The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-02-23

fng-Russia's Occupation of Korea
Another Humiliation for Lord SAL
isbury-The Premier's Falling Ont
With the Heads of the Dreibund.
The Landing of the jameson Ex-
peditiOn.
London, Feb. PA reporter of the
United Press spent three hours in the
lobby of the House of Commons yester-
day afternoon sounding members of the
House regarding the plan for the settle
ment of the Venezuela dispute, which G.
w. Smalley, the American correspondent
Of the Times, claims to have emanated
from the United States government. The
consensus Of opinion among the unionist
members was that the proposal to appoint
a joint Anglo-American commission is
hardly necessary in the face of the pres
ent position of affairs. Among those in
teryiewed was the Hon. Evelyn Hubbard,
who was recently elected to represent the
Lambeth division of Brixton. Mr.. Hub
bard is a typical representative of the
conservatives. He is the youngest son or
the first Baron Addington. He is q. men,
Der Of the firm of John Hubbard & Co.,
Russia merchants of st. Helens place,
and Of Egerton. Hubbard Co., of st.
Petersburg, a director of the Bank of
England, a commissioner of public works
and loans, a deputy lieutenant for the
city of London, and since March last an
alderman of the county council. Mr. Hub
bard remarked that there was not much
need Of such a commission as that men,
toned by Mr. Smalley, for the reason that
there was little doubt that the matter
would be amicably adjusted by direct ne
gotiations between Great Britain and Ven
ezuela. The commission appointed by
President Cleveland further diminished
the necessity for joint committee, as he
(Nir. Hubbard) anticipated that the fnd-
ings of the former body would be such
as to satify the British claims. Moreover
the friendly tone now prevailing on all
sides would be certain to lead to a re-
suit that would be acceptable to English
ideas.
Sir Ellis Ashmead Bartlett, a conserva-
tive, who is in favor of strengthening and
extending the imperial power and com
merce of the United Kingdom, said he
was glad to see that both sides had adopt-
ed more friendly tone and that the spirit
of jingoism had disappeared. lie added that
much Of the general interest had gone out
of the case, as there was not now even
possibility OF war. He expressed himself
as being skeptical in regard to the ap-
&ointment of joint commission because
the matter was such as TO be
body. When asked If the find
ings of the American commission would
be enough for Great Britain, he said he
was not sure, adding: ''Of course, any hon
orable settlement would be acceptable 10
Great Britain, but Lord Salisbury could
not leave the settlement of British affairs
to the American commission Nevertheless
its findings might be satisfactory to Great
Britain
The other members who were questioned
said that they preferred not to make a
formal statement owing to the appeal in
the House of Commons of the first lord of
the treasury, A. j. Balfour, that the men,
bers of the House would not discuss the
policy which has been pursued by the gov
ernment arent the boundary dispute. Those
members, however, indicated their conf
dence in the personnel and the procedure
of the American high commission, coupled
with expressions of their firm belief that
the findings of this commission would JUS
tify the British claims.
The Speaker lengthily discusses the plan
for the appointment of a joint commits
sion and says it cannot believe that the
scheme cabled to the Times by Mr.. Small
ley is the best that Washington can ar
range. There would be difficulty regard
ing the settled districts. In the event of
their being found not to belong to Great
Britain, it thinks that country should pay
to Venezuela for them a sum to be fixed
by arbitrators. 1t says 1T does not think
that such a purchase would be contrary
to the Monroe doctrine, while it would Sc
cure the seal to the British point that
British subjects must not be handed over
to the tender mercies of the Nenezuleans
In regard to the case of Rev. George +.
Knapp, one of the American missionaries
at Bitlis, who is accused by the porte of
having encouraged seditious movements
among the Armenians, and who will go
to ConStamtinople for trial, the reporter
of the United Press learns that for some
time there have been charges against him
of melting and assisting the ArmenianS
to revolt against the porte. The charges
are undoubtedly made for the purpose of
forcing Mr.. Knapp to leave the country.
Mr. Hampson the British consul at Bit
lis, reported that the charges were alb
Surd, but nevertheless Mr.. Knapp was
summoned before the criminal court to
answer a charge Of conspiracy. He tele-
graphed to the Hon. A. w. Terrell, Amer
him what he should do. Mr.. Terrell re-
piled telling him not to obey the sum-
mons, and added that if he was in danger
of arrest he had better stay in his house
Mr. Terrell then informed the porte that
he would not allow Mr. Knapp to be tried
in the manner proposed by the Turkish
authorities HALL Rafaal Pasha. the
grand vizier, answered that he could not
stop the course of justice. There is some
talk of an American commission going to
ConStantinople to examine into the affair.
Thomas Sexton, who, on Tuesday last,
made application for the stewardship of
the Chiltern Hundreds. which is the form
observed when a member of the House of
Commons wishes to give up his seat in the
House, has left London. He will now de-
vote nlmSelI TO directing the tTeemanS
Journal of Dublin. The split in the ranks
of the anti-Parnellites since the refusal
of MIR. Sexton to accept the leadership of
the party and the election of John Dillon
as leader. is more bitter than ever. The
Irish Catholic Timothy Healys organ
says: ''Our feeling for Mr.. Sexton is one of
sincere pity. He prefers a salaried Office
on a newspaper to the chairmanship of the
party that has been impoverished by the
policy which he sought to impose on the
people. To suppose that John Dillon can
ever be regarded as the leader of our
race, is a grotesque absurdity. His ad-
mitted incapacity will plunge the move
ment into constant blunders."
The statement made in the House of
Commons on Thursday last by the Rt
Hon. George Curzon, parliamentary secre-
tary of the foreign office, to the effect that
Great Britain considered the pledge given
by Russia in 1886. not to occupy Korea
under any circumstances as still binding,
was gravely misleading. Russia has never
promised Great Britain not to occupy Ko-
rea. In 1885, a British fleet occupied Port
Hamilton, it being then alleged that this
was a counter movement to Russia's pro-
jected occupation of a port in Korea. The
Koreans pressed China as the suzerain of
their country to obtain the evacuation of
Port Hamilton bV the British The Tlrff-