Omaha daily bee., 1899-11-26
GIFTS FOR SICK AND WOUNDED
Red Cross BusiIy Engaged Providing
for the Wants of the Suffering
Soldiers in Africa.

Copyright, 1899, by Press Publishing Coz
LONDON, Nov 25.-(New York World Ca
blegram-Special Telegram. 1.-The Red Cross
society has received gifts for sick and
wounded soldiers by the thousands and
weighing more than 200 tons. 1t is an
nounced that the society can accept no more,
but it asks intending donors to send money
toward defraying the transports of the sup
plies already received.
The Mansion House fund for the widows
and children and for. the wounded has now
reached s1,500000, while nearly $1,000 900
more has been raised in various ways in
different parts of the country in addition
to the $1,O0O,OO0 already provided for the
Transvaal refugees. 1t is confidently! ex-
pected that the relief fund will total $4,0OO,-
600 before 1t is closed.
1t Is greatly feared that this lavish in
flow of money will lead, as always, to ad-
ministrative abuses. Already protest has
been raised against the outlay for adver-
tising the fund regularly in certain Lon
don papers. Questions are asked about the
system of disbursement. 1t is apprehended
that the ultimate result will be big bal
ance to remain to be swallowed up by the
favored existing soldier benevolent organ
izations whose principal raison d'etre is the
Private Theatrical benefit.
Mrs. Arthur Paget, ever active, is or
ganizing private theatricals and a series
Of tablesuX for the benefit exclusively of
wives and children and the wounded of the
Guards battalion, where her husband Is one
of the commanders. Beerbohm Tree offers
Her Majesty's theater for the performance
Mrs. Paget is pressing every beautiful
woman in smart society into her service in
some capacity. This will be the first time
smart private theatricals have ever been
given In public, and what between the
object and the personality of the artists,
big prices are expected for the seats.
Countess de Grey and her daughter will
appear in one picture. Muriel Wilson acts
and the duchess of Sutherland is to recite
Three other Miss Wilson's will appear in a
group after the famous Gainsborough, while
Mrs. Willie James the one woman living
who can make the princess of Wales smile,
and esteemed the best high comedy amateur
in England. will also appear. Mrs. George
Keppe is only prevented from joining by
being in delicate health. The young duchess
of Marlborough Is expected to appear In
tableau, II not to sing while the young
Countess Dudley will sing Kipling's poem
cert was not financial success, realizing
only s6,5OO. when $4,000 was the lowest
figure anticipated. This was due to bad
organization. which did not provide for get
ting money from the audience and over
crowding. Mrs Ronalds is at her wits end
trying to get together the remaining $50, 900
required to carry out the Maine hospital
ship idea on the original plan, but all avail
able resources have already been tapped
and the flow of subscriptions has dried up.
The failure OF the appeal to America com
pletely upset the calculations of the pro-
moters.
Queen Sends Chocolate.
"A religious paper. the Rock, offers s25
each for the first twenty boxes of Queen S
chocolate sent, the money to be subscribed
to the wounded fund. The queen was
strongly urged by the prince of Wales and
Lord Wolseley to send tobacco instead OF
chocolate, but she hates smoking, which is
vigorously prohibited throughout her resi-
dences, and replied that the soldiers get to-
bacco in any case, whereas they would never
get chocolate. This her advisers could not
deny. The Partisan papers declare the
queens present httingly consists of "mud
and blood" but as a matter of fact 1t is
first grade English-made chocolate cost
| ing altogether $4,000.
Intense indignation is expressed by press
| and public over the supply of bad meat to
! the army. The government is urged to pass
law at the next session making It Grim
inal offense for any contractor to furnish
uneatable meat in time OF war.
The papers have been little previous in
stating that all the meat condemned was
supplied by American firms. A large pro-
portion OF it. the Worlds special Inquiries
elected. came from Canada and Australia.
but no mention was made of that fact
private investigation now proceeding at