Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-12-24
BR|TA|N'S CHRISTMAS !
It is a Sad One, But It is
Being PIucki|y Met
AN ALAR MING VISION,
A French Raid on London In Absence OF
The Channel Fleet.
BoERs SEEKING OUR MEDIATION.
No oGer of Mediation, in Any Snaps
or Form, Would he Accepted By
sew
snIisbur,-No News from Africn
Not Considered Good News.
snIisbury-No News from
cspecIal London cable Let.srl


years past has Great Britain faced sach
situation as conronts her this Christ
mas yet to meet It there has arisen a new
Britain, which by It's vlrllity and pluck.
EFFORTS admiration, even from her Bit
terest Continental critics.
Since the coastfrinoss has disappeared
from the British press the. cen nenss OF
the foreign papers at least such as aro
printed here, are couched in tones flr
more fair and friendly than when Il was
believed a speedy victory awaited Gene
raj Butler.
As repeatedly asserted. there is no like
llhood of European Intervention, yet W.
r. Stead, ia the Daily Chronicle to-day.
has a very alarming column, in which
he has visions of a Superior Jameson
raid by 5000 Frenchmen. on London,
in the absence Of the channel feet.
Mr. Stead points out how easily in hts
opinion, this might be accomplished. and
says:
"To rely. as some appear 10 do. upon
| the addition OF number Of raw recruits.
under the excitement and stimulus OF tho
present war fever. is 90 rely on broken
reed. Woolwich Arsenal might be N
| flames and the French tri-coor flying
over Westminster Palace before tho first
of these new recruits would have learned
To handle 4 gun"
beers SEEKING MEDIATION.
Though Great Britains plightfn South
| Africa seems temporarily cricai, the AS
i s0ciated Press learns that the Beers ara
\ straining every nerve 10 secure the media
/ ton of President Mckinley towards a Ia
/ vOrable peace. But any one with tho
| slightest understanding OF British feeling
| quickly appreciates that not one person
| In a million c0ntempates any result but
an ultimate British triumph and all Sec
! tions unite in saying this must be- Sc
| cured no matter what the cost. Hence
| the B0er agents themselves have only
/ slight hopes that mediation would be ac-
| ceptcd. though believing that II President
| Mckinley could be persuaded TO proffer
] 81, Lord Salisbury, though perhaps bound
| 10 refuse, would lose humanitarian SYM
! pathy ia the United States and thus d.
vert 10 the Beers much wavering scnti-
| ment.
! The Associated Press IS informed from
| excellent sources that no offer Of media
| ton would be accepted by Lord salisbury
I'm any shape or form.
| PEACE MUST COME THROUGH BOBS.
The popular conception Of peace is that
| II must come through the idol of the
| army, General Roberts, and his not less
| adored chief OF staff General Kitchener.
| The country is prepared 10 wait indoh-
! ntely for that ending The fall OF Kim
| bcrley, Ladysmth. and Mafckiug would
! not mape particle OK difference. FOR this
stoical resolve is thoroughly imbedded IA
| ;he hearts OF the people. who, for Tho
first time In the memory OF this Genera
| ton, have drank deeply OF he cup vt
military defeat and disgrace.
Any other defeats that the future holds
for The British except entire annihila-
ton, are anticipated by tho scathlng criti-
eli m which the nation has inflicted upon
itself. Estimates Of the duration OF hos
| tilitios vary from three months 70 a year.
The lack Of news this week has by no
means been taken as an Instance Of the
| adage regarding no news. 4 very general
! impression prevails that Kimberley Will
succumb.
SERIOUS OUTLOOK FOR RHODES.
An officer of the British South Africa
| Company, who has an intimate knowledge
| Of South Africa. tells the Associated
| Press he believes that II tie Beers cap
tlre cecil Rhodes they viii shoot him
Nowhere more than on the Stock Ex-
! change has the lack OF Information
caused extreme nervousness. II il real
lzed that " Kimberley falls DeBeers
| mine shares and interests Will shriyel 10
| nothing. while thu Chartered Compony's
! vast issues Will lose what little bottom
they have left.
SETTLING DAY" PROVIDED FOR.
IL Is learned by the Associated Press
! that the great financial houses IN Lon
don have combined and furnished suffi-
Client money 10 insure no large failures
az linz lou 4lst
the small fry may suffer
Unless this action had been taken, sew
! eral well-known houses. OF large propor-
| lions would. II is said have 20 go under
| The concerted precautiOn has, 10 some
extent. restored confidence. but tho
market Is still panicky. many people be-
! heving that the most serious crisis has
not yet been reached
HIS GRACE or WESTMINSTER.
While most persons knew the late Duke
of Westminster was one OF the richest
men in England. no leading newspaper
| has taken the trouble 10 procure an es-
| Innate OF his wealth. He owned several
/ thousand parcels OF London realty, which.
| together. according 10 the Dukes own
statement. made 600 acres. Much OF this
IS In Belgrayia, the aristocratic residence
section. He also had 5000 acres IN the
| country, and an annual income Of c750e0
| (S3750OO. His realty values In London
We're probably worth &30.oo0.0o0 Ctl500o0-
! 0CJ). The heir 20 the Dukedom is the
/ late Dukes grandson, Vlscount Belgrave.
now in South Africa. an aide-de-camp to
1 Sir Alfred Miner. the Governor Of Capo
| Colony.
AN ENIGMATIC PEER.
! The papers abound in anecdotes OF the
| late Duke fie was careless and shabby
in his dress and bis life at Eaton Hall
| was that OF an ordinary country gentle-
| man. Al any time during his stay I'm
! Cheshire the Duke might be seen riding
or walking about the park, usually
/ smoking a cigarette not often composed
Of tobacco FOR he used indicated cigar
cites as a remedy for asthma To his
| household the Duke was always an enx-
| ma. He rarely spoke TO the servants.
and had an odd way OF leaving bits OF