New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-04
BRITISH SHIPPERS UNEASY.
THE DINGLEY BILL WITH ITS RETRO.
ACTIVE CLAUSE ALARMS THEM.

SPONsIBILITY-ALL SIGNS POINT TO
SPEEDY WAR, BUT ONLY SMALL
AND LOCALIZED oNE--MR.
RHoDEs's DEPARTURE
[BY CABLE TO THE rRBuNE.l
London. April 3-The passage Of the Dins1ey
bill with a retroactive clause has produced .
feeling OF CONSERVATION among wool brokers,
who have been exporting wool from London ct
the rate OF q million dollars weekly. Consul
General Collins has been besieged with inquirers
anxious to learn whether the wool now afioat
or shipped before the new Tariff bill Is signed
by President Mckinley Will be subject 10 duty.
While he Is good lawyer, possessing conn.,
dence in his own judgment, he hesitates to ex-
press an opinion on the text Of law not yet
enacted, and refers exporters to his successor,
who has not yet arrived.
THE Leeds Mercury hastens TO reassure
Yorkshire traders by telling them that the re
troactive clause Is a bold Yankee buf for the
purpose OF checking shipments and minimizing
the loss to the revenues. 1t advises the timid
to be bold and the pessir,istic to be cheerful In
regard to the wool schedule and amendment. II
this advice be followed, wool will be exported
In an increasing quantity until the price ma.
terially advances and the American manufact-
urers are stocked for two years The exports
from the Bradford district to the United states
Increased more than x2,60O0OO last month over
those Of the same month last year. More than
half OF thfs increase was in raw wool, but there
were considerable gains In stuff goods, worsteos
coatings and yarns Of all kinds. The exports OF
wool from London and Liverpool nave peeh
even greater than those from BRADFORD. Ihe
wool market has naturally been more or less
demoralized by this tremendous movement
which reduces the home supply and puts UP
prices.
Every one assumes that the export trade with
the United States will increase heavily until the
new Tariff bill is passed Since the retroactive
clause will not deter shipments, financial ex-
perts here are already forecasting the shifting
of the balance OF transatlantic trade and gold
shipments a large scale: but apart from
woollens, wool and a few other materials OF
manufacture there is immediate evidence
that American importers are buying largely and
overstocking the home market.
The Senate debate on the Arbitration Treaty
excites neither resentment nor interest in Eng
land This is because the principle Is regarded
as American in origin and application, ana IL
the American Senators consider II necessary 10
discredit and repudiate 1t, Englishmen are not
responsible for such vagares of judgment. The
prevailing note in such comment as appears.
and there is little Of it, is that England has
shown herself willing to join America In set'
ting Europe good example and in counteract'
ing the tendencies toward militarism. and that
the failure of the treaty will be proof that
Americans do not Ye up to their principles ana
are unable to keep step with Englishmen In the
march Of civilization. There may be something
of what Mr.. Cecil Rhodes calls "unctuous recti-
tude" in English pretensions elsewhere but on
the arbitration question the Salisbury Govern.
ment have adapted themselves to American
ideas and to the highest elements OF interna-
tonal morality. Responsibility for the collapse
of the humane and progressive policy rests with
the Americans, who are upsetting the Kettle In
trying to stew in their own juice.
The British Government cannot with equal
good grace wash their hands and disclaim re-
sponsibility for what is happening in the 4Egean
Sea- Mr.. Bafour declared last night that the
English policy implied liberty for Crete and
peace for Europe. The story Of the Smelling OF
the Cretans by the Camperdown and the an.
nouncement that England will probably partici-
pate in the blockade of the Piraus. by which the
Greeks may be driven through desperation into
war, are cynical commentaries upon Nj. Bal
fours platitudes Neither England nor Europe
peace The insurgents positions and native VIE
lagos have been bombarded and a good many
Cretans have been killed. The island remains In
a state of Anarchy. and the forces or the main
land are awaiting the signal for war. which ap-
parently cannot be ayerted unless the Turkish
garrison be withdrawn from Crete and the block"
ade OF the Pireus be abandoned
Europe has neither pacifed Crete nor coerced
the Greeks and an outbreak of hostilities in the
Balkans has been rendered we-nigh inevitable
by the diplomatic action of the Powers. based on
no principle except mutual distrust The Cretan
question in its present aspect is maze with q
single luminous thread. The Greeks have offered
to evacuate the island and leave the Cretsns at
liberty to settle their own destiny BY plebscite
urder European police regulation, II the Turks
would go first. The Sultan has not been un-
willing to withdraw his garrisons, but has In
sisted that the Greeks must go first Here Is
plain method OF compromise dependent only
upon a single point of dignity which ought not
to be an insupe~abe barrier: but the question re-
mains unsettled and apparently because the
Powers do not wish to have II adjusted.
Russia this week has urged the appointment
oe a governor-generel for the island and the
withdrawal of the Turkish we'll as the Greek
troops. This has been Lord Salisbury's plan and
France and Italy would promptly support II II
Russia were In earnest In proposing 1t; but who
can say what Russia really wants in this crisis?
II she be moving now In the direction OF peace
she has previously forced the concert to set aside
the compromise offered by the Greeks; has for
bi6den the Sultan 10 negotiate directly vita
Athens and has massed a large army and
powerful fleet OF her own for prompt decisive
measures In an emergency. The three Emperors
keep their own secrets. but II they prevent the
settlement of the Cretan question the concilia-
tory lines proposed by the Greeks IT will be be.
cause tn. Car prefers. for purposes OF his own.
to have a localized war In Macedonia. and histwo
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