The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-12
ENGLAND AND HER ENEMIES.
-FOUR CABINET COUNCILS IN A
WEEK CAUSE COMMENT.

French AEGressiveness in Africa and
Germnny's Land Grab i'm China
Giving the Ministry Something 10
Think About-The Campaign in In
dia Adding No New Lustre to Eng
lish GIOry-Many HOnOrs Paid
Peary by LOndOners.
Special London Gable Letter, Copyrighted,
1897, by the Associated Press.
London, Dec. 11.-Four cabinet councils
in a week are calculated TO arouse COM
ment; but it must be admitted that the
Marquis of Salisbury and his colleagues
have a multiplicity of matters more or less
urgently calling for settlement. With
France trying to flch slices of African ter
ritory which Great Britain is in the habit
of calling her own, and Germany loosen
ing the "cinch" Albion has always claim
ed to have in China, while Great Britain
herself is trying to grab a little more coun-
try at various other points. and with the
preparation of the legislative programme,
the ministry has no lack of worries.
The announcement which the ST. James
Gazette made on Wednesday last author
itatively" that the British government
does not expect any further trouble with
France regarding the upper Nile regions,
France agreeing to accept the situation. Is
unconhrmed and probably unfounded, as
there is no lack of evidence that France is
deliberately pursuing the task of securing
the upper waters of the Nile, above Khar-
toum, thus cutting the British line of
communication between Cape Town and
Suez, and the powerful colonial party in
France threatened to upset the Melne cab
met should it recede from this enterprise.
All the forces of Gen, Sir William Lock-
hart, the British commander on the In
dian frontier have been withdrawn to the
Para valley for the winter. Thus the larg-
est and best equipped force ever assem-
bled In India has failed and the whole
work will have to be repeated In the
spring. About l. 400 officers and men killed
and wounded, 35,00O000 of rupees spent
in loss and British prestige weakened on
the frontier, are the debts against which
a few mud huts and Sangars blown up
and, probably, several thousand natives
killed, are the only apparent credits.
Rumors, too precise to be guess work,
are current to the effect that the Earl
of Elgin early next year will retire from
the viceroyalty of India and be succeeded
by Lord George Hamilton, whose Indian
secretaryship will be filled by Lord
Lansdowne, the present secretary of state
for war This would be a good party
move, as 1t would enable the Marquis Of
Salisbury to place at the head of the war
a skilled man of business, who
would satisfy the taxpayer, as
well as the army, and ma
terially smooth the path for the intended
proposals for military reform. 1t Is inti-.
mated that Joseph Chamberlain may be
transferred from the colonial to the war
office, his place being given as a sop to
the Marquis of Londonderry, whose kick
ing qualities are not appreciated by the
ministry.
Lieut. r. e. Peary, the American ex-
plorer, has taken the town by storm,
though he arrived here unheralded. The
newspapers, geographers, and scientists
are at his disposal AS a leading geogra-
pher said to a representative of the Asso-
cated Press: Lieut. Peary has won all
our hearts by his modesty, courtesy and
learning. We put him on the same plane
as DR.. Nansen and have the utmost con-
fidence in his plans"
on Tuesday Lieut.. and Mrs. Peary dined
with the Harmsworths and on Wednesday,
the United States ambassador, Col. and
Mrs Hay, gave dinner In their honor.
The lieutenant lectured at New Castle
on Thursday and on Friday he lectured
at Edinburgh. There he metan enthusiasts
tic reception from the Royal Scottish Geo.
its medal.
Sir Clement Markham, president of the
Royal Geographical society, will give a
banquet in Lieut.. Peary's honor on Dec.
IA.
On Friday afternoon, Col Hay had a
long conference with the Marquis of Sal
isbury at the foreign Office on the subject
of the Bering Sea. The conference was
amicable on both sides. but nothing def
mite was arrived at.
Later in the afternoon Col. and Mrs.
Hay proceeded to Windsor, where they re-
ceived special marks of attention. The
United States ambassador and his wife
dined at the queens table, Col. Hay sitting
next to her majesty She was kind and
cordial the conversation lasting an hour
At the Christmas dinner of the New
Vagabonds Club on Friday Rear Admiral
Lord Charles Beresford was the guest of
the evening and he created a sensation by
his plain speaking on social questions.
Money" he declared, lis now everything
among US. Any vulgarian, of whatever
nationality, whether ne has gained money
honorably or disgracefully, could buy his
way among those who are described as
the best and proudest in the land but
worship the golden calf"
Continuing, Lord Beresford said: "Our
old empire will soon be going down grade
when a man in the so-called best society
commits a dishonorable act and society
bands together to screen him, instead of
hanging him to the first tree"
The popular rear admiral also urged a
return to the old "love of chivalry and
patriotism, the adherence of everything
sordid and selfish"
The Vagabons were at first aghast at
this plain speaking, but the subsequent
cheers showed that outspoken truths are
not altogether unpalatable.
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