The Topeka state journal., 1899-12-30
Short Engagements the Rule In
English Society.
BridegrOOms In Haste Owing tC
the War.
1T is WE'D AND GO.
Stopping of American Flour
Causes Worry.
England Herself Largely De-
pendent Upon America.

Douuoub y pun AHOA AOos
copyright. 1899, by Associated Press-1
London. Dec. 3O.-The death OF the
Duke of Westminster, combined with
the mourning already prevalent on ac-
count of the war losses, left few of the
titled families of Great Britain free to
celebrate Christmas week with the US
ual festivities. The GrOSVenOr IaInlIy
has so many ramifcadOns among the
nobility and such a large number OF
other titled people have recently died
that one would almost think the court
was in mourning. To this condition OF
affairs a pathetic paradox IS found IN
the society news columns, which daily
announce g long list OF forthcoming
maria ges, the bridegrOOms in d major
ity of cases, being soldiers. 1t IS a
season of short engagements and sud
den deaths. MOmentarily expecting or
ders to sail for South Africa, the Brit
ish officers have apparently taken the
opportunity of striking While the iron
is not and many quiet marriage IS
now followed within few days by
farewell at Southampton. For instance,
Major MaXse, who took part in the re-
cent defeat of the Khalifa, returned TO
England married Lord LerOnneld
daughter and is now on his way to the
Cape.
The martial spirit and universal de-
sire to serve the country at the front
show no signs of abatement. The ac-
tiOn of EnglandS premier Duke, the
Duke of Norfolk, who is postmaster
general and by no means a young man
Che was born in 1847) volunteering for
active service is the latest example of
the spirit which perVades all classes
The Duke of NOrfOlk's position in the
cabinet and his tremendous business
| interests to say nothing of his power as
/ lay head of the Catholic church in Eng
! land viii probably prevent the accept
ance of his offer.
The Duke of Connaught whose ardent
requests to be allowed to go TO south
/ Africa have been refused, is mentioned
/ as likely to succeed General Roberts IN
( command of the British forces in Ire
/ land.
/ No little comment has been caused by
! the war Offices tardy recognition of the
/ engineers and artillery. Until Gen.
/ Warren of the engineers was sent out
| all the general officers in the field were
! caValrymen or infantry The cOun-
/ try hOWled for Gen. Warren's appoint
! ment and at last the man who knows
! South African topography better than
/ any other general received recognition.
/ Then followed, in quick succession, Gen.
4 Roberts, an artillery man and Generals
/ Kitchener and Chermside. engineers,
! until the campaign now bids fair to be
| chiefly directed by the hitherto neglect
/ ed ''gunners and sappers."
The impression continues to gain
/ ground that Gen. Butler and his subOr
dinates have been instructed to under
| take no important movement until the
| arrival of Gen. Roberts and Roberts
] will amalgamate the guns under Gen.
/ Gatacre, Warren and French subse-
! quently marching upon BlOemfOntein,
| to capture that place and draw off the
/ Beers from Ladysmith- To accomplish
! this, II IS believed tndt Kimberley and
| Mafekiug may be sacrificed. Whether
/ Gen. Butler Will acquiesce in this ar
| rangement is seriously doubted by
many who know him and they are rath-
| er inclined to believe he will attempt
to emulate Gen. GOurgh. who, under
/ similar circumstances, retrieved his
! reverses in India While Sir Charles
/ Napier was coming out to supersede
1 him.
The seizures of cargoes of American
| flour off Delagoa bay fail to excite
much popular interest in England It
is generally looked upon as a fine point
of international law that Will be amic-
| ably settled. So far no official steps in
| the matter have been taken, owing to
the nOn-arrival of necessary papers
| from Washington. The military and in
| ternatiOnal law authorities are almost
! unanimous in declaring that Great
! Britain should not declare food stuffs
| contraband of war. The naval and mil
itary record under this head says to-
day:
Fully fifty per cent of our food
comes from America, the colonies and
/ other countries We have ceased to
make any effort to be self-SuppOrting.
This condition constitutes a danger
only bearable because of our confidence
in the strength of the British navy and
in the friendship and self-interest of the
United States. The states may be
| counted on to fill our laTder in both
/ peace and war, but so essential have
American supplies become to our safety
that we must take no step likely to lead
to an interruption of the enormous sup
| ply of food stuffs- Our enemies on the
| continent would rejoice if we intercept
ed the food stuffs now passing into the
TransVaal via DelagOa Bay. a danger
Gus precedent would thus be created
which would be used against England
at the first opportunity"
| \ representative of the Associated
| Press learns that the wireless telegraph
| instruments recently captured from the
| Beers and described as MarcOni's were
| not of his manufacture. They We're
made by a we'll known German firm
| whom MarcOni once employed to ex-
| pertinent with plans he afterwards dis
| carded. MarcOni declares the instru-
ments captured were not workable
Some feeling has been caused against
the young man by the first report the
| belief spreading that he had broken his
/ agreement to supply only the British
/ during the present war.
Princess Christian of Schlesswig- FIol-
/ stein (Pricess Helena of England). for
the first time in twenty years is sitting
for portrait and to an American paint
/ er. ". H. Funk.
During the recent visit to Windsor
/ of COnyingham Greene, former British
| agent at Pretoria, Queen Victoria asked
him a lot of questions regarding Mrs.
Kruger. her housekeeping and personal
/ characteristics. Mr.. Greene entertained
! her majesty with incidents showing the
/ simplicity of Mrs. Kruger's home life
/ and her personal attention to kitchen
y duties, detailing with special zest upon
the excellence Of certain dessert which
TA1rz: Kruger makes.
RuIIRrs recurred this week of Lord
Salisbury s retirement at the end of the
present parliament and the succession
! of the .DukeNof DevOnshire to the con-
| servative leadership. These seem
| founded on nothing stronger than de-
| duction from his age and recent be
| reaVement- From one of the premiers
I a n