The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-10

Convention Of 1884, and leave to England
the responsibility for breaking It by an AZ
gressive act. Only in such an event, 1t
seems, could all the burghers OF the Orange
Free State be persuaded to take the Held,
for their independence has not been openly
assaulted, although the moro far-sighted
men at Bloemfonteln foresee that 1t would
not long survive the subjugation OF the
Transvaal. Another argument which 10
supposed to have had weight at Pretoria Is
founded on the belief that, II the Beers can
manage to put the English In the wrong at
the outset, and subsequently prolong the
contest, diversions In their favor may be
made by Russia, France or Germany, and
England may be thus prevented from send
ing further reenforcements to the Cape.
So far as Germany is concerned, there
appear to be no grounds for this belief. The
Kreus Zeituna. which is generally regarded
as a semi-offlcial organ. while declaring
that the feelings Of the German public are
altogether on the eide OF the Beers. says
that the latter have only themselves to rely
upon, and that tho time has gone by when
other countries would have interfered out
OF sympathy. On the other hand. the visit
made at this juncture by Count MURA-
vIEFF, the Russian Minister for Foreign
Affairs, to Madrid and Paris has given
rise to the surmise that coalition OF
Russia, France and Spain against Eng
land may be organised The useful
ness OF the adhesion Of Spain to such
a combination Is obvious. The power to
avail themselves OF the Spanish ports
would materially assist the French and
Russian fleets, which, II q Russian move
ment against India were contemplated,
would do their utmost to shut out British
transports from access to the Mediter-
ranean. There is no doubt that we are
witnessing Q revival Of Anglophobia In
France, and that but for the desire Of the
Paris shopkeepers to make money out OF
the coming Exhibition, 1t might not be
difficult to persuade France to take adj
vantage Of the removal Of 10000 Brit
ish soldiers to South Africa. 1t is we'll
known to the French War Office that. after
an army corps and $4,000 reserves have
been sent to tho Cape. the military re-
sources Of the United Kingdom will have
been temporarily exhausted.
Will an invasion OF the Transvaal meet
with the cordial approval Of Parliament
An Affirmative answer Is not so certain as
it seemed few weeks ago. 1t Is true that
the London Daily Ne,os, which Is still,
nominally, the leading Liberal organ, and
which Is understood to represent Lord
RosEBERY's opinions continues to support
Mr.. CHAMBERnAIN's policy. On the part OF
other conspicuous Liberals, nevertheless,
there has been, Of late, marked change OF
NJ ar
alone in his vehement protest against what
he termed an abuse Of England's strength
by armed interference with the Transvaals
right OF internal government. He was
presently joined, however, by Sir WILLIAM
HARcoURT, who, in a public speech, de-
clared that England had not the faintest
show Of right to coerce the South African
Republic, the last trace Of suzerainty having
been extinguished, and having been meant
to be extinguished, by the Convention OF
1884. Even Mr.. AsQUITH, who generally
says ditto to Lord Rosemary. has repeat
eddy asserted that there is no friction in the
relations Of Great Britain and the Trans
vaal which could not be abated by friendly
negotiations Especially significant Is
the fact that the official leader Of
the Liberal party in the House Of Com
mons, Sir HENRY OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES,
who seemed, for a time, to take Lord ROSE
BERY's view, said in a public speech last
week that the English people might we'll
be surprised that Ministers should plunge
them in war for which they were unable
to assign any reason that appealed to COM
| mon sense. A similar position has been
taken by Sir GEORGE o. TRRvELYAN, and,
what Mr.. CHAMBERLAIN may deem more
ominous by the well-known Unionists, Mr.
! LEONARD H. COURTNEY and Sir EDWARD
| CLARKE
AS the whole army to be placed under
| Sir REDvERs BUTLER is unlikely to be
landed in South Africa before the expira-
tion OF some ninety days, the Beers may
lose nothing by waiting for decisive
vote in the House Of Commons