Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-12-28

qucurc o. tho occupation OF DclngOa
hay tho French journals are curious to
know what the Washington govern
ncnt will do regarding the seizure OF
American vessels BY the British navy.
Whatever that action may be, reports
that Mr.. Choate has interviewed In tho
matter are premature and unfoundcd.
The British prize courts will. without
doubt, be allowed to do their work pre-
ciscly ms the American prize courts
operated during the war with SPAIN
aud the questions OF contraband OF war
and neutral rights Will be argued In
due course.
Russian and French runors that all
neutral powers win intervene II Eng
land takes effective measures for clos
ing the back door against the entrance
OF contraband OF war Into the Trans
vanl are colored by the general belief
that there Ia a secret agreement with
Germany relating to any emergency
which may arise ON the east coast.
The war office has repeated the ex-
pertinent OF supplying the country with
a brief summary OF news from the seat
OF war apart from the casualty lists.
While the situation II reported to be un-
changed. Gen. Gatacre's motive In occu.
rying Dordrccht IL disclosed as desire
10 re-open communication with the In
dive colllerles, and Gen. Methuen's force
Is shown 10 be visllanuy watching the
enemy and accommodating his lines with
mounted Infantry. The Boer force be.
yond the Modder river ~ also reported
to be Increasing. and the quecn's mes
cage has been received by the soldiers
with great enthusiasm. This news In
81 greater value than the belated dis
patches from both Gatacre and Methu-
en- received from special correspondents.
From Buffers headquarters there In
no Official news, but there are lively ac-
counts OF outpost sklrmishce In front OF
Coienso. In which the Beers killed two
men one day and the British two men
the next day, one surprise following the
other ike q Roland for an oliver. The
outpost affairs bring out the high util-
lily OF the Natal mounted force, the val
lie Of which has been at last appreciated
by the British generals for the work OF
scouting.
From capetown comes the record that
battallons OF Infantry are going ON TO
Durham and that serious Dutch con-
splracy has been discovered during the
holidays.
Consul Macrum win not arrive In Eng
land until week after next His retire.
ment from office at Pretoria IL mys.
terry here. as Il " In Washington. No-
body connected with the American cm-
hassy has the slightest clew, and HIS
arrival In London is awaited with great
interest. South Africans who are ac-
qualntcd with him In Pretoria describe
him as man with little force. who
was unequal to the responsibilities OF
an important post In war times, He had
few friends In either Pretoria or johan-
nesburg. among the American or Eng
llgh residents. a representative OF one
OF the largest mining COM
parles In the Transvaai tells
me that Mr. Macrum was more In
innate with Mr.. Reitz. state secretary
OF the Transvaal, than anybody else.
and was not only strong partisan OF
the Boer cause. but was also hostile to
British interests and did not hesitate
to display his dislike for Englishmen
on public occasions. lie lived modest
ly In Pretoria ON small salary, and
| attracted little attention before the out
break OF the war. When Conynghnm
| Green retired from Pretoria Mr.. Mac
rum had n fine opportunity for return
Ing useful ard friendly services which
British dlplomntists and consular OFF,
GERS had rendered to America during
the previous year In Spain and Cuba.
| His abandonment OF the post OF duty
when English friends were anxious TO
receive Information from the hundreds
OF officers and soldiers Imprisoned there
IL explained by South Africans as a
natural result OF his strong partlsan-
ship OF the Boer cause, and his dislike
of everything English. They soon ut
the idea that he has made any political
| nlhcONcflts Respecting iHt Ciuft OF tnt
| war, or that he can have any revelation
10 make upon his return to America
apart from Reitz's special pleading OF
| the Boer cause.
The unpleasant impression created in
England by Mr.. Macrum's inexplicable
conduct has been effaced by the APP
| polntment OF Adelbert Hay as his sue
cessor. The latter has been indefatlga-
| bile In his labors and zeal since his ar
/ rival In London answering hundreds OF
letters from friends OF the prisoners
with his own hand, and receiving day
after day large number OF inquiries.
| His courtesy, tact and manly bearing
have delighted every caller and he has
been received with special distinction
by Lord Salisbury at the foreign office.
Paris. Dec. 2S--The publication by the
Lokai Anzeiger of Berlin, Of the secret
treaty between Germany, Portugal and
Great Britain. providing for the partl-
ton of the Portuguese colonies, meets
with no crodence In official circles here.
| foreign Office official said to Il repre-
sentative % the Associated Press, that
their advlces from Portugal and Ger
many left no doubt that the publication
was largely Invented. They could not
believe Portugal would sign n treaty
stripping herself OF her colonies and
90 far reaching and harmful to Portu-
gal"
Notwithstanding the denial Of the
French foreign office. II IA believed In
other quarters that an agreement be-
tween Great Britain and Germany cx-
lists outside OF the understanding an,
lived at between them this year as on
outcome OF the negotiations to build
n telegraph line connecting capetown
with Cairo.
Berlin, Dec. 2S.-A German news