The San Francisco call., 1897-01-03
INQUIRY INTO.
JAMES0N'S RAID.
So
=
Motions Will Be Made in
=: Parliament TO Alter the
8: :. :. Committee.
King. Menelik Approached as TO
a French .Protectorate Over
Abyssinia.
Advlces From Bombay Show Fearfu!
Spread of the. Bubonic
.~. Plague.

and American residents of Johannesburg
will be heard through evidence before the
committee of inquiry into the Jameson
raid. which begins as soon as Parliament
resumes. There will be several motions
in the. House of Commons to alter the
composition of the committee. Mr..
Labonchere is. objected to as personally
hostile 10. several prominent members of
the British. South Africa Company, and
Irish: Nationalists claim place on the
committee.
!; An English special m ission to the Negus
.Menellk is:under the consideration of the
Foreign. Office. The French Government
is about to dispatch from Obok an i'm
portant mission headed by Nj. La Garde,
late Governor of Obok, who has already
held frequent COMMUNICATIONS with
Menelik, and 1t is. believed at the English
Foreign Office. has approached that
potentate on the subject of French pro-
tectorate over Abyssinia, or some such
understanding as. would effectnalIy check
the expansion of British influence in, the
regions of the upper Nile.
: Mrs. Humphry Ward ) action against
W. 4. Stead for infringing her copyright
by issuing long abridgmentof thenovek
"Sir George Tressady," will be heard in
court early in January. The case will
test. how far Mr.. Stead, T. P. OpConnor,
and other editors who present long sum-
maries of books as mere reviews,
have Justification in law. The public un-
doubtedly like these long reviews With
copious extracts: and especially. when
done by a clever reviewer.
T. Advices received here from. Bombay
show that the bubonic plague, which is
supposed to bave been. i'm ported. into that
city. from Hongkong, where it ragged with
great violence about a year ago, is rap
idly extending among the. natives, who
thus far have been the principal sufferers.
Thousands of the residents have fed from
the city, bat their exodus is more than
.counterbalanced by the arrival of large
numbers of victims of the famine, who
are pouring into the: city IN the hope of
either obtaiping work or of at least find
ing among the charitable relief from the
pangs OF. starvation. These, weakened by
want of. food, quickly fall victims to the
disease. which thus far has baffled the
Skill Of the physicians.
The unsanitary condition of the natives
disease, but the natives, with their usual
fatalism;; are not to be taught the benefits
of cleanliness in their .habitations, and
accept the plague as visitation from their
gods. It's thought that uni ess sanitary
regulations can be enforced by the civil
authorities it will be necessary to call upon
the military for assistance in compelling
the'nativss to observe the health laws.
: Although the British revenues are in a
fourishing condition it Will tax the inge-
nuity of Sir Michael Hicks Beach, Chan
ceIlor of the Exchequer, 10. produce sur
pins in the budget for the coming year.
Tie increase in the army and navy esti-
mates is calculated at 928. .250, 900, and the
increase in the education grants at $780,
600 pounds In addition to these amounts
votes will be required to meet the expenses
of the Dongola expedition. and the ex-
penses in connection with South Africa. :
The death of .Bertram' Wodehouse. Cur
RE the. well-known banker, ON Tuesday
last, conceded with the anniversary of
the; birth of Mr.. Gladstone. Mr.. Currie
was a warm friesd of Mr.. Gladstone, who
frequently consulted him on the budget
and general questions of finance. He was
an ardent Home Ruler, ana might, had
he been so disposed have had promi-
.nent. piace under Mr.. Gladstone when the
latter held office Mr.. 'Currie keenly sup
ported the Irish financial claims. He
was. .one.!of 1he most eminent mem bers of
the Financial Relations Committee.
Major w. Il. Waters, military attache
af the British embassy at ST. Petersburg,
. has gone to Manchuria and Vladivostock
toexamine into ana report UPON matters
" pertaining to the Russo Chinese Railway.
London has been Specially blessed in
holiday weather this. season. YESTERDAY
the weather was singularIy mild and
springlike and there was noteworthy ab-
sence of the usual dullness and depression
in London winter weather
The newspapers OF to-day generally re-
view the events of rhe past, dwelling at
length on the more prominent of them
and all join in a chorus of CONGRATULATIONS
over the peace that everywhere prevails.
Special stress is laid upon the relations
existing between Great Britain and the
United States, and com parsons are made
between the situation now and that exist
ing year ago. when there was mnch anx-
iety on both sides of the Atlantic regarding
the e'ouicome of the dispute between Eng
land and America in relation to the Ven-
eZuela boundary.
The letter of exsJudge Goodridge, pub
lished last week in the Englishman of
Calcutta, pointing out that the means
adopted by the Government OF India to
check the famine in that country were
entirely inadequate, ana declaring that
thousands of persons are dying from
starvation, calls attention to the general
apathy on the subject thus far displayed
in England.
The Queen some time ago sent tele-
gram to the Viceroy of India expressing
sympathy for the sufferers and promising
that they would be assisted, but thus far
nothing of consequence has been done by
the Government TO avert the effects OF one
Of The. greatest calamities that have ever
threatened India.
Comparisons are made in the matter be-
tween the attitude of Great Britain and
Russia, which do not rebound greatly to
the credit of this country. 1t is known
thatethe Gar has several times expressed
himself-as being deeply concerned in the
outcome of the famine and his interest
has taken praticai tnrn which will un-
doubtecly result in some alienation of
the widespread distress in the Indian EN-.
pjre OF Great Britain.
Fhe newspapers of Moscow and ST. Pc
tersburg continue their appeals for help