The record-union., 1899-03-06
ITALY'S DEMAND FOR
A DOOR" IN CHINA
Was the Event Of the Week in
London Political Circles.
May Prove the Signal for a General and
Final Rush on the Empire.

Japan Now Likely to Advance Her
Long Expected Claim to the
Province of Fukien, and Russia
Will Seize a Pretext for Urging
Further Concessions Injurious
to British Influences Out of
the Helpless Government at Pc
kin.
Copyrighted, 1899, by Associated Press,
LONDON, March popular interest
here is now divided between Rudyard
Kiplings struggle with death and the
sick man of the Vatican. The Kipiing
bulletins are followed with intense in
terest, and the news of his probable
recovery is received with profound re-
lief, which is expressed throughout the
press, the Times" during the course
of a long editorial, saying: THE deep
sympathy manifested in America may
be regarded as a fitting tribute to the
writer who has lately done more than
diplomacy, treaties, arbitration and
speech making to convince the two ma
tons sprung from the same stock that
they are still in many ways one"
The illness of the Pope gave rise tc
speculation as, to his successor, and re-
vived the stories of the intrigues at
the Vatican. But the latest favorable
bulletins have dispelIed the gloomy
forebodings 1t appears that the Pope
himself was responsible for the attack
as, after the audiences of Monday,
when very tired, he insisted upon driv-
ing in the garden to Leo's tower, in
spite of the biting north wind He re-
turned to his apartments shivering
with cold and on feeling himself in
pain he said he recalled the prophecy
of Mile Couedon, whose Spiritualistic
prophecies were the talk of Paris some
time ago, and who declared that the
archangel Gabriel had announced to
her that the Pope would die immedi-
ately after President Faure. Perhaps, y
said the Pope, Gods will spoke
through her mouth
The political event of the week I'M
doubtedly was Italy's demand for a
door in the Celestial Empire. Thu
saturday Review says: TT can hardly
be doubted that this will prove the
signal for a general and final rush
Japan will advance her long expected
claim to the province of Fukien (cn the
mainland of China and opposite the
island of Formosa), and Russia vii
seize a pretext for urging further con
cessions injurious to British influences
out of the helpless Government al
Pekin. Italy, however, has not yet got
her concession, and a dispatch from
Pekin says there are indications that
the Dowager Empress is disposed te
reject the demand"
The attitude of Russia regarding the
guarantees of the British loan on ac-
count of the Northern Chinese rail-
roads has caused considerable anxiety
among the investors, who, however, re-
ly upon Lord Salisbury to carry Out
his promise and insist that China re-
spect her engagements and ignore Rus
sia's protest against the terms of the
railroad contract. Up to now Lore
Salisbury has taken a firm attitude
and it is generally believed that Rus.
STA will not go beyond a protest.
The monetary and industrial situation
in America is followed with close AT
tention here The Economist takes
a pessimistic view of railroads. Speak
ing of the recent boom, it says: 'Ths
holders of these securities among Brit
ish investors who have not avalle1
themselves of the opportunities of the
past six months to realize on their Sc
curities are, we think, few and far be-
tween. for in most cases the improve
ment has long since run out to sucf
a level as may have been warrante,
by increased earnings or other tangible
factors. The advances of the past Few
months had nothing more solid thar
remote prospects and apparently over
sanguine industrial forecasts to go up
on. every kind of unfavorable contin
gency being cast into the shade b3
glowing statements of the unprece
dented prosperity which was comins
into existence in all directions"
The "Statist' takes a more Cheerful
view of the monetary situation.
thinks there ought to be no danger OF
a serious dearth of money in America
during the present year, or at any
rate not before September The paper
expects the rise to further expand, ane
that there will be an outburst OF new
enterprise.
So great pressure has been 2u'
upon the President of the Board o.
Trade. c. T. Richie, that he has post
poned the second reading of the auto
matte couplings bill, a measure whict
gives the Board of Trade power, nV'
wears hence, to compel British rail
roads to supply the whole of their roll
ing stock with automatic couplings
Reports indicate that the cost of tins
innovation will be S50,G00O00. There
are it is added; million cars in Greai
Rritain. of which one-half are owned
Inv nriyate companies, which are up II
arms against the expense
lockout of 10000 plasterers VII
baoin in London to-day, owing to vari
ous differences between employees AM
emnlovers. The former object to IN
employment Of boys. and the iatte
claim that the men are trying 10 lorc'
the foremen to join the union
The production of .Mellhac's farce
..Decore.'' urder the tue Oh IN
Cucxoo.s at the Avenue Theater' ma
served again to bring storm OF anus
on the licenser of plays. G. A. had
ford .Decore" is described as peih'
..tha Frenchiest of French farces' an
while IT is bright and amusing am
splendidly played by Charles HaWtrey
it abounds in nastiness. Mr.. Bradlorc
while permitting the productlon,
fused Beerbohm Tree PERMISSION
represent "Oedipus Uranus.
49,