The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-12-24
FRENCH INVASION
William T.'Stead Has Fears For
Britain'S Safety in Absence
of Channel Fleet
Beers WANT UNCLE
SANS MEDIATION
Estimates of the Wealth of the
Late Duke of Westminster,
the English CroeSuS

Copyright, 1899, the Associated Press.)
London, Dec. 23.-Not for many years
| past, has Great Britain faced such
situation as confronts her this Christ
mas. Yet, to meet it, there has
arisen a new Britain, which, by it's
| virility and pluck, EFFORTS admiration
even from her bitterest continental
critics. Since the boastfulness has dis
| appeared from the British press, the
comments of the foreign papers, at
least such as are printed here, are
couched in tones far more fair and
| friendly than when it was believed a
! speedy victory awaited General Bull
Ter.
AS repeatedly asserted, there is no
| likelihood of European interference, yet
| w. T. Stead, in the Daily Chronicle,
today, has a very alarming column, in
| which he has visions of a superior
Jameson raid" by 10000 Frenchmen on
! London. in the absence of the Channel
| fleet. Mr.. Stead points out how easily.
in his opinion, this might be accom-
plished, and says:
sTEADs NIGHTMARE.
ITO rely, as some appear to do, upon
the addition of a number Of raw re-
cru1ts, under the excitement and slim
illus of the present war fever, is to
| rely on brokene reed Woolwich arse
! nal might be in flames and the French
| tricolor flying over Westminster palace
before The first of these new recruits
would have learnt to handle a gun
Though Great Britain's plight in
South Africa seems temporarily criti-
| cal, the Associated Press learns that
the Beers are straining every nerve to
| secure the mediation Of President Nc
! kinney towards favorable peace. But
any ona with the slightest knowledge
of British feeling quickly appreciates
that no one person in a million con-
! templates any result but an ultimate
! British triumph, and all sections unite
| in saying this must be secured, no mat
i ter what the cost.
Hence, the Boer agents themselves
have only slight hopes that mediation
| would De accepted, though believing
if President Mckinley could be persua-
| ded to proffer it, Lord Salisbury,
| though, perhaps, bound to refuse,
would lose humanitarian sympathy in
| the United States, and thus divert to
the Beers much waverlng sentiment.
MEDIATION NOT WANTED.
The Associated Press is informed
| from excellent sources that no offer of
mediation would be accepted by Lord
| Salisbury in any shape or form. The
| popular conception Of peace is that II
must come through the idol of the ar
my, General Roberts, and his not less
! adored chief-of-staff, General Kitche-
ner, The country is prepared to wait
! indefinitely for that eventuality The
| fall of Kimberley, Ladysmith and Ma
| feking would not make a particle Of
| difference, for this stoical resolve is
! thoroughly inbedded in the hearts of
! the people, who, for the first time In
| drank deeply of the cup of military de-
| feat and disgrace. Any other de-
feats that the future holds for
! the British, except entire ami
| hilation, are anticipated by the scath-
! ing self-criticism which the nation
has inflicted upon its own hide. Esti-
mates Of the duration of hostilities
vary from three months to year.
NO NEWS, BAD NEWS.
The lack of news this week has by
no means been taken as an instance Of
the adage regarding no news very
| general impression prevails that Kim
| berley will succumb. An officer of the
| British South African company, who
! Africa, tells the Associated Press he
| believes that If the Beers capture
| Cecil Rhodes they will shoot him.
Nowhere more than on the stock ex-
change has the lack of information
! caused extreme nervousness. 1t is
realized that if Kimberley falls De
Beers mines shares and interests will
shrivel to nothing, while the Chartered
company's vast issues will lose what
| little bottom they have left.
BIG HOUSES COMBINE.
1t is learned by the Associated
Press that the great financial houses
in London have combined and fur
nished sufficient money to insure no
large failures on settling day, Dec g.
| though the small fry may suffer. I'm
less this action had been taken, sew
eral well-known houses, not of the first
Importance, but still of large propor>
lions, would, it is said, have to go un-
der. This concerted precaution has to
some extent restored confidence, but
the market is still panicky, many peo-
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