New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-01-17


two Incorporated cities. with central board 10
keep the main sewer-pipes in order ana 10 90
few other odd Jobs This result would marx
the collapse Of the London unifcation move
ment Then again Westminster. Kensington
and other conservative parishes might apply LOT
charters and become separate municipalities,
while the East End parishes might remain io!a'
to progressive principles and continue 10 sup
port the London County Council; that is 10 say
Conservative sections would be Separatist anu
Liberal sections Unionist on questions OF Lohuo"
government, thereby reversing the order OH
Irish questions.
The chief surprise Of Continental politics is
the appointment Of Count Muravief as Prince
Lobanoffs successor. He Is reported 10 ne es-
pecially trusted by the ladies OF the iniper'a'
house which is a curious reason lor MS seiec-
ton as head of the Foreign Office. He mas peeh
Russian Minister at Copenhagen and conhden-
tial adviser of the imperial family and Is ac-
counted q dplomatist of grsat ability Berlin
regards with suspicion the diplomatic influences
Of Copenhagen: but what Is more important
is the fact that Muravieff is not committed 10
the recent Russian policy in Constantinopie ana
may bring to the solution of pending ques'ions
the force OF fresh, unbiased mind
a foreign incident which has attracted much
attention In London is the massacre OF an uh-
armed marty Of Englishmen with go porters In
West Africa Benin is In Sokoto. Dependent
State with which the English have treaties' ana
which is also claimed by the French as wi'hih
the range of their colonial sphere Oh aou'i'
Both the expedition and the slaughter are mss-
terious but CAPTAIN Gawey Sir John Kiosk.
Miss Kingsley and other experts agree mat the
campaign for enforcing the punishment for the
h lie al cd
q serious affair as the King of Benin has no
army but only a mob Of taX-collectors. There
will be another King to mprison or hang 10
free and another collection of royal relics more
interesting than that OF the King OF Ashan'ee'
recently displayed at the Colonial ONCE Thls
is the practical English view. cynicaHy eN-
pressed The King Of Benin is described as
claiming by divine right one tusk OF every eie-
miami killed in his dominion and also demand
ing the privilege OF buying the other tusk at MS
own valuation. This exercise of the royal pre-
rogative has enabled him to collect great stock
of ivory, which probably explains why the
Niger Protectorate was so anxious TO make
peace with him.
Benin is however a mere speck on the
horizon In comparison with the cloud OF awful
darkness envelopng India. Oficial reports
show that the area Of the famine district al
ready includes population of Sl.ooho"' ana
that the number Of natives employed on relief
works will soon exceed 3,O00Hoo The prices OF
imported food in Bengal are high. traders TAX
ing ADVANTAGE of the chance to make private
fortunes To the famine is added the Black
Plague which has spread from Bombay TO
Poona and Kurrachee and many smaller places
and thrown the native population into frenzy
Of manic Veterans of the British Army who
know India declare that the only practical
method of fighting the plague is to Isolate
Bombay and then to burn the houses IN the
residential quarter. This was the method by
which the plague stamped out in Hong
Kong after every other resource had failed.
Drastic measures have not yet been adopted IN
Bombay and. magnificent as is the charity fund
raised in London. it counts for little IN so
appalling situation.
There has been round Of gayety at all the
country houses in England during the last fort
night the early session Of Parliament having
shortened the usual holiday season and crowded
many social incidents and nearly all the usual
county balls into a narrow compass. London Is
already filling up and welcomes returning
ROYALTY bellies statesmen and spor;smen with
good weather. a blessing heretofore unknown
this winter
The Watts Leighton art collections now attract
regarded as more satisfactory than the usual
winter loan exhibitions. The results Of the de-
alterations Of the forty Academicians on Elec-
ton night were awaited with eager interest by
the group Of models outside. anxious to con-
graduate the successful candidate. 1t was
American night the new Academician being Mr.
Sargent. and of the new Associates Mr.
Shannon. Indeed the second Associate Mr. Al
fred Parsons may almost be claimed as an
American in his art development, since so
much of his work has been done as an Illus
traitor for New-York magazines. Mr. Sargents
election 10 the supreme dignity so soon after MS
choice as Associate shows that the Academy was
determined to repair its earlier of judg-
ment in estimating his work. His "Carmen-
cita." which was hung above the line at Burling-
ton House before his fame was made. Is now
owned by the French Nation. having been pur-
chased by the Luxembourg Gallery. Sargent
and Shannon are the best portrait painters in
England and the choice of Mr.. Alfred Parsons
brings a Landscape painter into the Academy.
where this branch of art has been neglected of
recent years.
Sir Henry Irving Is resting in the country, but
will hardly be able to play DR.. Primrose in
"Olivia" when the Lyceum Theatre is reopened
Under the Red Robe" has passed its one-hun-
dredth night at the Haymarket and is prosper
ing greatly. Mr.. Charles Wyndham is In Nice
and may not return to his theatre for another
month. Mr.. Forbes Robertson, with Mrs Pat
rick Campbell, will open the Avenue Theatre
for a short season next month, with new ro-
mantle play based on Crovdy Jefferson's de-
fence of the relations of Lord Nelson and Lady
Hamilton No part is provided for Lady Nelson
There is much unnecessary mystery about the
authorship of this so-called psychological play.
Interest In the brief operate season OF the Carl
Rosa Company at the Garrick Theatre will
centre in the first London performance OF Ben
1amin Godard's LA Vivandiere." Tschaik-
owsky's beautiful Pathetic symphony" played