. Lord |
CfomeE. the British diplomatic agent at
CAIRO. advises that II Will be early neces- |
saIy TO draw upon the Egyptian Treasury |
iof 100000, IN addition 10 the 10000 |
t4fealy drawn. and this fact rem |
Gers Il probable that he entire reserve |
o. The Egyptian debt commission will be |
Ultimately absorbed IN preparations be- |
Tore there Is actual contact with the der |
WISHES No authority ventures TO specu- |
late as 70 what VIII happen when the re-
serve IL exhausted.
Cntil September the only forward move |
ment from Akasheh that is likely TO be |
made viii be 10 firket, ten miles up the |
river. This will be merely due 10 the dis |
eoFery that Akasheh Is a bad strategic |
position. The place Is surrounded by low 4
hils commanding the camp. and for this I
fsason Il has already been found advisa-
pc TO form a chain OF forts In the hills. |
me sanitation Of the camp IL bad The |
mercury reaches an average OF i05 degrees |
IA The shade. and this extreme heat Inn |
pedes the work Of even the fellahecn la
bofers. AT Wady Halfa a large number /
q the men belonging TO the North STAFF /
Yorkshire Regiment have been inyalided !
by the heat
COMMANDER BUII.ER.