Omaha daily bee., 1899-09-02
orHEn LANDS THAN Ours.

awkward for the former. As a loyal ap-
panage OF the British rown, II Is not
willing TO do anything that would tend In
any degree to give assistance to an enemy.
such as the Transvaal threatens to become;
but It is bound by its treaties with the
Orange Free state, With which Crest
Britain has no quarrel at present. to ex-
tend to It the right Of unrestricted com
merce, including the transport OF war ma
terial. The Free state, however, is peopled
by Nen OF the same race as the Beers OF the
Transvaal and in hearty sympathy with
them. Should that republic become en-
gagged in war with Great Britain. IL is prac-
tically certain that the other republic will
Join It. and then the arms and ammunition
now being imported by the orange Free
State through Cape Colony will be turned
against the British. There is good reason
also for the suspicion entertained In the
Cape Assembly that the arms in question
are not intended for the use OF the i'm
porting state, but are to Re handed along to
the Trunsvaal authorities In Immediate
preparation for war with Great Britain. II
is no wonder that the assembly finds Itself
In a dilemma between its desire to observe
It's contracts with Its neighbors and Its uu-
willingness to permit what looks so much
like giving aid and comfort to the enemy.
Lord Kitchener has arrived In Cairo from
London and Is arranging business In the
Egyptian War office, which concerns the
completion of the Khartoum railway and
the various details relating to the Gordon
college. Owing to delay in the delivery OF
the railway plant the Atbara-K hartoum
section of the line will not be ready for
traffic until next November, although 1t
had been planned by Lord Kitchener TO be
finished at the end OF August. The embargo
laid upon travel beyond Atbara, which was
SO disappointing to many tourists this
summer. will be removed as soon as the
railway is finished, and next winter the
Egyptians expect to see the general public
as far south as Omdurman. incidentally,
the sirdar is devising a plan for the cap
ture OF the Khalifa. Abdullah is at pres
ent $50 miles TO the west of Fashoda and
his ensigns are frequently seen by the An
glo-Egyptian outposts. In order to reach
him a roadway would have to be cut, but
before troops could be advanced IT is quite
likely that the Khalifa would move west
ward to Darfur. the stronghold Of his own
tribesmen. So far Lord Kitchener has
given a free hand to his subordinates at
Omdurman in the matter OF the dervish
chief. He has hoped that some of the
tribes that the Khalifa had induced to join
In his instruction would revolt and annihi-
ldlt lut ucl chN
taken place, but no serious revolt has oc-
Cured, and the sirdar will in person start
out in a quest Of Abdullah early in Novem-
Der.
The remarkably well-intormed correspon-
dent Of the London Times at Pekin, in a re-
cent letter about Chinese internal affairs.
says that the emperor and the empress
have drawn closer together. The emperor
recognizes that the latter'e prompt action
saved him from falling under the influence
Of a group of well-intentioned Missionaries
who had no experience in the task OF gov
erning an empire. The empress. on the
other hand, begins to see that the emperor
was right in holding that the old order was
doomed. and that reforms OF a far-reaching
character are absolutely necessary. She still
holds that precipitate schemes OF reform
suddenly imposed on a conservative people
might lead to rebellion and the destruction
o, the dynasty. The writer declares that
| the emperor underestimate the strength OF
conservative opinion in China vetoed by the
college of censors, over whom the throne
has no direct control. Moreover. he hardly
realized the difficulties of effectively car
rying out reforms through provincial off,
Gals, some In districts beyond the direct
influence OF Pekin, and many exercising
N1NN
preparation and arrangement. The empress
therefore took the reins into her own hands.
cut off six heads, banished a few officials
and saved 400, 900, 900 Of people from what
she thought was a serious risk OF social dis
turbance. She also degraded certain officials
who were Objectionable to the conservatives.
Since then she has been gradually moving
towards moderate reform, financial and mil
itary, and gaining greater experience OF for
eign affairs and western methods. She Is
now ready to build up a new China, the cor
respondent declares, provided the necessary
assistance is forthcoming.
The construction by the Russian contractor,
NJ. Poliaoff, who built the Varna-Rustchuk
railway, OF a military road from Resht to
Teheran shows that Russia is determined to
lose as little time and as few opportunities
as possible in advancing her Persian
schemes. This road from Resht, the CHIEF
town OF the Persian province OF Ghilan, on
the southern shore Of the Caspian, TO the
Persian capital, will serve a double pur-
pose, strategic and commercial. Persia will
participate in the economic benefits which
may be expected to accrue from It, inasmuch
as a highway practicable for artillery will
doubtless facilitate trade in the mountainous
region. In view of Russian aspirations in
those quarters, IL may De or interest to
recall the fact that as long ago as the
'50's a proposal was made to construct a
railway between Teheran and Resht, which,
in addition to a highly favorable situation
some sixteen miles from the Caspian port Of
Enzeli, is one OF the most iourishing and
important manufacturing and commercial
centers in Persia. The difficulties, however,
were found to be so great that neither this
project nor a subsequent one for which a
concession was granted in 1882 came to any
thing. The improvement OF communications
over the Elburz range. which separates
Resht from Teheran, will doubtless
strengthen the growing tendency OF Persian
trade to take this route. which has been
observable since the completion OF the
Transcaspian railway.
DR.. Reginald Koettlitz, the explorer who
crossed Abysslnia last winter, says that on
top OF the sacred mountain Zouquala, which
Is 10, 900 feet high. there is a remarkable lake
three-quarters Of a mile long. which Is an
Abyssinian Pool OF Sloan. Bathing in It's
waters is supposed to be a cure for all
diseases. Close by are some springs dedi-
Gated to the Virgin Mary, The water OF the
lake is used as a tonic In certain cases. but