The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-01-26
UNCERTAINTY IN ENGLAND
Over the Grouping of Continental Ma
tions-Queen victoria's Grief.

London. jan 25.-It Is difficult 70 imagine
a more complicated and uncertain politi-
cal situation than the one which is now
being studied by the statesmen OF Europe.
IL the reported alliance between Russia
and Turkey is the myth II is said 10 be,
north and south, east and west. every
where. the state Of uncertainty as to the
future prevails. and the general public, IL
would seem, must for some time be con-
tent with being allowed TO await Develop
ments. Rumors of alliances and counter
alliances I'll the air and crowd the news
papers, but until the shuffling Of the cards
has been completed and the hands are ar
ranged for the game Of bluff and grab be-
lfeved to be arranged between the powers.
1t will be difficult to definitely decide who
are partners and who are their opponents.
But one thing seems TO CLEAN out clearly
from the fog Of diplomacy. and that is that
rearrangement of the European entan-
clements is being engineered. IL il is not in
progress or even an accomplished fact and
there are persons here who intimate that
when the deal Is completed Germany and
not Great Britain will be the isolated
power of Europe. This Is said to be borne
out by the concessions Great Britain has
made to France and may have made TO
Russia. But Of course this is simply one
way of looking at it, and it is by no means
certain that it is the right way.
The social world is also laboring under
cloud almost as dark as the one over
shadowing the world Of politics. This is
caused by the sudden death of Prince Hen
~ of Battenberg, son-in-law of Queen We
toria, while on his way to the island of
Madeira on board the British cruiser
Blondin from Cape Coast Castle, West
Africa, in an effort to recover from an at
tack of African fever. The news caused
a great shock to everybody in court cir
cles and TO society in general. and has re-
I'D n nfZ~ea zhna nj ne aFAl
fixtures. No drawing room or social en-
tertainments of any kind will be held
while the court is in mourning, which VIII
be for at least six weeks. The death OF
Prince Henry, ii Is pointed out, has shown
him TO be an extremely popular man among
those who knew him. and even those who
did not have that pleasure have nothing
but kind words for the soldier who died for
Great Britain. even if his death was from
sickness instead of on the field of battle,
as he would undoubtedly have preferred.
his sad end, likened to that of the prince
imperial of France, has recalled the old
story that Princess Beatrice might have
been welded to the son OF ex-EmpresS
Eugene had he not met his death while
fighting with the British against the Zu-
lus. and so there is much romantic SYM
PATTY expressed for the widowed princess,
who seems TO have twice had her heart
wrung with sorrow as a result of British
wars in Africa.
The kilograms received from Osborne
since the news of the death of Prince
Henry was made known there show that
both the queen and Princess Beatrice were
overwhelmed by the sad tidings from Sierra
Leone. Tho princess was Frustrated
throughout Wednesday, and did not dine
with the royal family, and remained in her
bedroom until IL o'clock Thursday morn
ing. When she reappeared 1t was noticed
ftz-t -. H.. Ia
In weeping for the dead, and she seemed
almost heartbroken when her children
were taken to greet her. Princess Beatrice
spent the afternoon with the queen, who
did everything possible to console her, al
though her majesty suffered greatly her
self. Bulletins. which from time to time
were posted outside the gates OF Osborne
house. stated that the queen and her daugh-
ter were intensely affected, but that her
majesty's health was not in danger These
announcements were made necessary by
the alarming reports circulated on the
streets.
The police authorities OF Scotland Yard
are congratulating themselves on the re-
markable absence OF crime which has pre-
vailed in the metropolis during the past
year. The annual police report, which will
shortly be issued, shows that London, in
its freedom from the effect OF lawbreakers,
has made a record which may well be en-
We'd by the governments OF all large cities.
Mr.. Bartlett, who accompanied Smith N.
Weed to London In the interests Of the
Nicaragua Canal Company. sailed for New
York this week. He has been busily en-
gagged in conducting financial negotiations
connected with the canal. the nature OF
which still remains a secret Mr.. Bartlett,
talking the matter over with a representa-
tive OF the Associated Press. said: 'The
recent war scare has done much to hinder
my work. But the controversy between
England and the United States has not in
terfered with my mission so seriously as
the uproar caused by the German empe-
ror's action regarding the South African
complications. Although these conditions
have delayed negotiations. you may say
that matters are progressing favorably."
MONTE CRIsTO NEWS.