The times., 1899-07-16

peace minister CT the latter haR OF tie
century. None ether, certainly Eot Lord
Rosehery, probably nc other dv-n, Liberal
statesman, Of premier rank would pay a
higher price than he to avoid that conflict
which 1t is the constant prayer OF the
Queens closing years sho may never see
Again and again during the last few weeks
has Mr. Chamberlain sought and failed to
induce him to say to President Kruger that
one fateful word must" NO" he has
replied. what we have done peacefully for
British interests with Germany. Russia.
and France in West and East Africa and
China. we can do in South Africa Go as
, far as you please with President Kruger.
but no hloodshed."
That was the situation in the Cabinet a
| fortnight ago, and there is good reason {o-
believing that il Lord Salisbury thought
FOR one moment that war would ensue in
South Africa. he would never have sane
! toned the despatch of the special servics
: officers. and those other small military
preparations Of which the War Office ana
certain section OF the press have been
making so much during the last few days.
The Situation.
The situation at this moment is. in a
word, this: Sir Alfred AEiIner and the
British Ministry still hope that the two
branches OF the TransvaaI franchise rro-
posals yet to be submitted TO the VoIks-
; rGad, namely. redistribution and the vote
for President and Commandant General.
may show thai peaceful triumph is still
possible for Sir Alfred Miners policy OF
concentrating all attention upon an squita-
ble franchise. Failing that the British
/ Government pledged. as it now is. to
remedy the Outlanders' grievances. will
fall back upon its original position and
press with such persistence and hrraness
for each individual reform. an effective
police. removal Of the dynamite monopoly.
reasonable educational facilities. and com
mon rights of citizenship. that even Presi-
dent Kruger must in the end yield. That
is. it is believed Lord Salisbury's nolicy,
essentially policy of peaceful pressure
But what il domestic affection should
remove this quiet and dogged leader from
the helm just now. when the execution OF
that policy is reaching its most critical
point?
A Long-Lost Orchid.
Mr. Chamberlain and his fellow orchid
lovers are moved in no small manner by
the recovery of LoeIia Jongheana. long
lost and superb species of orchid. which
NJ. Forget, travelling in Brazil has lust
rediscovered. As far back as 1853 NJ
Libon found it. but he died Immediately,
/ leaving 70 hint of the locality and OF the
original consignment. Baron Schroeder
now alone possesses a specimen Some
thousands of imported plants have been
sold at auction here this week.
Mr.. Leonard Courtney Is understood to
be writing book on the British constitu-
tion.
Great interest is excited in medical cir
cles by the extended tests to which DR..
Haffkine's plague pTophlactic is to be put
Captain Leumann, OF the Indian Medical
Service. who has been lent to the Gov
erument Of Natal to introduce inoculations
there. has taken $4,000 doses with him
Lieutenant Stephens has been lent TO the
Government Of Maurftus, and has taken
90,000 doses. At the request OF the Cham
ber OF Mines or Johannesburg. fe.009 doses
have been sent there. The Consul General
at Zanzibar has applied for 10000 doses.
the crown agents Of the Gold Coast Colony
for 5000. and 1000 have been sent to the
Russian Governor at Nieosia- The Italian
Government has applied for small quanti-
ties and supply has been sent on pri-
vate demand 10 Hongkong.