The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-10-26

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+ Londons Oct. 26.-Dispatches :
+ from the continent to the Daily. :
Mail say that the French en- =
= bassy here received instructions =
: to watch the movements Of the =
= Mediterranean squadron. and >
+ that the Italian fleet is under or =
4 ders to concentrate in the bay :
= of spezza.
4 +
London, Oct. 25.-The extent Of the
British preparations revealed by to-
days information caused a strong reit-
Grafton Of the rumors Of serious foreign
complications. lit Isl now said that Rear
Admiral Lord Charles Beresforti viii
command the Mediterranean squadron.
and details of the activity at the dock
yards and naval stations are coming in
hot and fast.
The Associated Press learns5 how
ever, that whether or not Great Britain
seriously fears Russian or French az
gressi0n, the naval preparations have
been under consideration for several
months, and it was the admiralty sin
tentfon to put them in force as soon as
war WAS declared, deennfug Eth neces-
saFy to increase the active strength Of
the navy In order to insure the large
fleet of transports against every pos
sIble contingency. Whether later de-
yet0pmentss have transformed the adj
mirdlhty's precautionary measures into
preparations for q n@vaI demonstra-
ton necessitated by European h0stil-
ity. is the question of the hour. and
fe- is as much a mystery to many high
naval officers as To- the public.
Order Out Naval Reserves.
The exact conditions Of affairs con-
sists of ordering the naval reserves to
be in readiness to join their ships at
twemty-f0ur hours notice, while all the
cruisers of the reserve class have been
ordered to be ready to- saib lrn the same
time limit. These vessels although at
tine dock yards. are Fever Outs Of COM
mission. and arc always supposed to
be ready for immediate manning A
dozen cruisers ranging fFona 5000 to
LOGO tons are now only waiting the
word to embark the crews.
I'm addition To these preparations,
work ON tine mmc0nlpleted vessels is be-
ing hurried day and night. Tie spe-
cial attention being paid tai the cruis-
ers IS taken by many naval authorities
to Indicate that Great Britain intends
to form a meractng flying squadron,
In the term ''mehaefng Id is meant the
force at sea Isl ample to convoy the
troops. and is eapabre Of preventing
any interference In South African Wat
ers.
While the British officials do not con-
ceaI their knowledge Of German.
French and Russian antagonists and
their irritation thereat, they % not
give the slightest hint that European
hostility will crystalline into any Overt
act.
On the Verge Of Crisis.
But the belief that Great Britain is
on the verge Of a. crisis of even con-
fiict far greater than that IN the I = rs
vaaI. has many supporters though tle
lack of all official confirmation favors
the conservative views that the re-
marketable military and naval activity
Is due to- a desire to take thorough pre-
cautions. which, though 0min0us, nave,
at present n@ special bearing upon
Great BFitainfs European relations
Adviees from the continent strength
en- this view. For instance the F'rerl-
tlenbTatt df Vienna today says Moth
Prevention Of Europe in favor 1t the
Beers"
The paper adds that Germany espect-
ally has resolved tsuot to- depart from
her attitude of neutrality
ON the other hand the Nuesz NVeiner-
TagbIatt publishes a. telegram from
the Tranevaal legation at Brussels
announcing that Dr. Leydss has re-
ceived formal assurances that France
and Russia will. not permit Great
Britain to annex the Transvaal or the
Orange Free State This IS discredites
however. as tits pointed out that even
if this wereatEe intention. Of. the powers
mentioned they would not allow their
hanGS to BE- shown prenaturelE through
the medium Of Dr. Leyds@
The Russian newspapers may He
somewhat responsible foT the general
impressions mi regard to- European in
PREVENTION, the st. Petersburg Russ6lJa'
advocating that Great Britain can be
brought 70 fIer senses by q naval
demonstration in South Africa, IN
which France would take the lead
IS A FORMIDABLE FLEET.
-. - - ig ,.a - IT.. NJ 49,.