The San Francisco call., 1896-08-09
ENGL AND TAKES
A FIRM STAND.
WithdrawS From the Most
Shadowy Concert of
Europe.
NOT TO FORCE CRETANS
This Action Is Recognized as
Adding Considerable to
History.
GERMANS ARE MADE ANGRY
Various Political Complications and
Intrigues of Nations Reviewed
by Har old Frederic.

LONDON, Eng, Aug. S.-England has
at last done something in the line of what
English-speaking people have been hoping
and praying for these fifteen months. She
has withdrawn unreservedly from the
shadowy concert of Europe, and has re-
fused to join others in either forcing the
Cretans to submit to the Turks or blockad-
ing the island so as to prevent Greek SYM
pathizers from landing arms and supplies
for the rebels.
This action is recognized as adding a
good deal to history. What its immediate
effect will be 1t would be difficult for the
moment TO predict. Germany has been
all along the master spirit in the combina-
tion for maintaining the Sultan's position,
no matter at what expense of blood guilt
ness. Hence it is only reasonable now to
find the German reptile press denouncing
England and English treachery and greed
at the very top of its lungs.
1t is not surprising either to learn that
the German Foreign Office is passing
through a violent crisis and that Prince
Hohenlohe is on the eve of tumble, if he
has not already fallen. There is, indeed,
an effort on the part of German official
aid should be a matter of indifference !;
that Europe is quite able to do what she
wishes without England. But this is re-
ceived with suspicious silence. All these
signs point to the conclusion which, l
think, was first anticipated in these dis
patches, that there has been a radical
change in Russia's attitude. Prince
Lobanof remains in Office, and stress is
laid in an official dispatch to-day from st.
Petersburg on the fact that he will accom-
pany the Czar on his forthcoming tour of
the political capitals of Europe. But ap-
parently the mastery is no longer in his
hands, and indeed he may easily not last
till September. No doubt it was a knowl-
edge of this change which rendered Eng
lands nominally independent action
possible.
We get token that it is comprehended
in Paris as well, where the foreign and
other journals have suddenly been seized
with a great admiration for England's s
courage and disinterestedness. What the
practical fruit of this altered situation will
be it would still, as Isaid, be hard to guess.
Crete grows worse each week. Excited
tales are coming by way of Athens of ter
ribIe massacres of Christians at Heraklion,
or Gambia, as it is more generally called.
For the time being this ancient city,
whittier 20,0 600 Moslem refugees are said TO
have fed. is center of news interest, but
Canea may usurp the place any day, and,
for that matter, the whole island is ablaze.
There is less success in claiming attention
for the Macedonian revolt, which appears
to be considerably scattered in the skir-
lnishing, but the Turk, at least, is holding
his own. 1t is reported, however, that
three tribes of Arnauts or Bashi Bazouks
have been armed by the Turks to guard
the ThessaIin frontier and their operations
are not likely to arouse general interest.
There are also circumstantial repor Is of
Turko- Bulgarian conflicts on the latter
frontier.
The Sultan's treasury has been closed
out absolutely by this year of disorder,
and the need of money has become at last
imperative at Constantinople, if Turkeys
interest obligations are not to be repudi-
ated.
This has led 10 rumors that England is
thinking of advancing the money to the
Pore, either by the conversion of the
Crimean loan or otherwise obtaining it in
return for substantial guarantees of decent
government in Crete. 1t is doubtful, how
ever, whether matters have not gone
much too far to make any such rosewater
tainty il is said in Berlin, and apparently
believed. that something will probably
happen or will be invented for pretext
for postponement of the Cars western
tour, since he is really not fit physically
or mentally to undergo month of travel
and incessant inspection by strange eyes.
Ii Hung Chang makes perfect visitor
The English have had such extensive
Asiatic experience that they have been
able to avoid the errors into which the too
eager Germans and French naturally fell
They have given LII big mansion, numer-
Gus magnificent carriages, with servants
in yellow livery, and have left him alone
to do what be likes. He drives a great
deal. For the rest he pokes about in a
wicker Sedan chair wherever his fancy
leads him, and everywhere meets with
marked courtesy. Bnt there is no desire
to dictate his movements or run him this
way or that. This he appreciates inn
mensely and does not mind saying in
public that England is the friend China
most of all needs ant would be gladdest
to have. Although he talks a good deal
about his age, he really has great vitality
and endurance, and can stand heavy pro-
longed tasks of sightseeing if the things
shown him are worth while. He has pro-
found interest in mechanical novelties.
particularly If related 10 armament and
also in large engineering works.
he personally lnt6rVeneQ 10 alter the
plan of his northern trip by which he
would have missed a sight of the Forth
Bridge, and at his instance considerable
time is to be deducted from the merely
social side of this journey and added to
his inspection of Lord Armstrong; great
gun foundry and such big shipyards as he
is to visit.
The circumstances in which the major
ity of the House of Lords fouted and de-
feated its own government on Thursday
have given the incident more Importance
than it probably deserved. OF the 83
Irish landlords who voted in the major
ity of lbs, quite third are men unknown
in London and who perhaps hardly aver
age one days parliamentary attendance
in ten years. 1t is not difficult 20 credit
the story that number of them had to be
provided with the means for the journey
to England.
The spectacle of these rude bucolic
squireens gathered in this extraordinary
muster TO resist a land bill which had
satisfied the Tory Ministry was still not
so augring as the practically soiid array
of rich mobiles who live in England and
only use their Irish rents as pocket money,
ell intent on the same relentless treat
ment of the Irish tenant. 1t was, in truth,
a revolving exhibition, and one day OF it