New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-20
WHATLONDON TALKS ABOUT

WHAT LONDON hLNO y DNo
London. February 10.
PRIrAIN,s TROUBLES THICKEN.-The danger
Of leaving explosives about in the shape OF arne'
hands roaming In disputed spheres under you,hiu'
officers has been amply illustrated In west Aii'ea
u,baya the intermingling Of French ana BIltish
,roons has already caused Incidents which threaten
the most grave complications. Happily the Po''
tive instructions OF both governments nave 'huS
far been obeyed and an actual collisoh mas oe'"
o,,o,dod Rut the fuse is aght, and unless France
withdraws from her provocative attitude OF Great
Britain continues the graceful concess'o" po'''s
she has hitherto observed toward the ftehch
claims an explosion is bound to follow.
Some exclamation Of the attitude Of France may
be found In the desire of its Government 10 turn
French minds from the inquisition NJ Hoa mas
provoked while 1t must not be foreo''e" '''' ''-
Minister for Foreign Affairs NJ. HanotauN' pears
unon his shoulders the burden Of elections close
az hand and has 10 face the threetenings or the
Colonial party to swamp the Government IL II
shows the fantest sign of yielding ..
Next week the supplementary estimate OF h@o"
for the West African expenses will be presented
TO the House Of Commons and an interesting de.
hate NAV be expected. Probably the most vital
point is not so much the possession OF territory
as freedom OF commerce. Wherever the fi'"'i
have occupied the Hinterland OF BRUSH coast
colonies the latter have been shut out from IN
the Niger and the free navigation of that great
waterway as an avenue of trade for the WorId Is
at stake This is the critical situation. on TOP OF
numerous pendng serious questions. whlch nas re-
81 saIisbury Is inclined sacrifice unduIy me III.
terest OF the empire. AS even the umaa,, ''I !,
"satist" points out. the troubles "ue'"'">
Besdes India have on hand TIE Gam2 I,iiI
land and Chartcrand. numerous IiSpuIveSs , 49,
France the relations between the uHl'end tbere
>.
are critical situations both In the iar 49, E amr
the East Add to this me stats oi Hun
gary the unrest in the Balkans me aip ~ a.
breaking up Of the Concert ana tme bf ann or
japan the Cuban mbroglio and tne sta.s ., roi
Africa, and /: must he admitted tna' the e'"''@'
outlook Is not reassurin6.
IN PARJIAMENT-Th debate on the address
IN reply TO the speech from the throne mas hhaHy
been closed. and when the House meets again on
Monday 1t will be 10 learn the provisions o. '"e
great measure Of the session. the irish Local "o'-
ernmen. bill The real business OF the session SION
viii then begin. The public Is imRs sed 70 re-
form and strengthen the army ana 20 r NAT the
dGns for q, the he 1 arm S to 6andcag seriously
Great Britair's negotiations abroad. ne alrmy
@ foo, m 900 sssI7 and ought satisfy the de-
mands for Increased expenditure.
A DREAM OF A LATIN ALL1ANCE-There
Z
tho possibility OF conC,derating the Latin repuo-
lies ~ South America with Spain against the
United States. "El Pats" contends thar the span
,ah republ,cs are weak through isolation. ana tha'
II united In a military and diplomatic alliance they
would be the first Power in the world in territory
the second I'm population, and tnat the!r armies
and navies would have sufficient power to insure re-
spact The newspapers point ont that the jealousles
~ the republics proven. them from taking the
Initiative: but Spain. it is asserted ought 10 uIke
her lazy diplomats to approach ths of Iao in
terests endangered by the Intrusion or tne AhG.2
saxons." "El Pals" thinks SPANS advice would
not no discarded - she warned Latin America
no. n0sinet he United states adding
"For 1t is well known that the greedy fanK rfe
once ,4S W do ali which heir pcrhy
gest to wrest 1t from the Latin couhtries ,b o.. Sel
Canal Tending in this direction dire IS the desire o'
the Americans TO- secure ay. rhe advances OF
the United States in the Sea OF the Antes , aIe
preliminary stems ~ the piocNd"e anu
% poferring to IbtIa' alliances The Spectator N
a l,rg article. points out that there Is no uq.p. VI
ana SPAN. which have lately been suengtheneu'
aiI rheIe are well-informed people who believe TIA;
when in the autumn the United states ahI SPa pain
d aiffness in the Spanish attitude which could only
be s-counted for by ne fact tnat Hpd o pegecf
could appeal TO n Power winch coun "o' ee'NN'
her defs1 IA Revew' expresses the belief that
France a.o"ec o,n,gjerations OF Importance to her
would not allow her to see Spain treated IN an ui-
France must result in The atters interyen9n
The Saturday Review believes ms i iq IN
practice the treatment OF spain suggested IN me
% iS" snectator explains that II France had not
bolned Spain the later would have applied for ad,
mission to the Dreibund. with almost certainty OF
success
Nru rrrRDEN FOR TAXPAYERS.-The anon
alous condition OF affairs meets with growing DIS
a,nroyal "a is shown by the supplementary esti-
marc o. sir Michael Hicks-Beach, the Chancellor OF
the rxchequer asking for the sum OF fi5f2i. In ad-
dition 70 the large sum already provided IN the
orignal estimates. TO meet the deficiency In the in
terest guaranteed the depositors in the savings
banks it is no omger possible 70 invest the de-
Therefore. the taxpayers must be mulcted IN order
that m az rprkincnen shall receive higher rate
Of interest their money than the market entities
them to.
TO STUDY ICE NAVIGATION IN AMERICA
Vice Admiral Makarow left ST. Petersburg to-day
for England on his way 10 America. where he pro-
noses 10 pass some time on board icc-breaking
boats in order TO gather I'm the latest American
"wrnkles' for use in the Cars frozen harbors.
THE QUEENS GOOD HEALTH-A confirmation
OF Queen Victorias excellent state OF health is
found IN the official announcement that II is Her
Maiesiys intention to receive personally the pres
ftiTfii r g. "'' % Wv '''''''' vi
THE PRINCES COMMISSIONER Prince OF
Wales. as president OF the Royal Commission for
the Paris Exposition of 1890. IS devoting himself to
his task with the greatest energy. lie presided at
q meeting Of the full Commission at MARLBOROUGH
House on Thursday. and made a speech showing a
comprehensive grasp OK the subject. The Prince
announced that he had secured allotments of space
In all the eighteen groups into which the exhibit
ton had beer divided. and he added that he hoped
20 set the Treasury to augment largely the grant;
His ROYAL Hghness named the committees, and
announced that he would personally preside over
the Executive and Finance committees
MURDER IN FOOTBALL-A case which has