The times., 1898-12-18
.L0NDON'S PEACE SUNDAY
British Churches Discuss the
Cars Rescript Today.
NJ. CANtBON IN THE CAPITAL
The Significance of the Appoint
ment-The International Outlook
Lord Salisbury's Ambition - New
fOundland n Danger POint-Russia
and England in China-The Lib
ernl Question.

crnl Question.
London, Dec. 17.-To say that this most
wariike of years closes in peace for Eng
land and Europe would, of course. be an
exaggeration. War signals are still out
in almost every corner Of tnt empire, but
there is excellent ground for saying that
Il change has come over the European
situation during the last few weeks,
which is none the less remarkable be-
cause it has been little spoken of in the
press.
Tomorrow is Peace Sunday here,
when the cars rescript will be made the
subject of pathetic resolutions in
thousands of British churches of all de-
nominations. Ihe Information which l
have gathered indicates that these
prayers and petitions have far wider pos
sibilities of fulfillment than was con-
ceivable month ago.
NJ. CambOn In London.
The advent TO London of NJ. Cambon as
French ambassador in the place of Baron
de Courcel will as time goes on, be seen
TO be an event of prime Significance.
Baron de Courcel was little more than a
polished French gentlemen, with capacity
TO give graceful rhetorical expression to
whatever might be at the moment in the
minds of French ministers as they passed
in and out of office In quick succession.
NJ. cambon is far more than such a
mouthIsece. He is man for large affairs.
abe TO form definite policy, and by the
weight of his own personality and expert
ence to impress it upon successive French
49,.
arrives here with the firm resolve to
evolve out of the present chaos of bicker-
ings Il friendly give-and-take compact. a
new era in Angso-French relations should
dawn.
Lord SnIisbury's Ambition.
For this is Just the overwhelming ambi-
ton of Lord Salisbury in what he realizes
will probably be the closing years of his
career as foreign minister. i know. from
NJ Cambon's own lips. that, far from
coming to England to be a party to a
childish policy of suiks. he represents the
French official desire to discuss all points
at Issue. not only in the fr.end-iest diplo-
matte manner, but as a business man and
neighbor resolved to come to terms.
Were / Il prophet should be inclined to
predict, saving. of course, any internal
upieaval within France itself. that be-
have effected another such colossal COM
pact in Africa as England and Germany
have already made.
News which has reached official quar-
tors during the last few weeks indicates
that ii will be the Anglo-French contact
in North America. rather than in Africa,
over which French and British statesmen
VIII be most concerned when Easter
comes. | refer to Newfoundland. For
dispute there has only been kept from
an acute stage by personal influence
brought TO bear by successive British min
listers upon successive Newfoundland min
listers. At any moment Newfoundland, as
a self-governing colony, could. by de-
termined assertion of her sovereignty on
the French shore. have precipitated a
crisis; but strong personal appeals from
Downing Street to 81. Johns never yet
have failed to keep things quiet, for great
are the favors to which Newfoundland
ministers may look at the hands of British
statesmen.
The Controlling Voice.
But the Reid railway compact has
changed all this. The controlling voice is
no longer that of the ministry at St
Johns, but of a powerful capitalist who
is determined that his vast enterprise
shall not be wrecked to save the peace of
mind of British statesmen. This is no
mere alarmist newspaper conjecture. 1t
is this situation which causes grave dis
quietude in official circles for at last this
century old dispute. touching the rights
of a self-governing British colony and the
historic pride of every srenchman, as
sumes such a shape that it can no longer
be passed over. The situation has been
the subject of urgent official reports of
ia, u,
Bourke. lately in charge of the British
warships in Newfoundland waters, and
Capt. Bourke is now in close conference
with officials here. This is the threaten
ing cloud on the new years horizon.
But on the other side of the account
must be set the negotiations which it is
understood will be again set on foot under
the personal encouragement of the queen
and czar for the closing of the Anglo
Russian quarrel in China, by more def
mite development of the spheres-of-inter-
est policy of Russia in Manchuria and Of
England in the Yangtse Valley.
The Disappearance of IA Crisis.
Sudden disappearance of crisis so
some OF the Liberal journals today speak
of the home political situation which
since Wednesday has absorbed the atten-
ton of all Englishmen. This is. of
course. going too fast, but the refusal of
yesterdays Liberal convention, acting
under the Inspiration of leaders of the
party to ask Sir William Harcourt to
reconsider his resignation, has certainly
cleared the air, and when the action of
the leaders, looking to Lord Rosebery's
return to the leadership of the whole
party. and to Mr.. Campbell-Bannerman's
succession to Sir William Harcourt In the
Liberal leadership in the House of Com
mons, is known here, the situation will be
much simplified.
Some reaction there must be from the
imperiaistic wave now passing over the
nation, and then will come the testing
time of the Rosebery-Ba -Bannerman combi-
nation, for with every desire not to foul
the Liberal nest Sir William Harcourt
and Mr.. John Morley could hardly keep
silent at such time. There is, more
over. the National vote to be considered
in the House Of Commons and In the
country, and the fact that while Rose