The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1899-12-29
England Gains Many Needed Ad-
yantages In South Africa.
CONSUL MACRUM DEPARTED
Regarded With Satisfaction by Great
Britain His Successor viii
lie Heartily Welcomed.

SIW YORK. Dec "a dispatch g.
the Tribune from London siys
Tie announcement II ,ho Berlin i.o-
cal Ankdg'r that under he socr,t
rtlpulnupnn of the treaty Germany
win t,kc por'ugals AslA'Ic colonies
uud the territory a.un u the Ianb'H
ara England pclgua bay. ls the most
starting news ~ ,h' day
Tlr authority s not oihctl nHl thr
sIJtrmcu, Il .nucrrl a action hy the
two pUwrrs against French and Rus
anu occupation must bc accepted with
reserve until the foreign ONCE con-
nms a. tn. an god payment NJ 2j.-
UH. .O0n MARKS fur Germany shar, IN
lh.s territorial trade also seems doubt
ful Some disclosure n this Kind has
bo,d expected 40 diplomatic circlrs for
several wr.kr. since the necessity .pr
shutting m the supplies u arms AMI
ammunition for tho THusyaal has b.
come apparent with the prolungIiIut
Of The war
while The RuAsan press furccaats
,hs occupation u Hefut ar lr nvi
cuup.p .purncc Of their occupation vf D..
laguu bty. the French Journals arr
curious to know what ihn Washing
ton government wll o. regarding rh.
seizure Il American vessels by tar
rutlsh navy. Whatever that action
may be-. reports that Mr Choatc has
intcrfcrcd In the maurr are premature
and untJuulcJ. The BRUSH prze
courts viii. without doubt, be- allowed
10 do their work prcciso.y as th, Am'
r.rar przr courts operated during the
var with spsu. ,h, questions n con.
trthaui ~ war and neutral rghls
VIII bc argued Boz due course
Russian and French rumors that all
neutral poNors wlu intervene n Eng'
land takes effective measures Tor clos,
ug the hack door agaius, ,hr entrance
OF r.uuablud Il war into the Trans
taN are culursd by the general bci,f
that there is secret agreement VIII
Germany relating 10 any emy gene!
which may arise on the east coast
The war oilice has repeated the cN-
pertinent u supplying The country
With A brief summary n news from
the srnt u war Asid, from the casual
Is lists. while the situation Is re.
ported 20 be- unchanged General Cat
acro's motiy, ln occupying Dordrech'
is disclosed as a desire To reopen ccm'
municauan with the Indian COLI r.
aad General Mc,huen's force !, shown
to be Ngilcnuy watching the enemy
and rrconnoiterins his lines with
mounted Infantry.
Tho roer fcro,s beyond the Mod
der river are also reported 60 be n
crrasmg and the Quesn's message has
been received by the soldiers with
great enthusiasm, This news is OF
greater value than the belated dis
patches from both Gatlcre ana Me
thuen received from special cores
pondcnts.
From Ruller's headquarters there Is
m Official news but there are lively
accounts Of outpost skirmishes In front
ot Colrnso. In which the Beers killed
two men one day and the British tw,
men the next day, The outpost affairs
bring out the high utility Of the Ma
tai mounted force, tho value of which
has been at last appreciated by III,
British generals for the work OF scout
ing. From Cape Town comes report
that battalions of infantry are going
on to Durham and that a serious Dutch
conspiracy has been discovered dur
Ing the holidays.
Consul Macrum will not arrive n
England until week after next. Soutl
Africans who are acquainted with
him In Pretoria describe him as a maS
with little force who was unequal e
the responsibilities of an important
past in war times. He had few friend:
In either Pretoria or Johannesburg
among the American or English resi-
dents.
When COnynghan Green retired
from Pretoria Mr.. Macrum had tine
opportunity for returning the usefu
and friendly services which British d.
plomatists and consul officers had ren'
dered to America during the previous
ydar in Spain and Cuba. His aban-
donment of the post of duty when
English friends were anxious to re-
celve Information from the hundreds
of officers and soldiers imprisoned there
Is explained by South Africans as a
result Of his strong partisanship OF
the Boei cause and is dislike oI
everything English.
The unpleasant impression created
IN England by Mr. Macrum's inexpli'
cable conduct has been effaced by the
appointment Of Mr. Hay as his success
sor.
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