The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-04-23
EUROPE ALARMED
Opinion Prevails ON the CONT
nent
That the United States Has En-
tered Upon
CAREER OF CONQUEST.
The Powers Fear That in the
Struggle for Territory
That is Left They May Not Get
Their Share.
CAREER OF CONQUEST.

London, April 23.-Great Britain's
sympathy for America is like Spanish
diplomacy, officially correct. There is
scarcely a public man or important
newspaper that does not warmly sup
port the United States. At the same
time in private conversation there is
much criticism of the United States and
endorsement of Spain is heard. There
is much head shaking over the result
of the naval battle, and the feeling even
finds it's way into print.
The Daily Graphic today printed a
long letter from a naval officer, who
says both Porto Rico and Havana ought
to be able to hold their own against any
attack until supported by ships. The
United States will be forced to blockade
both of these islands, and this, the au-
thor of the letter thinks, will occupy
that nations entire fleet, thus leaving
the Spaniards free to lombard the coast
of the United States. Again the letter
says Spain is strong enough to defeat
either of the b1ockading fleets which the
United States is able to assemble about
Cuba and Porto Rico. In concluding
the writer thinks that the ships of the
Indiana class are SO prOdiglouSly over
gunned that they are likely to sink
themselves.
An editorial article in the Chronicle
today expresses the opinion that the
United States fleet was throwing away
an excellent strategic opportunity by
going to Cuba instead of interceptine
the Spanish fleet.
The Daily Mail, whose proprietor, AL
fred Harmsworth, is really a warm
sympathizer with the United States, is
doing much to arouse sentiment by the
daily publication of articles bearing
upon the atrOSities perpetrated by
Spanish agencies, accompanied by pic
lures of the starving reconcentrados,
intervening in Cuba with the Kipling
parody eff blood be the price of liberty,
Lord God, we have paid the bill" At
the same time the Daily Mail today
displays a New York dispatch with the
heading Scare in America. New York
merchants closing their shops" The
dispatch says that many wealthy New
Workers are fleeing, fearing that the
fleet of the United States will be van
pushed and the city bombarded.
Continental Europe steadfastly re-
fuses to believe that the United States
is elnbarking in war for any object 9TH
er than conquest. Being prone to judge
American motives by standards other
than appear to actuate their own ma
tional policies, the continental papers
predict, with the greatest jealousy, that
the United States will retain all the
Spanish colonies which it will inevitably
capture and the United States will be-
come one of the strongest rivals in the
scramble for the few remaining unoccu-
ions and interviews contained in the
press of continental Europe, read be-
tween the lines, contain this view.
The first effect of the war was felt in
Great Britain in the rise of wheat which
has been the means of inducing the
bakers to dispatch an advance in the
price of the four pound loaf. Many
English farmers are holding under their
sheds, wheat, hopeful that the pro-
longed hostilities may send grain up to
the Franco-Prussian war price.
Liverpool and Manchester trade with
the West Indies has been knocked on
the head by the notification that no
more boats will sail for Cuba and Porto
Rico. Two ships which were billed to
sail from Liverpool on Saturday have
cancelled their departure in anticipation
of the blockade of Cuba. Shippers find
solace in the prospect that the war will
result in ending the strongly differen-
tia1 tariffs in favor of Barcelona, which
have been forced on all Spanish colo
MES.
The London Week1ies devote a great
amount of space to the war.
United States Ambassador Hay is so
overwhelmed with applications for en-
listment in the American forces that
he has sent a notice to the press point
ing out the impossibility of enrollingvol-
unteers this side of the Atlantic in
view of the enlistment act.
Colonel Hay has received intimation
that the Spanish officials in London are
quietly enrolling volunteers. If this
is confirmed he intends to notify the
pT-ifi Sh