Evening star., 1898-12-10
The Political Atmosphere of Europe
is Somewhat Clearer.
SITUATION In AFRICA and CHINA
Sunday in London IS Anything But
a Cheerful Affair.
GENEROUS CORPORATIONS
Special CORRESPONDENCE of The Evening Star.

Special CORRESPONDENCE of The Evening Star.
LONDON, November 30 1893.
The political atmosphere of Europe has
cleared considerably lately. and, despite
the existence of suspicious and grumblings
on the part of various statesmen. things
seem to have quieted down enough to in
sure a peaceful and comfortable Christ
mas season. The Egyptian crisis is over
for the present, and France is engaged with
her affaire Picquart' and "affaire Drey-
fus.' with daily wrangling in the chamber
of deputies and newspaper onslaugbts on
the court Of cessation, and cares for moth
ing outside these absorbing topics and di
versions The eyes of the world are now at
liberty to Withdraw their gaze from the he
roic form Of the Crusading German Empe-
ror. who has made haste on his return to
his own country to make peace with his
enemies in the gate" and agree to allow
his allied brother sOvereigns to have some
thing to say about their own concerns.
Thus. the storm in a tcacup over the Lppe-
DetmOld Salutes is in fair way of being
settled. though not altogether in favor of
the emperOr's 8 views.
Poor Pickings in Turkey.
There can he no doubt that the kaiser's
conciliatcry attitude in this matter has
averted domestic row that once seriously
started had possibilities of ending in an
imperial divorce court. The emperor's last
crusade has not borne such fruit as was
hoped for by the hosts of German financial
and commercial agents. that. like camp fol-
lowers Of old. pitched ,Aeir nightly tents
in the wake of the pTincely commercial
traveller. These agents of the eVGr-qUCken-
ing German advance movement Swarmed
down upon CO-stautinopIe before the
noes of tho HohenznHern's guns firing
nDiF 8yaff a
Golden Horn. But there were poor pickings
for these enterprising gentlemen. Poor
Turkeys bones have been pretty well pol
iShed already, ard it's only here and there
that an occasional morsel can be found.
So the wOulG-be cpncPssiOnaires returned
to Berlin and Frankfort with little to show
for their journey. while the Orient Express,
an Austro-BslEic enterprise. was so many
railway fares TO the good. with extra for
the dining service. In fact there is
little TO obtain from the Turk under the
present regime The tobacco monopoly is
chiefly in the hands of the Austrians the
Imperial Ottoman Bank is run by English
and French, and the Germans have applied
too Late The Turk Is not ambitious. and
the present arrangements sui. him. He is
not taking Cn many new things. The after
I1ath Of the kinEiy and commercial crusade
contains the cream Of the affair. however
fr0m an English point Of view. ana the dis
appointed Germans are greatly annoyed to
learn Of the suItau's latest freak in grant
faithful heGchman Sir Ellis Ashmead
kartlcjt. the concession for the monopoly
IF lighting the towns of Salonika and
Smyrna with electricity The fact that an
Arab stcsd was thrown into the bargain as
personal present to the conccssionaire
does not lessen the piquaucy OF the Ger
man chsFrin.
Disturbing Elements.
There are apparently ct present two
phases OF foreign complications which may
disturb the peace sooner CT later. and 1t is
chiefly III view of these possibilities that
England cannot relax her efforts to arrive
at state Of prepare du5ss for European
coalitions against her TIE first Of these
disturbing clements lies i'll Africa, where
France i so ambitious of founding col
onies and combating the success in this
direction Of Great Britain. whose name is
uCw being expressed daily in the French
papers by the synonyms traditional
enemy An outlet 10 the Nile is what is
demanded by ,very political writer in
France and the report just to hand from
ObOk, the French possession in the Red
sea, helps to some extent 10 explain the
teuacity with which the French govern
meHt clings to their demand fer the outlet.
Not many years ago the place was an
unprOmising spit of barFsn territory with
only few fiimsy huts to mark the s=ttle-
meHt. Today il IL. according to recent
visitors. a thriving colony its capital sub
stantially built town with population Cf
whom are Europeans. Gradually a railway
Is making It's way from the coast to the
interior. Twelve miles have already been
constructed. and the line has been sur
Veyed for sixty miles further The imme-
date objective Of the enterprise is Harrah,
but no disguise is made Of the fact locally
that 1t is intended to extend it ultimately
to ShOa. and 70 to pave the way for the
realization Of the dream of the French
colonial party OF a great French Trans
African state. In order 10 accomplish this
dream, territory under British protection
must be crossed. and hence the possibility
of further trouble between France. perhaps
backed by Russia. which has prctensions in
the same direction and locality, against
England.
An Important Treaty.
For this reason England regards with
suspicion the commercial treaty which
France has Just made with Italy. For
nearly ten years fierce tariff warfare has
been waged between these two countries
which has engeudered the bitterest feelings
On both sides Of the Alps. and al times
matters have been serious enough as TO
suggest armed hostility. Su!den.y France
drops the fight and comedies TO Italy the
benefit Of her minimum tariff. and English
politicians cannot but think that the for
mer country has some purpose to serve.
The question naturally arises. is this
Frances reply 10 England over the Fa-
Shoda defeat2 Italy's position with her
Importance To England. as in case of war
with continental power Italy has been
relied upon To hold France I'm check in the
Mediterranean. The Importance of the
new commercial treaty lies in the point
that it can hardly fan to be followed by
political changes which will not be favor
able to this country. i'm spite of the long
continued friendship England has borne
Italy Where there is u community Of in
terests friendship and alliance are likely TO
follow, and II France can secure Italy's
benevolent neutrality this country will
without doubt hear more of that ardentIy
longed-for colonial expansion on The part
OF France.
The Russian Bear.
The other possibility OF disturbance lies
far afeld. Russia has been working quiet
ly, but surely. as is her way, and her in
nuence has already made tremendous
changes in China. At Port Arthur the
Russians have relaxed no effort day or
night. To put the place In thoroughly for
tined condition, and have lately sent there
numerous heavy guns. Their diplomacy
fas gained many victories over that of the
British in China, and the latest scheme OF
supplying Russian troops to the celestial
until the latter's army is efficient may be
kdld 10 be the crowning feat of all. Eng
land thus FAR has done little to improve