The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-01-08
Copyrighted by the Associated Press.

lan0 In Africa.
Copyrighted by the Associated Press
LONDON, Jan. 7.-AH events seem to
work together In European politics 10
increase the tension between Great Rri-
tain and France. The past week has
brought Madagascar and Egypt as ir-
rftants, Just as the mutual irritabi!ity
was subsiding. Even the most consar-
vative observers begin to take a pes
simistic view of the relations between
the two powers. This includes those
who, up to the present, have considered
the bellfgerency to be mere talk due
TO supersensitiveness upon the part of
france, and the unnecessary gruffness
upon the part of Great Britain il in
sistlng upon what she considers to be
her rights. On one side, France seems
| TO foster the growing belief that Great
Britain Is determined, under some pre-
text or other, to force he:' into war, and
is willing to make pretex if no plaus-
lille excuse arises. On the other side a
large part of the British public state
| that their patience has been strained
beyond endurance In what they deem
to be the unfavorable phase of French
diplomacy
The past twenty-four hours brought
out the Madagascar blue book. which
| was followed by leading editorial in
the Times, denouncing France in Ian
| guage so fiery for that conservative
| newspaper that Frenchmen are read
| ing the two together and are constru-
ing them as parts Of deliberate policy
| inspired by one mind. That mind, in
| the theory Of the "man-in-th
| is Joseph Chamberlain. the secretary
| OF state for the colonies. Other papers
may storm and shout, and are rot no
| ticed, but when the Times becomes
abusive, foreigners interpret Ii as le-
ring the voice OF the government In
the present instance some Englishmen
| will place the same construction upon
its utterances, recalling how the Times
| led the no surrender cry over the
| Fashoda incident, under evident IN
! spiration. One fact is certain-publio
opinion in Great Britain will not sane
| tton the government to swerve an inch
to avoid war with France, thinking
| that If 1t must come this is the best
| time to have it out
PROTECTORATE IN EGYPT.
Many people give Importance to the
| issuance of the Madagascar blue book,
almost simultaneously with the quiet
but unmistakable pronouncement at
Khartoum, by which the British agent
there, Viscount Cromer in his remarks
to the sheikhs, announced that Great
Britain has set her seal upon Egypt.
If there was ever doubt in the minds
Of her European rivals that Great
Britain intended to foreclose the mort
gage upon which she has expended
80 much labor and blood to secure, it
must have been set at rest by the ut
terances Of Lord Cromer, in which the
word "protectorate' was written in
large letters, though the governments
mouthpiece carefully abstained from
using that incendiary word.
More definite notice that Great Brit
tain's tenure on Egypt is permanent
| could not be asked. The British agent
told the assembled sheikhs that hence
| forth they would live under the joint
British and Egyptian flags, knowing no
sovereignty but that of the queen and
| the khedive, which, of course. means
that the latter will be a harmless
f1gurehead. This formal assumption of
| sovereignty over the Soudan is more
distasteful to France than to any other
nation, and renewed protests may be
| expected.
AFRICAN ENTERPRISE.
In the meantime another enterprise
of the utmost moment in furtherance
| of Great Britain's domination in Afri-
| ca is about to be consumated. Mr..
| he far. Of
| Cape Colony, alleged instigator of the
| Jameson raid, and the so-called Ma
poleon of South Africa" is coming to
England to arrange for pushing for
ward the Cape TownCairo railroad, so
| long the dearest dream of the Imperial
! lists. definite proposition will be
| presented by Mr.. Rhodes to London
| capitalists for an extension of the rail-
road from Bulawayo to Lake Tangan-
| yika. He does not pretend it will be
a paying investment from the start.
It's Importance for some years will be
| political instead of commercial, and
| he hopes to persuade the British gov
! ernment to smooth the way by guar
| anteeing 31a per cent interest on the
| bonds to cover the cost of construc-
! ton. Mr. Rhodes counts upon inf1uen-
| cling moneyed men to back their pa
| triotism with their cash, even If he is
unable to enlist the government on
| his side. If any man can succeed in
! this project Mr.. Rhodes is the man.
But one barrier stands in the way in
the form of the Congo convention guar
anteeing the neutrality of that part of
the continent about Lake Tanganyika,
which even the autocrat of Rhodesia
will find hard to force. Here Germany
will have the veto of Great Britains
| advancement, which she cannot be ex-
pected to waive without heavy in
! demnity.
| Passenger Pool Prolonged.
| HAMBURG, Jan. THE Boersenhahe says
! that at a conference of the representatives Of
/ the British German and Dutch North At
| lantic Steamship lines, held at Cologne on