Birmingham state herald., 1897-02-07
 GREECE DONS WAR PAINT Sends Her Navy to Avenge
 Cretan 0utrages. AND TROUBLE LOOKED FOR Abdul Hamid In One of His Moods Which
 Forebodes Horrible Butcheries. unm Tn operpuE THE IIlpuEE
HOW TO OBSERVE THE JUBILEE
Is the Paramount Question-Wales'E Excel lent Proposal-London To Be More &c., curey Guarded From Attacks of
 Enemies -Russia's Convicts.
Copyright, 1897. by the Sun Printing and
 Publishing Association.)

Copyright, 1897. by the Sun Printing and
 Publishing Association.)
 London, Feb. 6.-The temperature of European politics has grown decidedly warmer during the past two or three days.
 It is announced that the ambassadors scheme of reforms which is to be forced upon the sultan by all the powers, has been completed and unanimously agreed upon. This is coupled with the really ominous news that the sultan is in com placent mood and ready to consent to anything. It has been learned by bit ter experience that this frame of mind on the part of Abdul Hamid, is the most dangerous of all and is usually prelim- mary to a most fanatical outbreak of cruelty. Close upon this announcement comes yesterdays uprising in Crete, which is by far the worst that has yet occurred in that unhappy island. It is not possible to hold the sultan respon- sible for these outrages for the present situation in Crete is in the nature of an interregnum. The international force which is to guarantee the reforms in the island has not yet been organized and the situation is extremely awkward. Greece, whose quarrel with Turkey has been growing rapidly acute from day to day, has not hesitated to take quick ad- vantage of the excesses of the Turkish soldiers in the island and has sent all her available naval force there. This is a distinctly belligerent move, and 1t is probably intended that the sultan shall interpret it as such Should he retaliate, as is probable, there will be presented complications which will quickly force the hand of the great powers. In deal ing with the whole Turkish situation this fresh and unanticipated difficulty will na- turally put a strain upon the harmony between the powers which is of only re- cent and tender existence. The cunning sultan is fully aware of this and he will be only too glad to destroy the unity of purposes among his more powerful men, tors at the expense of a row with Greece. He Will be further encouraged in his ef- forts by the latest friction over Egypt cauSes by the recent note from Russia and. France regarding the expenses of the Egyptian-English expedition to the Sou dan. It is quite true that the powers cannot well be working inharmoniously at Constantinople and quarreling bitterly at Cairo at one and the same time.
 The Egyptian situation by the way was at last put before the-world in plain language by the chancellor of-.the ex- chequer last night in a speech announe- ing the intentions of the British govern- ment He spoke with unconcealed con- tempt of the decisions of the mixed tribu- nals ordering the return to the Egyptian treasury of the money advanced for the Nile expedition, and forthwith declared that Great Britain was fully determined to take Khartoum. Moreover, he gave notice to the world, with significant en- phasis, that when England made LID her mind what was the right policy in regard to Egypt she would not be worried out of it by such difficulties as a refusal of money. This language is already causing much agitation and much bellieose lan- guage in various places on the continent but whether 1t will have unfavorable in- fuence upon the agreement in regard to Turkish affairs remains to be seen. The situation as whole, including the Gre tan difficulty, and the Grecian-Turkish quarrel, will demand the most diplomatic skill, and perhaps sharp physical action within the next few days for its success ful handling.
 How to celebrate the queens jubilee is a question which is apparently para mount in the British mind just now. A multitude of suggestions have been made, most of them absurd, and many of them undignified, to say the least. The Prince of Wales plan announced today, is for London to celebrate the jubilee by pro- vding for the annual deficiency of more than half a million dollars in the expense of maintaining the hospitals in the me tropolis This will undoubtedly com mand popular sympathy and generous support. The London hospitals are SUD- ported almost exclusively by private funds and subscriptions. They are not in any case a public charge. The annual canvassing to which their managers are compelled to resort in order to keep the institutions open is nuisance and al- most a public scandal. The Prince of Wales appeal will easily bring forth the sum to cover a single years deficiency, but if he has In mind sum which will yield an annual income of half million dollars, the undertaking is indeed gigantic one. Even at 8 per cent, which is high rate of interest in this country, the sum necessary would be $16, 6,000,000
 It has been decided that the principal feature of the celebration in June shall be another great ceremony in Westmin- ster abbey similar to that of ten years ago. It will probably be of the nature of 're-crowning" her majesty before the most illustrious assembly of the worlds rulers and great men which can be gotten together The abbey will be closed early next month, when extensive preparations for the ceremony will be begun. The shop keepers of London, especially those in the west end are of course, prepared for an immense trade in connection with the queens jubilee. The possibility of loss in case of the sudden death of the queen has been troubling them greatly Several of them decided to take no chances. They have taken the precau- tion to pay good round premium for in- surance on her majesty's life during the next six months so that in case of her death they will not suffer in pocket.
 There have been many hard things said about the British war department this week, especially in connection with the governments proposal to increase the army by 5000 men at an expense of $2,500,- GOO annually It has been plainly in- sinuated even by usually staunch tory Journals that the war office is scandal ously incompetent and there are threats of startling exposures. The war alarms of the past year have moved the govern ment to do something for the defepse of London, which at present is at the mercy of any force which succeeds in breaking through the naval barriers The war budget introduced thAs week contains a