The Anaconda standard., 1899-08-20
LONDON UNDER A SPELL
England Absolutely Absorbed in
the Dreyfus Case.
PREPARATIONS FOR WAR
Army officers sitting Ready for a Con-
fict With the Boers-Church of Eng
land Problem Grows Grave-The
Anglo American Alliance.
Copyrighted 1899 by Associated Press.

Copyrighted 1899 by Associated Press
London, Aug. 1s.-Though many
signs point to the extreme likelihood
of war between Great Britain and the
Beers, and though troops are pouring
in the direction of the Cape and the
British army is deep in problems of
preparation for possible hostilities, the
English people, as a whole, scarce
heed the portents that at another time
would raise a whirlwind of patriotic
enthusiasm. The nation seems abso-
lutely absorbed in the Dreyfus case.
AS each day passes without an answer
from the Beers to the proposition of
Great Britain for a joint commission
to investigate the effect which the
franchise reform legislation would have
on the Outlanders, the proba bility of
pacific settlement of the difficulty de-
creases. Yet national interest, tired of
delay, flags the tension at the war
and colonial Offices grows. If war
comes Great Britain will awaken with
a tremendous start
If the Beers surrender to the British
demands, scarcely Lore than ripple
of interest will be excited, so long as
the Rennes court martial holds the
world under the spell of it's dramatic
recital.
From a political point of view, a rap
id and successful war against the Beers
would probabl strengthen the hands
of the conservative movement more
than any other outcome of the present
crisis. for the vast preponderance of
public sentiment already heartily in
dorses the course of Mr.. Chamberlain.
secretary of state for the colonies, and
if the British soldiers meet their old
enemy. the Beers, few would remain
bold enough to openly oppose the NOR
ality of the war.
Many awkward questions in regard to
the governments home policy are pend
ing and perhaps it is fortunate for the
conservative party that the existing
events abroad distract attention from
them. OF these home matters, none is
more serious than the Church of Eng
land problem The conservative press
and broad-minded clergy are begging
the ritualists to obey the decisions of
the archbishops against their practices,
but, as the Daily Graphic says: Now
we have come to the parting of the
ways. and even before the various bish-
ops have formally issued their anti
ritualist order. prominent clergymen
have raised the flag of rebellion and
defiance. The high church party seems
hopelessly divided as to whether to
temporarily obey or openly defy"
The Saturday Review to-day in an
article on Europe and Americans sneer-
ing at the proposed Anglo-American
alliance, frankly declares that it
amounts to little or nothing. we
have" the Review says. accepted it
almost as an axiom of sound policy
that friendly relations with the United
States is the only object worth aiming
at in the western hemisphere. A few
music hall dtties and after-dinner
hot hn
object is secured and that We should
forthwith ignore all American concerns
as contemplate strife of parties The
Review goes on to say there is nothing
in all that Our future in the West
never received SO severe a blow as that
dealt it by Lord Salisbury's recognition
of the right of North American inter
ference in South American concerns
The Review, continuing, says the
completion of the Nicaragua canal by
the United States is a certainty and eX-
presses the belief that it will deal Brit
ish commerce the greatest blow it has
ever sustained. The paper supposes
the canal to be inevitable. but con-
tends that Breat Britain. in allowing
it, should stand out for remuneration
on account of waving her Bulwer-
Clayton rights. Enemies, possibly
concludes the Review, "rivals certainly,
we must be with the United States in
the years to come.
There is no doubt that the Saturday
Review, though not Voiclng popular
sentiment, represents the feeling of GER
tain Britishers in the upper classes and
officialdom.
Commenting on American monOpolics
and trusts. the paper referred to says
the visit of United States Senator Mark
Hanna and others to Europe, is far
from having the high political objects
mysteriously limited at Their presence
on this side of the ocean is simply con-
nected with their own schemes for
shifting burdens on to the shoulders of
English and continental capitalists and
it will be interesting to note whether
the latter are sufficiently ill-informed
to be caught"