The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-12-24
PEACE THROUGH GEN. ROBERTS
THAT IS THE ONLY WAY ENGLAND
WILL ACCEPT 1T.

Even If Ladysmith, MafeIing and
kimberley Are Taken-Fear That
Rhodes Would BE shOt-Westmin-
ister's wealth.
| Copyright. 1899 the Associated Press.
London, Dec. 23.-Not for MANY wears
past has Great Britain faced Just such a
situation as confronts her this Christmas.
Yet, TO meet it there has arisen a new
Britain, which by its virility and pluck,
EFFORTS admiration even from her bitterest
continental critics.
Since the boastfulness has disappe ared
from the British press, the comments of
the foreign papers, at least such as are
printed here, are couched in tones far more
fair and friendly than when it was believ-
ed a speedy victory awaited Gen. Butler.
As repeatedly asserted. there is no like
| lihood of European interference, yet w. 7.
Stead, in the Daily Chronicle to-day has
a very alarming column in which he has
visions of a superior Jameson RAID by
sixty thousand Frenchmen on London in
the absence of the channel fleet. Mr..
Stead points out how easily, in his opin-
ion, this might be accomplished, and says:
ITO rely, as some appear to do, upon
the addition of a number of raw recruits,
under the excitement and stimulus of the
present war fever is to rely on a broken
reed. Woolwish Arsenal might be in
flames and the French tri-color flying over
Westminster Palace before the first of
these new recruits would have learned to
handle a gum
Beers Seek Mediation.
Though Great Britain's plight in South
Africa seems temporarily critical, the AS
ISOLATED Press learns that the Beers are
straning every nerve to secure the medi-
alton OF President Mckinley toward a
favorable peace. But any one with the
slightest knowledge Of British feeling
quickly appreciates that not one person in
million contempla ties any result but an
ultimate British triumph and all sections
unite in saying this must be secured, no
matter what the cost. Hence the Boer
agents themselves have only slight hopes
that mediation would be accepted, though
believing, if President Mckinley could be
persuaded to proffer it, Lord Salisbury
though, perhaps bound to refuse would
lose humanitarian sympathy in the United
States and thus divert to the Beers much
waverng sentiment
The Associated Press is Uniformed from
excellent sources that no offer of media
ton would be accep'ed by Lord Salisbury
in any shape or form The popular con-
ception of peace is that ii must come
through the idol of the army, Gen. Rob-
erts, and his not less adored chief Of staff
Gen. Kitchener. The country Is prerared
to wait indefinitely for that eventuality.
To Fight in Spite of Defeat.
The fall of Kimberley. Ladysmith and
Mafeking would not make particle OF
difference, for this stoical resolve is thor
oughly imbedded in the hearts of the peo-
pie, who for he first lime in the memory
of this genera alton, have drank deeply OF
the cup of military defeat and disgrace
Any other defeats that the future holds
for the British except entire humiliation,
are anticipated by lie scathing criticism
which the nation has inflicted upon it, ell
Estimates of the duration of hostilit es
vary from three molths to a year.
The lack Of news this week has by no
means been taken as an instance of the
adage regarding no news. A very general
impression prevails that Kimberley will
| succumb.
Might shoot Rhodes.
An officer of the British South Africa
Company who has an intimate knowledge
of South Africa, tells the Associated Press
he believes if the Roers capture Cecil
Rhodes they will shoot him.
Nowhere more than on the stock ex-
change has the lack Of information caused
such excitement and nervousness. 1t is
real zed that if kimberley f HIS DeBeers
mines shares and interest will shrivel to
nothing, while the chartered company's
vast issues will lose what little bottom
they have left.
II is learned by the Associated Press
that the great lnanciaf houses in Lon
con have combined and furnished suffic ent
money to insure no large failures On set
Ting day, Dec. 2S, though the small fry
may suffer. Unless this action had been
taken several well known houses no. of
the first Importance, but of large proper
tons, would, it is said, have 10 go under
This concert preca ution has to SC me eX-
tent restored confidence, but the market
IS still panicky, many people believing
that the most serious crisis has not yet
been reached.
Westminster's Great Wealth.
While most persons knew the late Duke
of Westminster was one of the richest
men in England, no London newspaper
has taken the trouble to procure an esn-
mate of his wealth. He owned several
thousand parcels of London realty, which
together according to the Dukes own
statement, made 500 acres. Much of this
Is in Belgravia, the aristocratic residence
quarter. He also had 10000 acres in .Ae
country and an annual income of f750.00
pounds. His realty values in London were
probably worth f30,000000 The heir to the
dukedom is the late Dukes grandson Wis
count Belgrave, now in South Africa, an
aide-de-camp of Sir Alfred Miner, the
| governor of Cape Colony
The papers abound In anecdotes of the
late Duke. He was rather careless and
shabby in his dress, and his life at Eaton
Hall was that Of an ordinary country gen.
tleman. At any time during his stay in
Cheshire, the Duke might be seen riding
or walking about his park, usually smok-
ing a cigarette not often composed Of to-
bacco for he used medicated cigarettes,
as a remedy for asthma. To his house
hold the Duke was always an enigma. He
rarely spoke to the servants and had an
odd way OF leaving bits of paper about
on chairs. with a word OF blame as l.j
their condition; but with such personages
as his house steward, head coachman ana
stud groom. he was on most affable and
| confidential terms.
The Gar will present Prince George Of
Greece with a splendid yacht az a New
| =. III L.-1l .-l-.-..LaIIl.