, 1898-10-26

lutely subservIent to ltuSSn; 1t is probable
that for some time there will be II very criti-
cal situation in Chiun. The m venlehts of
the BgitiSh squadron dorlug the pnst week
show that the Government are watching
very keenly he cjursa of events. and the
fact that Kang. the Emperor's Minister, has
found an Asylum on u British vessel proves
that we do not intend to lem in passive
spectators Of The crisis. In all probability
England. Japan, and the United States will
be forced very soon to take some decisive
action at Pekiu.
The BrisSon Ministry is to be congratu-
lated Upon having at last decided to revise
judiciaily the proceedings in the Drcyfus
case. The wonder is that it has taken -
long 10 come to q conclusion which tha
civilised world outside France had decide
was necessary months ago. The w~retched
captive on Devils Island in Cayenne, will
very shortly be on the ocean letuI ming to
his native land, but whether 10 freedom or
prolonged imprisonment it is hard to sag.
All that EuTIisImen have ever said is that
the lunn WIS tried by "A process OF law ell
tlrely foreign to our IDEAS Of Justice and
equity. .DreyfuS may be IA spy and Il traitor,
but the Colrt martial THAI tried him foun /
him guilty on evidence which the prisoners
counsel never had an opportunity Of seeing
and testing, and part Of which is now known
to have been forged. We need not accent
the whole of Major Esterhazy's confessions
in this connection, though possibly they may
be true. 1t is enough that Colonel Henry's
admissions have cut the ground from under
the feet Of the French Cabinet and rendered
@evision IL moral and oqmtabIo necessity.
The worst feature Of this most COMPLICATED
case is that the vast majority f Frtnchmen
are absolutely SIT in their plejudicss against
the prisoner.
The position Of affairs in South Africa il
by no means satisfactory. There ia a feeling
of uneasiness and unrest at the Cape owing
to the instability of any Government which
may come INTO existence during the next few
weeks. There has been Il severe electoral
struggle, and old social apimosities lave h sen
increased rather than diminished. The eff ct
upon trade aud has been very bad
and for many years past there has not been
50 great a depression III SouthAfrican business
In Johannesburg, wn"re two hundred millions
of British money has been sunk in the gold
In lustry, there is absolute stagnation. AMI
absolute DIES i!utlon in some CLASSES. This
naturally reacts upon Natal and Capetown.
As for PRECEDENT Kruger and his uocket Par
ilAit III !" HlCS i'NS rs tHdL the Treasury
is woIl-uigh empty, aud that the most stren1.
Gus exertionS are u0w being made to float a
loan Of six millions at four per cent. Strange
ly enough, European fnanciers are not vorv
ready now to "cc"pt the security of the South
African Republic. Things have alte ed q
good de Il Of late, and the future of the Trans
vaal is not qnite SO rosy as Mr.. Kruger would
have Ienlers believe. Altogether the out
look is gloomy all round in South Africa.
1t I1'ks as il capital ,n' enterprise were
now flowing strongly towards British Colum.
tia aud the KlondIkc.
The Cars Rescript on Disarmament has
almost disappeared from the conversations
Ial menu. p will come up later on. Moan
while want to put down, in the most strik-
ing manner, the state of the principal Euro
pean armies at war strength =
Russia =. 800 4Q6
Germany e. 3.35OOOO
France e.. 1000 n
Aus'IA.llungIry IT,. 2.769,714
Italy. 60. 2.449. 3O8
Total ... 13,30O,5I8
The abb figures, remember, do not repre-
sent the possible resources in men Of the
various countries, but merely the foroes that