The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-12-12
THE INDIAN EXPEDITION
BRITISH FORCBs WITHDRAWNf OR
THE WINTER.
Eumors Of Changes in the British Cabinet.
Frances Aggrcssions In Africa
Attracting Attention.

LONDON. December il.-Four Cabinet
councils in week are calculated TO
arouse comment. but II must be admitted
thai the Marquis Of Salisbury and MS
colleagues have multiplicity OF mat
tiers more or less urgently calling for set
dement,
with France trying 20 nlch slices Of
African territory winch Great Britain Is
IN tho habit OF calling her own, and Ger
many looscning the "olnch% Albion has
nluavs claimed TO nave in China, Wills
Great Britain herself is trying to grab
ntue more country at various other
,,lnts and with the preparation for the
executive programme. the ministry mas
no lack Of worries
80 LACK or EVIDENCE.
The announcement which tho st. James
Gazette made on Wednesday last "au-
ihoritaiively" that the BRUSH government
does not expect any furuner trouble with
France regarding the upper Nile re-
gions. France agreeing 70 accept the sn-
uation. Is unc0nhrmed and probably IN
founded as there IS no lack Of evidence
shat France IS deliberately pursuing the
task ~ selling the upper waters OF the
MIC ABOVE NNAllNNUit ilu5 'HAAltF Nh'
British line OF communication between
Cape Town and Suez. and the powerful
Colonial party in France threatens TO
upset tho Mcllne Cabinet should II recede
from this enterprise
All Tho forces OF General sir William
Iockhart. tho British commander on the
Indian frontier. have boon WITHDRAW TO
Tho Bara Valley for the winter. Thus
the largest and best equipped force ever
assembled IN India has failed and the
whole work will have 20 be repeated In
the spring
About io0 officers and mon killed or
wounded % 000o nm rupees spent loss.
and British prestige weakened on the
frontier are tho debts against which
few mud horses and sangers blown MP
and. probably several thousand natives
killed. arc the only apparent credits.
RUMORs or CHANGES.
Rumors. too precise to be guess work,
are current 70 the effect that the Earl
OF Elgin. early next year will retire from
the vice-royalty Of India and be succeeded
by Lord George Hamilton. whose Indian
secretaryship will be filed by Lord l'ans-
downe. the present Secretary Of state Tor
War This would be "a good party mo~
as II would enable the Marquis OF SANS
bury TO place at the head OF the war
ofice a skilled man of business who
would satisfy the tax payer as well as
the army and materially smooth the path
Of the intended proposals for military
reform.
II IS intimated that Joseph Chamber
lain may be transferred from the Colo
NAL 10 the War Office, his place being
given as a sop 10 the Marquis Of Lon
donderry. whose kicking qualities are
not appreciated by the ministry.
Lieutenant r. T.. Peary, the American
explorer. has taken the town by storm
though he arrived here unheralded Inc
newspapers, gcOgraphers and SCIENTISTS
are al his disposal. As leading geogra-
rhcr said to a representative of the Asso-
ciatcd Press:
Lieutenant Peary has won all our
hearts by his modesty, courtesy and
learning We put him on the same plane
as Or. hansen. and have the utmost con-
hdence I'm his plans
on Friday afternoon Colonel Hay had
long conference with the Marquis of
Salisbury at the Foreign Office. on the
subject Of the Behring Sea. This inter-
view was ainicable on both sides, but
nothing definite was arrived at.
COLONEL AND MRS. HAY.
Later In the afternoon Colonel and
they received special marks OF attention.
The United States Ambassador and his
wife dined a. the Queens table. Colonel
HAY sitting next 10 Her Majesty She was
most kind and cordial. the conversation
lasting an hour After dinner the Queen
conversed with Mrs. Hay in the same cor
dial manner
The National Liberal Federation. at its
pnnual meeting al Derby. on Tuesday
a.. oil ~
n Is hoped will be broad enough 20 hold
all the factions IL includes abolition of
the peers: right Of Veto woman suffrage;
the payment Of members Of the House
OF Commons; the Acknowledgement Of pau
pers and the defraying of election eN-
penses from public funds. John Morley
has Kicked" al the platform. He says
he has dotted his coat and waistcoat in
behalf ~ home rule" and cannot spare
any more apparel for the purpose Of fight
ing for the abolition Of the House OF
Lords