The semi-weekly messenger., 1898-02-01
THE LION GETS HIS SHARE
ENGLAND VICTORIOUS IN HER
FOREIGN NEGOTIATIONS

West Africa and Upper Nile-Germany
Comes Around to Her Side and Russia
and France Became Less Obstinate- p ush.
Ing Forward to the Upper Nile-Deplor-
able Condition of the Spanish Navy
London, January 29.-After an un-
usually prolonged period of extreme
tension, all indications point to an
early Improvement in, if not a COM
plete solution, of the various ilterna-
tional political problems agitating the
nerves of Great Britain. The foreign
and colonial offices are beginning to
see day light through the darkness
which has long been enveloping the
far east, west Africa, the upper Nile
information from the best informed
circles is faulty, the marquis Of Sails
bury, and Mr.. JOS Chamberlain, Sec
retary of state for the colonies, will
divide honors and Great Britain will
secure about all she asks. So far as
China is concerned, this view, in con-
nectiOn with the speech of Mr.. Curzon,
the parliamentary secretary for the
foreign office. at Bolton on Tuesday,
and the reported acceptance of the
British loan, is generally regarded as
correct. Mr.. CurZon foreshadowed
the probable success of the loan nego-
tiatiOns, the achievement of Great
Britain's purpose in keeping the ports
free to the whole world and the main
tenance of treaty rights whereby
speeches of influence are rendered
impossible
The Russian proposal of loan to
China on the same terms as Great
Britain was not taken seriously. 1t is
understood that she has not the money
herself without drawing upon her war
reserve funds.
Paris is daily showing less inclina-
tiOn to burn it's fingers in game in
which, even if successful, Russia would
be the only gamer, while Germany ap-
pears to have come completely around
to the British side. Throughout, the
situation has never been so alarming
as sensationalists attempted to paint
it. Hence, the Cars peaceful assur-
ances and Lord George Hamilton's
statement in his speech on Tuesday
that relations with Russia were en-
tirely satisfactory, will not surprise
America
Turning to West Africa, an Of
fetal of the colonial office in
forms the Associated Press that
the impossibility of securing wit
nesses from the west coast
earlier is the reason for the delay in
the Paris negotiations. Thus far, all
the British demands have been con-
ceded nominally and professionally,
pending the result of the convention.
But Mr.. Chamberlain is perfectly sat
isfied that the British claims are up
held and that the French will be con-
fined westward of line prolonged
from the present Lagos-Dahomey
frontier to the Niger, and along the
bank of the Niger to Say. In the
meantime, he does not propose to risk
being caught mapping by possible
adverse decision of the convention, so
he is pushing troops and supplies to
the front as rapidly as possible.
In regard to the upper Nile the in
teresting news which Mr.. Curzon
dropped Tuesday to the effect that the
ratifications of the treaty between
Great Britain and King Menelik, OF
Abyssinia, have been exchanged and
that the government hopes shortly to
accredit direct representative at the
Abyssinian court, has given the great
est satisfaction, as helping to solve
the question of the upper Nile.
In the meanwhile, Young Henry
Cavendish, a distant relative of the
Duke of Devonshire, is preparing to
start again for equatorial Africa, &C
companied by Lieutenant Andrews,
eight British officers and Mr.. Dodson,
who was the companion OF Mr.. Don
aldson Smith, the American explorer.
Mr.. Cavendish will take with him 400
armed men and a number of rapid fire
guns. AS his objective is the junction
of the White Nile and the Sobat river
at Sobat, the purpose of the expedi-
ton, it will readily be seen, is to cut
off the French from reaching Fashoda,
which is only short distance north
of Sobat.
The news from Christiania on Fri
day last. that the committee appointed
to draw up proposals for the better
Sweden has been unable to reach an
agreement, indicates that the tension
between Sweden and Norway is fast
approaching the swapping point.
The Correro, organ of the Carlists,
discussing the visit of the United
States battleship Maine to Havana, ex-
presses the belief that che Spanish
public is justifably alarmed, adding:
LAS a fact, it is the government itself
which is seriously alarmed, though
every effort is made to disguise it, in
spite of the official statement of Ad-
miral Cervaras, the admiral of the
fleet, on Tuesday last, Cat conference
with the minister of marine, when he
asserted that the recent evolutions
had demonstrated the perfect condi-
tion of the Spanish fieeD. Admiral
Cervaras in reality reported that
there was not ship ready for service;
that the vessels net acfualIy in dry-