Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-01-30
BRITAIN'S PROBLEMS.
DAYLIGHT APPEARING IN CHINA,
INDIA, AND AFRICA.
NORWAY And SWEDEN ARMING.
They Are Preparing for War with
Each Other-A CarIist Organ Says
Spain IL JustiHably Alarmed at
Names Visit 20 Habana.

Special Cable Letter. Copyrighted, 1898.
by the Associated Press.)
LONDON, January 2s-After an unusu-
ally prolonged period of extreme tension,
all indications point to an early improve
ment, In. IL not a complets solution Of.
the various international political prob
lens agitating the nerves of Great Bril-
tain.
The Foreign and Colonial Offices are be-
ginning to see daylight through the dark
ness which has long been enveloping the
far East, West Africa. the Upper Nile.
and India. and unless signs fall and in
formation from the best-informed circles
is faulty, the Marquis of Salisbury and
Mr.. Joseph Chamberlain, Secretary of
State for the Colonies will divide the
honors, and Great Britain will secure
about all she asks.
SO far as China is concerned. this view.
in connection with the speech Of Mr.. Cur
zon, the Parliamentary Secretary for the
Foreign ONCE, at Bolton, on Tuesday, and
the reputed acceptance of the British
loan, is generally regarded as correct.
Mr.. Curzon foreshadowed the probable
success of the loan negotiations. the
achievement of Great Britaiu's purpose In
keeping the ports free TO the whole world,
and the maintenance of treaty rights,
whereby spheres of influence are rem
dered impossible"
The Russian proposal OF loan to China
on the same terms as those OF Great
Britain was not taken seriously. 1t is
understood that she has not the money
herself. without drawing upon her war
reserve fund.
Paris is daily showing less inclination
to burn its fingers in a game In which,
even IL successful, Russia would be the
only gamer, while Germany appears to
have completely come around to the Bri-
tish side.
Throughout the situation has never been
so alarming as sensationalists attempted
TO paint it. Hence, the Cars peaceful
assurances and Lord George Hamilton's
statement IN his speech on Tuesday that
the relations with Russia were entirely
satisfactory will surprise America.
WEST AFRICA
Turning to West Africa, an official OF
the Colonial Office informs the Associated
Press that the impossibility OF securing
witnesses from the west coast earlier Is
the reason for the delay in the Paris
negotiations. Thus far all the British de-
mands have been conceded nominally.
and professionally, pending the result OF
the convention" But Mr.. Chamberlain Is
nerfectlv satisfied that the British claims
are upheld. and that the French Will be
confined westward OF line prolonged
from the present Lagos-Dahomey frontier
TO the Niger. and along the right bank
of the Niger to Say. In the mean time,
he does not propose to risk being caught
napping by a possible adverse decision or
the convention, so he Is pushing through
supplies 10 the front as rapidly as pos
sible.
In regard to the Upper Nile. the inter-
esting news which Mr. Curzon dropped
on Tuesday to the effect that ratihcations
of the treaty between Great Britain ana
King Menelik of Abyssinia have been ex-
changed. and that the government hopes
to shortly accredt a direct representa-
tive TO the Abyssinian court, has given
the greatest satisfaction, as helping 10
solve the question of the Upper Nile.
IN the mean while, young Henry Caven-
d,sb a distant relative Of the Duke or
Deyonshire's, is preparing to start agam
for Equatorial Africa, accompanied py
lieutenant Andrews, eight British oifl-
GERS. and Mr.. Dodson. who was the COM
nanion of DR.. Donaldson Smith. the
American emplorer. ,
Mr.. Cavendsh will take with hlm -"
armed men and number Oh rapiu u,,.,o'
enns Az his objective point Is the juno
tion of the White Nile and the Sopal
river at Sobat, the purpose Of the expe-
dition II will readily be seen, is to cut
off the French from reaching fashoua,
which IS only a short distance nortn ol
Sobat
while Mr.. Cavendish is personally de-
49, lAT1
known that he has been In frequent COM
,,,rnication with the Marquis OF Sails
hurry. through the Duke Of Devonshire
So IL is safe to say the expedition Is
under government auspices.
NORWAY AND SWEDEN.
The news from Christiania on Friday
,aat that the commission appointed 10
draw mn proposals for a better UNDER
standing of the relations between Nor
Wv and Sweden has been unable 10
reoch an agreement, indicates that the
tension between Norway and Sweden is
fast approaching the swapping point anu
IL Is stated that on the frontier, the arm
ing of both parties is rapidly progress
ing. both sides preparing for war.
The health of King Humbert. OF Italy,
is again causing uneasiness. The fainting
fits have required.
A Carlist organ, discussing the VISIT Oh
a United States battleship to Hapana'
expresses the opinion that the Spanish
Government is justifably alarmed, ADD
ing. Though every effort is made to dis
guise It,"
'In spite OF the Official statement or
Admiral Cervaeres, the admiral OF the
feet, on Tuesday last, at a conference
with the Minister of Marine, when he as
serted that the recent evolutions had de-
monstrated the perfect condition OF the
Spanish feet" the paper referred to con-
tinues, admiral Cervaeres in reality re-
ported that there was not q ship ready
for service that the vessels not actually
IN dry-dock ought to be there; that many
of The boilers were detective; that some
ships were not yet armed, and that most
OF tho vessels required cleaning. In
view Of the perfdy of the United States
Il Is not surprising that such helpless
ness creates alarm"
BURGLARY AT wARRENTON.