The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-12-14
ENGLAND UNEASY
OVER THE FOREIGN POLICY OF
OTHER NATIONS
Germany Gets a Foothold in China; France
Taking Her Claimed Territory in Africa;
The Military Expedition in India a Fail.
ure-Lieutenant Peary Takes London by
Storm-Emba bassador and Mrs. Hay Dine
With the Queen at Windsor
Copyright by Associated Press.

London, December 11.-F'our cabinet
councils in a week are calculated to
arouse comment; but it must be ad-
mitted that the marquis of Salisbury
and his colleagues have a multiplicity
of matters, more or less urgently call
ing for a settlement. With France
trying to filch slices of African terri
tory which Great Britain is in the
habit of calling her own, and Germany
loosening the "cinch" Albion has al
ways claimed to have in China, while
Great Britain herself is trying to grab
a little more country at various
points and with the preparation Of the
legisla tive programme, the ministry
has no lack of worries.
The announcements which The ST.
James Gazette made on Wednesday
last "authOritatively' that the British
government does not expect any fur
ther trouble with France regarding the
upper Nile regions, France agreeing to
accept the situation, is unconfirmed
and probably unfounded, as there is no
lack of evidence that France is de-
lberately pursuing the task of seizing
the upper waters of the Nile, above
Khartoum, thus cutting the British
line communicating between the Cape
town and Suez, and the powerful CO.
1onial party in France threatens to up
set the MeIine cabinet should it recede
from this enterprise.
All the forces of General Sir William
Lockhart, the British commander on
the Indian frontier have been with
drawn to the Bara valley for the Win
ter. Thus the largest and best equip
ped force ever assembled in India has
failed and the whole work will have to
be repeated in the spring. About 1,400
officers and men killed or wounded,
35,000,000 of RUPEES spent and British
prestige weakened on the frontier, are
the debts, against which few mud
huts and sangers blown up and, prob
ably, several thousand natives killed,
are the only apparent credits.
RumOrS, too precise ITO be guess work,
are current to the effect that the earl
of Elgin, early next year, will retire
from the vicerOyalty of India and be
succeeded by Lord George Hamilton,
whose Indian secret'aryship win be fill
ed by Lord LandsdoWne, the present
secretary of state for war. This would
enable the marquis of Salisbury to
place at the head of the war office a
skilled man of business, who would
satisfy the tax payer as Well as the
army, and materially smooth the path
for the intended proposals for military
reform. 1t is intimated that Joseph
Chamberlain may be transferred from
the colonial to the war office, his place
being given as a sop to the marquis of
,EI,,., iC1
ties are not appreciated by the minis
try.
Lieutenant r. E. Peary, the Ameri
can explorer, has taken the town by
storm, though he arrived here un
heralded. The newspapers, geOgraph-
ers and scientists are ait his disposal.
AS a leading geographer said to a rep
resenttive of the Associated Press:
Lieutenant Peary has won all our
hearts by his modesty, courtesy and
learning. We put him on the same
plane as DR.. Nlansen, and have the ut
most confidence in his plans"
On Friday afternoon Colonel Hay
had a long conference with the mar
quiS of Salisbury at the foreign office
on the subject of the Behring sea. The
interview was amicable on both sides;
but nothing definite Was arrived at.
Later in the afternoon Colonel and
Mrs. Hay proceeded to Windsor where
they received special marks of atten-
ton. The United States am ba SsadOr
and his wife dined at the queens table,
Colonel Hay sitting next to her majes-
ty. She was most kind and cordial
the conversation lasting an hour. At
ter dinner the queen conversed with
Mrs. Hay in the same cordial manner.
The National Liberal Federation, at
its annual meeting at Derby on Tues
day last, constructed a new platform
which. it is hoped, Will 'be broad enough
to hold all the factions. In includes
abolition of the peers right of veto,
womIan'S suffrage, the payment of
members of the house of commons, the
enfranchseme Of paupers and the de-
fraying of election expenses from pub
lie funds. John Morley has "kiclSed''
at the platform. He says he has ''doff-
ed his coat and waistcoat in behalf of
home rule and cannot spare any more
apparel for the purpose of fighting for
the abolition of the house or lords.