The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1899-01-15

London. Jan. l4.-Mr Cecil Rhodes ar
rived in England today and for the next
few weeks the world may expect 10 hear
much of his African projects. His prime
object in visiting England is likely to be
entirely successful. He comes 10 finance
the Tanganyika Railway extension of the
South African Railway system 10 the great
central lakes, and so form 4 link III The
British chain which is to connect Cairo
with the Cape
The demand which he has made upon The
imperial exchequer is for collateral
guarantee of the interest. thus enabling
the necessary capital for the railway to
be raised at IL instead of IL per
cent. At first Sir Michael Beach,
the chancellor of the exchequer. who ad-
heres TO the old traditions of British
finance. rejected in his own brusque way
this South African inroad, as he deemed it,
upon the British taxpayers already over
taxed purse. but even he now realizes that
the victory of Omdurman and Lord Kitch-
eners extension OF British civilization
south from Egypt cannot be left as an iso-
lated event. but must be fitted into the
realization of Mr. Rhodes's oft pooh
poohed dream OF a British backbone TO
Africa.
So. when Mr. Rhodes goes TO the chan
cellor Of the eXchequer, in Downing street,
next week he will probably find his battle
with British officialdom half done,
will pass then to Throgmorton Street and
make straight the finances of Great Bri-
iain's latest and most momentous move in
Africa.
Watching France Closely.
British public men, and something | hear
this week leads me TO add British royalty.
too are keeping very close watch upon
French affairs just now For it will be
strange it, as the upshot Of intrigues in
Brussels in Paris itself. and in London,
some sort OF coup d'etat is not attempted
before long One exceptionally well-posted
student of French affairs puts the case
thus:
To-day no coup d'etat is possible without
the army Now OF the 300 or more French
generals considerably more than half are
more or less pledged 10 support the Bour-
bon dynasty should the republic become
impossible. II is also fact, obvious 10
every one. that the only possible pretender,
Prince Henri d'Orleans. is himself impos-
sible Without an army. even Prince Vic
tor Napoleon, for all his intriguing at
Brussels, can accomplish nothing. More
over, he is hOpelessly crippled by shortness
of cash. But We have yet to reckon with
the general staff. The Dreyfus affair has
landed them in predicament from which
there seem to be only three ways OF es-
cape. One is submission 10 exposure at
the hands of the Cour de Cessation; the
second is the diversion OF public attention
by war with England or Germany, and the
third is a coup d'etat on their own ac-
count in the nominal interest of civilian
rights. and possibly in the interest OF NJ
Felix Faure. The first way of escape is
conceivable. The third IS just possible. As
for a war with England or Germany, who
can say?''
This is the judgment of a public man
who knows much of the hidden currents of
public affairs. and one constantly hears of
men high up in public life here and in
Paris who believe that the attitude OF the
French general staff is the greatest OF all
existing menaces to Anglo-French peace.
Cambon and Salisbury.
But what this informant does not, per-
haps, sufficiently remember, is the strong
influence which a man like ". Cambon,
the new French ambassador here. possesses
in the direction of peace. He and Lord
Salisbury are now in close conference here
on Anglo-French disputes. regarding New
foundland, Shanghai and the African him
terlRnds, and no effort will be spared on
their part TO keep these disputes out OF the
hands of mischief makers. but even they
would do well TO hurry if they mean 10
succeed, for every visitor reports that Paris
is in very infammable state just now,
and Paris generally does the mischief in
France, leaving substantial provincial
France TO repair the damage.
Mr.. Robert A Yerburgh, d rich Lanca-
shire N. p, and leader Of the so-called
China party in the House OF Commons, is
carrying out an interesting educational
project. He has provided money to
found professorship Of Chinese economics
in one of the great English commercial
centres, with view TO promote the sue
ress OF British traders in the Far East
Manchester and London are both putting
forward claims to the chair, which, how
ever, seeing Lancashire's large trade witt
China, probably vii! 90 10 Victoria Uni
yersity, Manchester.
The London Academy has just crowned
books of signal merit published durinj
the last year. in imitation OF the Frencl
Academy. Last year it awarded hun
dred guneas 10 Stephen Phillips for hi
poems and fifty guineas 10 W. E. Henle
for his essay on Burns. This year
awards three prizes, each of fifty guineas
10 Sidney Lee for his Life OF Shake
speare, 10 Maurice Hewlett for The For
est Lovers and 10 Joseph Conrad for hi
Tales OF Unrest"
Among the CannibaI Tribes.
Much interest has been caused by the ar
rival this week OF young Englishman
Mr. Albert Bushnill Lloyd. from Contra
Africa, after record journey Of tire
months from the heart OF Africa TO Lon
don, travelling over SJanley's route down
the Congo TO the west coast.
Mr. Lloyd Travelled quite alope, so IA
as Europeans were concerned, and wa
only accompanied by two native servant
and small number Of carriers. Moreover
although he marched three weeks IN tn
Pigmy forest and then traversed the who'll
length OF the Aruwimi river. the banks o
which are lined with warlike cannibals, b
never once fired shot al native. O
the contrary he was on cordial terms wit
both Pigmies and cannibals.
On entering the great primeval flores
Mr.. Lloyd went west for five days withOu
the sight OF a pigmy. Suddenly he becam
aware of their presence by mysteriou
movements among the trees which he frs
attributed to monkeys. Finally he came I
clearing and stopped at an Arab village
where he met a great number of pigmes
They told me-" says Mr.. Lloyd, tina
unknown to me- they had been watchin
me for five days. They appeared very niue
frightened, and even when speaking GOV
cred their faces. ] asked chief to allo
me 10 photograph the dwarfs and b
brought a dozen together. ! was able
secure q snapshot, but did not succeed
the time exposure. as the pigmies woul
not stand still. Then l tried TO measuI
them and found not one over four feet