The San Francisco call., 1897-12-19
Something Must Be Done to
Retrieve English Prestige
in India.
COWARDICE IS AvERRED.
If Natives Lose Respect for British
Courage the Situation Win
Be PrecariOus.
Special dispatch to The Call.


suffered by General Westmacott's
brigade in the Bara Valley is in the
nature of disaster. When the
euphemisms are translated the story
appears to be that the most powerful
force ever sent to the border has been
bundled out of Afridiland neck and
crop. On top of this coomes the news
that it is the intention of Sir William
Lockhart, the British commander-in-
chief, to invade the country in another
direction. The reasons are obvious.
The Government feels that something
must be done totretrieve British pres
tige, and the Kyber Pass road, which
the Afridis closed about six months
ago, will probably be comparatively re-
opened.
In the meanwhile, the worst impress
sion has been created in Great Britain
by the reiteration of the statement
that the rank and file of at least four
British regiments showed decided lack
of pluck in the presence of the native
regiments. An officer at the frontier
writes:
The worst is that the native troops
have seen the cowardice of their white
comrades, and state openly that if any
LOAA441AS <Alh44lS 10 ulCA " lilCul nEIt-
after they will hammer him; and the
awful thing is, they can do So"
It is obvious that if the natives lose
their respect for British courage Great
Britains hold on India is most pre-
carious. The whole fault seems to lie
in expecting boys to do mems work
md in turning them adrift just when
they are becoming good soldiers. The
11gor, r,eai
and the cost, fully $50, 900, 900, will
necessitate the intervention of the
British treasury in order to avert the
bankruptcy of India.
There is a great deal of interest in
the outcome Of the Duke of Norfolk's
petition to the Marquis of Salisbury to
admit Cardinal Vaughn to a seat in
the House of Lords. The Vatican is
backing the appeal, and the Pope is
keenly interested.
The society event in Paris this week
was the sale of Jane Hadings jewels
on Thursday. Her lapdogs collar,
studded with diamonds, fetched $100O
a dog collar, with superb pearl and
diamond pendants, was sold for $1,000.
and a pearl necklace was auctioned off
for $4,000 The paintings and furniture
Of the popular French actress will be
sold next week. The principal act
resses and demi-mondes were present.
Sarah Bernhardt, in an interview on
Wednesday, said: MY life is wearied
by the ceaseless watch I am obliged to
keep against vitriol" She has been
escorted everywhere, having been
threatened by the mother of Mile.
Klein. who months ago threatened to
use vitriol and who, at Sarah's in
stance, was confined in an asylum.
The indications point to a passage
in the Queens speech at the opening
Of Parliament referring to the sugar
terests of the colonies. It will prob
ably announce that the Government
has decided to propose a conference
Of the powers interested in sugar
bounties. 1t is understood the Gov
ernment is prepared to announce at
such a conference that unless the
bounty system is abandoned Great
Britain will impose countervailing
duties.
The Colonial Office has been greatly
exercised since the West Indian Com
mission reported and since the discus
sions in the Reichstag, in which Herr
Richter admitted that should Great
Britain follow the lead of the United
States and tax bounty-fed sugar the
death knell Of bounties would be
sounded.
Signs are not wanting that both
Germany and France are not anxious
to abolish the bounties, but neither
will abandon them so long as the
other is free to maintain them and so
mOnopollZe the English market The
objections of the free traders to a
prospective measure will probably be
overcome by guarantee. Duties will
be removed as soon as the bounties
have ceased.
The signs of unrest in the sugar col
onies are having effect on the authori
ties. A West Indian planter writes to
a friend in London saying: IF the
standard of rebellion is raised in favor
of an alliance with the United States
I will volunteer forthwith. We owe
all our sufferings to the imperial con-
nections and it is high time it was
ended. England will have a rude
awakening