New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-06-18
THE NEWS OFTWOCA CAPITALS.
LONDON.
WAR WITH THE BOERS NOT SERIOUSLH
APPREHENDED.
PROTECTION FOR INDIAN SUGAR GROWERS
LONDON CROWDED WITH AMERI-
CAN TOURISTS



with intense interest the gold shipments from
America. These are believed to be made for
Germany, but they tend to ease the money mar
ket here where the reserve OF the Bank OF Eng
land is still small and where relief is afforded
when the demand for gold from the Continent
IS shifted from London to New-York. These
shipments are explained here by the fact that
Germany Is borrowing from America. and that
gold is also required by Russia and by the
remittance made to Spain. These imports Of
American gold are not expected TO continue. and
bankers are predicting that money VIII be dear
during the autumn. Experts are also ASSUME
ing that the Russian wheat crop will be par
tiai failure I'm consequence OF the drouth in the
southern and the unusually cold season In tho
central and northern provinces and that Amer.
lea will have to make up this default.
American affairs have fallen into the back"
ground. Reports of the battles in the Philip
pines are confused and the situation there 10
not understood English critics are too friendly
to America TO say that their own Government
would have managed the affair more scien-
tifcally but they lay stress upon the fact that
the problem OF ruling and quieting the conseries
Of tribes Of different races and religions must
be worked out on broad lines as in India, and
that the generals sent out from America have
not yet mastered 1t. The British system In
India has been one OF checks and balances.
races and religions being used to offset one an
other. The conditions in the Philippines are
similar, since the population is not homo
geneous, and various forces can be made TO ball
ance one another.
Diplomatic negotiations respecting ALASKA
continue, with the probability that some pro-
visonal agreement may be patched UP, and
that the international Commission will be en-
bIed to resume its labors. Lord Salisbury V
acting with deliberation in this in other mat
ters He has been more sluggish in mind and
more dilatory in processes since his last serious
illness than he was before; he cannot be hur-
ried and Is content to work out every public
question at his leisure
South Africa still holds the field as the ons
subject Of absorbing interest; there is no war
talk and there has been no uneasness In the
stock market II war had been seriously ap-
pretended there would h. been big selling
movement IN mining stocks. but nothing Of the
kind has happened.
The publication OF Sir Alfred Miners and Mr..
Chamberlain's long dispatches, written before
the conference. was sharply criticised by several
Liberal journals on the ground that future
publicity given to them. This a superficial
view. Sir Alfred Miners dispatch was the work
OF a literary artist we'll as OF statesman;
il was most powerful statement of the griev-
ances Of British subjects in the Transvaa and
has produced profound impression In England
and in South Africa. Mr. Chamberlain made
no mistake when he brought these two weghty
documents out of the official pigeon-hoIes. si1
Alfreds reputation in England has been greatly
increased and public opinion has been massed
behind the Colonial office The Liberal opposi-
ton in the Commons is seriously embarrassed
by the new turn given TO the situation; IL will
be broken into two factions II any attempt be
made to discredit either Miner or Chamberlain.
This is the most important effect produced BY
Miners admirable summary of the case. Presi-
dent Krdger has been depending upon Liberal
demonstration against the Government policy
in South Africa, but he is now likely to be dis
appointed. 1t is plain that the German Em>
peror will not intervene. and also evident that
great pressure has been brought TO bear upon
President Krjger from Holland and elsewhere
to induce him to make larger concessions than
he has been willing TO consider. There will be
no military campaign against the Beers, but Sir
Alfred Miners position has been strengthened
materially by the evidence that public opinion
in England is sody behind him.
The best debate Of the session has occurred
over the dry question of Indian countervailing
duties on bounty-fed sugars. Sir Henry Fowler
and Mr.. Leonard Courtney led the attack on
Lord Curzon's sugar duties, and justified II on
the ground that they were Incompatible with
the sacred cause Of Free Trade. Mr.. MacLean.
from the Tory side. also Joined in the assault
and unfairly reproached Mr.. Chamberlain for
meddng in Indian affairs. Lord George Hamil-
ton and Mr.. Chamberlain easily held their
ground and the Commons declined by a large
majority to veto the action OF the Indian Gov
eminent in protecting a great industry which
was imperllled by the German and Austrian
bounty system. The extreme Free Traders well
de deserved tie contemptuous treatment which
they received at the hands Of Mr. Chamberlain.
Golden would probably have agreed with them
that Jam and marmalade ought to be cheap
as possible for the English breakfast table. but
he would hardly have favored policy OF inaction
by which Continental beet producers virtu-
ally protected IN the British market.
Not single word said during the debate
about the American origin OF Lord Curzon's plan
fer protecting the industry in the East
Indies Tha idea for the countervailing duties
was directly borrowed from the Dingley act.
be, ause the system had operated favorably for
the British West Indies This fact was not
acknowledged by either side during the debate.
There is equal retcence on this point in such
as made to-day on the negotia-
,ions for commercial reciprocity between the
United States and the British West indies and
Guiana. The English press is not eager TO ad-
vertlse the fact that the United States IN the
Dingley act has been promoting the sugar in
terests OF those possessions. when the home
has not been willing to arm them
with a weapon for defence against export boun-
ties. and that owing to this important aid
America Is now In position to demand In re-
turn various notifications OF the colonial tariffs.
The British Government has sent royal come
mis- ssions TO the West Indies. and last year voted