The San Francisco call., 1899-12-31
GREAT BRITAIN
DARK NEW YEAR
Century Closes in Gloom
for the Empire.
HER ARMY HELD AT BAY
HURLED BACK BY WARRIORS
OF TWO SMALL STATES.
In Their Country's Extremity, Even
Those Who Have Ridiculed Every .
thing American Now Appeal
for Friendship.
Copyrighted. 1899. by til. Associated Press.


LONDON. Dec. 30-It is strange to note
that as the New Year dawns for Great
Britain the greatest army she has ever
put Into the field remains passive in South
Africa, held at bay by two of the smallest
republics on the face of the earth; while
at home. in spite of the large volume of
trade and apparent prosperity, her finan-
cial interests are in state Of instability
not seen since the Barring crash. All
Europe is yelping at her heels and the
necessity for Americas friendship is rec
ognized on all sides. Papers and persons
that for years have been ready with a
jibe for Americas good will now no longer
make any attempt 10 belittle the desira-
bility of securing her friendship.
America says the Globe, usually hui
morous at the expense OF all things trans
Atlantic, with crop of 542, 900 BUSH
els, is especially in position TO help Us"
The economic shoe already begins TO
pinch the military foot-not very serious
ly, but enough TO suggest grave cogita-
tions as 10 what would happen if Great
Britain were at war with a great power.
The fact that the Government has char
tered so many transports has resulted in
a rise in the price of bread, while coal is
rising by leaps and bounds 10 famine
prices. 1t is such unpleasant results as
these that silence the scoffer at things
American and induce such a vituperative
publication as the Saturday Review TO
say:
The Americans have had their eyes
open as TO the possibilities OF foreign
policy and are taking a sounder, besides
a cooler. view of the situation They are
not less friendly To US than before. but
the insincere element has been eliminated
and has left a reliable substrata of good
Will"
Which concatenation the Saturday Re-
view under different circumstances would
doubtless have construed into damning
evidence OF the insincerity OF American
friendship.
1t must not be inferred that this view
Is held by many OF the sincere English
friends OF America, who now point to
friendliness as proof Of what they nave
always maintained.
With such a serious outlook for the
coming year 1t is hardly surprising that
articles appear under the heading, Are
We DecadentY and similar strains. On
the other hand. there is still q small Sec
ton OF the press and public which devoted
its energies TO senselessly abusing the
Beers and phophesying the speedy entry
OF the British into Pretoria
Yet on the whole the organs voicing the
better class of opinion face 1900 and its
eventualitieS in South Africa with an
even-minded, unhysterical determination
that compels admiration.
That there will be day of reckoning
for some one is a certainty that even the
most guarded and conservative do not
try TO conceal. Whether IL be Lord Lans-
downe. Lord WolSeley or General Butler
II is impossible TO tell: but all the infor-
nation obta1nable at present and the gist
of criticisms point 10 Lord Lansdowne
having to shoulder the onus for the ter
rible mismanagement.
While Great Britain feeds contentedly
upon long special cables showing Ameri-
can friendship, the Boer agents in Europe
believe sentiment in the United States
has been gradually turning Boerward un-
til the time is now ripe TO develop IL into
material effect. Under this impression,
thel Associated Press learns. they are
contemplating dispatching special mis-
sion to the United States for the pur-
pose OF influencing public opinion. pos
sibly by open meetings and by personally
assisting the efforts of those in Congress
whom they believe friendly. Moreover,
they consider IL advisable to Offset what
they declare has been a systematic cam
paign by John Hays Hammond, the
American engineer, who was a member OF
the Johannesburg Reform Committee, TO
influence Washington opinion. If the
plans now under consideration are carried
out the mission will include very promi-
nent Boer agent and a pro-Boer member
OF the British Parliament who intended
TO sail this week, but was prevented by
what Is thought to be a temporary hitch
IN the arrangements. Their desire is 10
affiliate themselves with no particular
party. but. influencing political and public
opinion, to obtain at least an offer OF
mediation from the United States. A
representative of the Associated Press has
made careful inquiries, but failed to find
any circumstances to warrant the belief
that such an offer, however made, would
receive the slightest consideration.
The British Government is threatened
with a coal famine. the most serious de-
velopment of recent weeks. Unless the
conditions, improve many Industrial con-
Germs depending on the coal supply may
have TO suspend operations before Febru-
airy, as their margin OF profit is rapidly
being wiped out. The root of the trouble
appears to be the withdrawal of so many
colliers TO take their places in the ranks
OF the reserves. Wages have gone up.
but labor is hard to find. The normal
Christmas congestion OF traffic aggra-
Yates the situation. while the Government
need of fuel for transports, war vessels
and depots on the way to the Cape has
created an unprecedented demand
Thomas Kite, the old parish clerk of
Shakespeares church. has quickly fol-
lowed the custodian of Anne Hatheway's
cottage to the grave. He was 81 years of
age and succeeded his father and grand
father half century ago, and was well
known TO all dramatic celebrities
Senior wrangler bids fair TO become a
thing of the past at Cambridge the board
Of mathematics having recommended the
abolition OF this coveted distinction in the
future. II the senate agrees, as is pos
sible. all the wranglers will be classed