The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-06-28
BALFOuR HAS MADE BUNeLE
LEGIsLATIyE BUSINESS BADLY
WATERLOGGED.

Chang's Visit Not Looked Upon as
Having Much Prospective Value.
London's Coming Fourth of July
Banquet.
London. June 27.-As might he sup
posed. the arrest Of Crown Surveyor
Harrison by Venezuelans on what s
Claimed TO be British territory. caused
many energetic newspaper protests and
demands that immediate action be taken
TO compel his release
Although the withdrawal Of the edu-
cational bill has lightened the task tf
the government, the stranded whale.
as John Morley characterized the union
lst majority, goes fioundering from shall
low into shallow. Never in the history
Of parliament has a government with
such backing been in so hopeless a mud
die Mr.. Balfour's scheme Of arrange
ment of the government programme.
which government organs announced had
been fully sanctioned by their support
ers, has disappeared. denounced by union
lists themselves as impossible and laughed
at by the liberals as hopelessly imprac-
ticable. 1t was not the education bin
alone which embarrassed the govern
ness generally has become so waters
logged as to make the ministers despair
of getting measures Of the utmost impor-
lance through before the date, Aug, g.
which Mr.. Balfour. in a sanguine MOOD,
fixed for the adjournment Of parliament.
Opposition obstruction cannot be blamed
as the sole cause of the extraordinary
mess made of the governments splendid
opportunities The blame is laid by con-
servatives themselves on Mr.. Balfours
defects of leadership. They accuse him
of having had either no heart for the
work of forcing the education bill
through, or privately rail at him for
want Of grit in countering the opposi-
tion, and want of tact in guiding the
government forces. Conservative cha
grin over the failures of the session is so
keen that lobby talk turns upon the adj
visibility of superseding Mr.. Balfour in
the leadership Of the house. They crave
for the strong hand and daring guidance
of Mr. hamberlain, but fear to risk COM
hitting themselves to the leadership ~
a man who has not yet shaken off radi-
cal ideas, and who might constrain the
conservative party into lines Of policy
divergent from all conservative trade
ton.
Mr.. Balfour himself privately expresses
himself as disheartened over the stua-
ton, but says he win persist In carrying
out his programme for the session against
internal indictments and external foes.
The liberal papers talk of the probability
of a split in the government ranks, even
of an early dissolution.
But, says government organ, in ad-
hitting the governments bungling "a
man does not divorce his wife because
she has made a mess of his dinner. He
hopes for better luck next time"
III Hung Chang will not receive in Lon
don the ceremonial state reception with
which he has been greeted in Berlin. The
English foreign office has no confidence in
the prospective value OF his mission. IL
is said, indeed, that he is not authorized
by the emperor or the tsung-li-yamen to
make any dehpite proposals whatever.
His credentials to the respective
chiefs of state with whom
he confers recite his numerous Chinese
titles, but do not accredit HIM as an en-
voy authorized to negotiate anything
Whatever may be the Berlin belief in the
Importance OF Ii Hung Changes visit Il
is by no means shared In London. Pekin
diplomatic advices represent him as under
taking the tour of the European capitals
as "a kind of personal diplomatic specula-
ton. He has promised the Pekin govern
ment to obtain the consent Of the inter
ested powers to modification of the com
mercial treaties notably, an increase from
to per cent in the customs duties. He
promises in return the opening of more
ports. extended freedom of inland navi-
CATION for foreign vessels, extension OF
railways through foreign enterprise, re-
duction Of transit duties, etc. But he has
no power to pledge his government to any
of these promises. These Pekin advices
add that the majority Of the members Of
the tsung-li-yamen, want to complete tbs
downfall Of the old statesman and pro
posed TO do so by foiling and discreditinl
any success he might obtain in Europe Of
Mr.. Hart, the brother of Sir Rober
Hart, head of the Chinese customs, ac
companies him to London, and Mr.. Drew
well known in Chino-A American CONNER
circles.
ingtQn
Ambassador Bayard will occupy thu
chair at the Fourth of July banquet O
the American Society in London. Amoni
those who are expected to attend ar
Senator Hoar, Col. Watterson and prob
ably Mr.. Bourke Cochran. The las
named gentleman came to Europe prin
eipady with the idea of going to Carlsbad
hoping the baths would complete the cur
of his leg, injured some time ago. Whe
he left home he expected to be laid u
for some months. But he has since mad
such progress while in Paris and Londo
that he may abandon the trip to Carls
bad
France has opened the expected diplc
matic campaign against Great Britain b
presenting communication to Lord Sa
tsbury through Baron de Courcel tn
French ambassador, proposing the term
nation of the British occupation of EgyI
at swithin two years. subsequent to II
naturalization OF Egypt, no one power
maintain an armed protectorate over ii
country without the assent of the other
This form of condomium, of which muC
is certain to be heard in the future hs
the support Of Russia and is the subie
of active negotiations between France al
the other powers. 1t is understood thu
Lord Salisbury, with good reason, reh
upon Germany. Austria and Italy to baC
Great Britain in so prolonging the neg
tiations as to practically defeat the Russ
French move. The Soudan expedition
being more than ever accelerated. TIL
expedition viii involve a large expenditu
on the part of the British treasury, al
probably a somewhat heavy loss of Br
ism troops. This viii give Great Britain
frmer grip on Egypt; which nothing sho
OF European war can remove. 1t is il
probable that the French government h
contemplated such an issue. The prop
sails seem to have been made rather
crafty and amuse the French people
NJ. HanotaiX, the French foreign min
ter must Know that there is no chance
the negotiations being successful
Events in Crete render futile concert
action by the powers. Only Moslem dep
ties consent to appear in the assent
cohvoked by Abdullah Pasha, the gov,
nor of the island A number of Christi
deputies who were forming a reyolutio
airy council have been arrest ted, with
view to preventing them from forming