The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-02-01
SITUATION NEVER AS ALARM
ING AS PAINTED.
CAUSTIC COMMENT OF SPANISH PRESS
The Spanish Navy in a Helpless and Neglected
Condition and the Government is Un-
easy at the Sending Of the
Maine to Havana,

ed period of extreme tension. all inIica
tons point to an early improvement in
if not a complete solution. Of the var.ou,
international political problems agitatin-
the nerves of Great Britain. The for
eign and colonial offices are beginning
to see daylight through the darkness.
which has long been e~nyeloplng the fal
east, West Africa. the upper Nile ant
India. and unless signs fail and lnfor
nation from the best informed circles il
faulty. the Marquis Of Salisbury an,
Mr.. Joseph Chamberlain. Secretary o1
State for the Colonies. will divide The
honorS and Great Britain will secure
about all She asks. SO far as China i
concerned this view. III connection viii
the speech of Mr.. Curzon. the parliamen
tary Secretary for the Foreign Office
at Bolton on Tuesday. and the reporte,
acceptance of the British loan. is gen
orally regarded as correct. Mr.. Curzol
forcehadowed the probable success oI
the loan negotiations. the achievement
of Great Britain's purpose in keeping tn,
ports free to the whole would and the
maintenance of treaty rights whereby
spheres Of influence are rendered i'm
possible
The Russian proposal Of 4 loan tc
China ON the same terms as Great Bri-
tain was not taken seriously. 1t is I'M
derStood that she has not the money
herself without drawing upon her war
reserve funds.
Paris lis daily showing less inclination
to burn it's fingers in a game. in which.
ever if successful. Russia would be the
only gamer. while Germany appears
to rave come completely around to the
British side. Throughout. the situation
49, >o~@- l>N s -
alists attempted to paint it. Hence the
Cars peaceful assurances and Lord
George Hamilton's statement in his
speech on Tuesday that relations with
Russia were entirely satisfactory, Will
not surprise America.
Turning to West Africa. an official of
the Colonel Office informs the ASSo-
ciated Press that the imporSibility Of
securing witnesses from the West Coast
earlier is the reason for the delay in
tic Paris negotiations.
Thus far. all the British demands
have been conceded nominally ana pro
v~isionally, pending the result Of the con
vention." But Mr.. Chamberlain is per-
fectly satisfied that the British claims
are upheld and that the French will be
confined westward Of Il line prolonged
from the present Ilagos-Dahomey from
tier 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 mapping by q possible adverse
decision of the convention. 80 he is push
ing troops and supplies to the front ar
rapidly as possible.
In regard to the upper Nile the inter
esting news which Mr.. Curzon dropped
on Tuesday to the effect that the rati-
fications of the treaty between Great
- ~1 -. ~N1I w.
sinia. have been exchanged and tina the
government hopes shortly to accredit a
direct representative at the Abyssinian
court. has given the Greatest satisfac-
tion. as helping to solve the question Of
the upper Nile.
In the meanwhile. young Henry Cav
endiSh. Il distant relative to the Duke
of Devonshire. is preparing to start q
gain for Equatorial Africa. accompanied
by Lieutenant Andrews. eight British
officers and Mr.. Dodson. who was the
companion of DIR. Donaldson Smith. the
American explorer. Mr.. Cavenlish viii
take with him 400 armed men and q
number of rapid fire guns. As his objec-
tive is the junction Of the White Nile
and the Sobat river. at Sobat. the pur-
pose of the expedition. it will readily k
seen. is to cut off the French from
reaching Fashoda. which is only a short
distance north of Sobat.
While Mr.. Cavendish is personally de-
fraying the cost of the expedition. it *
known that he has been in frequent
communication with the Marquis IF
Salisbury through the Duke Of Devon
shire. so it is safe to say the expedition
is under government auspices.
The news from Christina on Friday
last that the committee appointed 70
draw up proposals for the better regU-
lation of the relations between Norway
and Sweden has been unable to reach
IN agreement. indicates that the tension
between Sweden and Norway IS fast ap-
preaching the swapping point. and it ie
stated that on the frontier, the arminc
Of both parties is rapidly progressing.
both sides preparing for war.
The health Of King Humbert. of Italy
IS again causing uneasiness. the fainting
fits having required.
The Correro, organ Of the Carlists.
discussing the visit Of the United
States battleship Maine to Havana. ex-
presses the belief that the Spanish pubic
Is j~ustliably alarmed. adding:
As \ fact. It is the government If
self which is seriously alarmed. though
every efort Is made to Disguise it. In
spite of the official statement Of Al
- .. III dtlIlITdl OF me tiQQf
on Tuesday last TAT a conference with
the Minister Marine. when he asserted
that the recent evolutions had demon
strated the perfect condition of the
spanish f1eet.) Admiral Cervaras in
reahfy reported that there was not a
SNIP ready for service. that the vessels
not actually IN dry dock ought to be
mere. that many of the boilers were dc
receive. that some ships were not yet
armed and that most Of the vessels TO-
cure cleaning. In view Of the perfidy
OF the United States it is not surprising
mat snch neglect and helplessness create
ALARM
According to the same paper. great