Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-03
Probable Cause of the Accident to
the City of Paris.
BRITISH FORCES IN SOUTH AFRICA
Great Field for Missionary Work
in EngIand's Capital.
THE ARMIES OF EUROPE
Special Correspondence Of The Evening star.

Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.
LONDON. May -. 1899.
The accident to the American liner Paris
needs some better explanation than haG
seamanship to account for running upon
the famous Manacle rocks. Thousands of
Americans and others who have Travelled
h. this lire can amply testify to the carr
fitness and watchfulness of its officers, and
II Is entirely out of the question to lay
charge of bad seamanship against SO ex-
perfenced an officer as Capt. Watkins.
Every one who has arrived at an English
port on an ocean liner knows that the
ships commander. who has made himself
agreeable to the passengers during the voy-
age and who has been seen each day walk
ing the deck and in the dining saloon, dis
appears as soon as the vessel enters the
channel His place at table knows him no
longer, but he Is on the bridge looking after
the safety of his ship as she threads her
way through the busiest sea highway of
the world. Constant care is required when
''soundings" as the channel waters are
called, are reached. Through fog or rain,
darkness or daylight. the captain stands his
watch. and not until the vessel is tied up
at dock does he descend from his post.
Immunity from accident does not make 4
sea captain careless. He is alert to pre-
serve his record. Several theories have
been put forward to account for the acct
4.
nation of the rockbound coast of Cornwall
is responsible for compasses going wrong
and wrecking ships, but l think the true
explanation of the frequent disasters at the
Manaclas will be found in the channel cur
rents. which carry vessels out If their
courses and set them ashore these
dreaded rocks.
Scene of Many Accidents.
The Times publishes an interesting article
from a correspondent. who has been at
rains to collect Informa ton as to the num-
her of casualties that have taken place
Iatter1y within two or three miles of the
ManacIes- one fisherman. who is still in
middle life recalls thirty-six. His list,
however. is incomplete. for more than fifty
have happened during the past thirty
years. OF these considerably more than
half may be classed as total wrecks. To
turn TO the lifebOat records. 1t seems that
the Port hOustOCk boat, which. by the way,
was seat TO the hamlet in consequence Of
three quickly ensuing wrecks, has since
the year 1872 been on active service sixteen
times and has effected the rescue of H.
persons The same records show that 1l9
lives were lost from the vessels to which
the lfeboat went out. There were at least
sixteen other wrecks during that period,
resulting in the loss Of forty-fOur lives, to
which the Hfeboat could render no assist
ance- In some instances the crews rOwed
ashore In their own boats In others Il hur-
ricane from the east made this impossible
This accident, so soon after the disaster
of the Michigan at TIE same place. calls
attention to the fact that there is no light
at these rocks despite the terrible list of
wrecks which have whitened their bones at
this fatal spot. The moral of the accident
seems to direct itself chiefly at the Trinity
House brethren. the authorities responsible
for the maintenance of lighthouses on the
British coast 1t IS long since the ineffec-
tive marking of the Manacles was pointed
out The bell buoy upon the rocks is prac-
tically worthless. When the Michigan
went down the necessity of i floating light
was 10 longer denied, and Trinity House
made UP its mind that one should be placed
there. But Trinity House never does any
thing in haste, and the light has still TO
be placed
Russia's MnEnnnimity.
NJ. Stead came home from St Peters
burg with the promise of the tsar that he
would offer 10 make a large reduction In the
Russian naval budget when the peace con-
ference assembled. II other nations would
consent 10 a similar reduction. So far no
such announcement has been made. Per
haps it viii be reserved until such time as
Russian statesmen learn that on Condi-
zion Will reduction OF ornaments be IN
dertaken. and then the magnanimity OF
Russia Will appear so genuine The tSar
made this promise to Mr. Stead. and no
doubt. intended TO keep IT. But his advis-
ers do not always pay attention 10 their
royal masters wishes. Great Britain IL
the only nation 10 make direct offer for
the arrest Of ornaments up 10 the present,
end the grand proposal of the tsar, which,
according TO Mr.. Stead. was signaIize the
opening Of the conference. has not come of
yet.
\ correspondent tells me that Great Brit
ain ana America have informally suggested
that prIvateerfug should be discussed in
the committee Of methods Of warfare. but
Russia has deliberately left this cut of the
program and the tsar's representative is
said TO have dismissed the subject some
what rufely when it was mentioned to him
This is a question which affects Great Brit
am and America more than any other ma
ton. ana an arrest OF armament would be
madness II priyateering We're not forbidden.
Armies of Europe.
Britain's thin red line cannot. of course
compare with the armies Of the continent
as regards numbers, and We are rarely pre-
scented with the spectacle of a really large
force being gathered together. Military re-
views here are very small things in COM
parlson with those that take place abroad
the assemhlage on Salisbury Plain last year
being a notable exception. A venturesome
statistician has endeavored. apropos Of the
peace conference to picture the sight that
would be presented if all the armies of all
the European powers could be formed up
together.
To talk OF millions Of men conveys no
meaning To the mind. When. however we
arr told that the European army corps on
war footing, with guns, ammunition and
baggage wagons. would form column
TttIttl more IMAM - Uhb miles long. II pos
sihie To gain some glimmeriug Of the posi-
hiliues that lie before the conference This
huge force. If ordered To march past a
saiutiug base. would have to keep en- the
move day and night for nearly a year be
fore il could uuCuil itself. This is the
surplus population that would Immediate
y come into competition with the working
men IN the already 0verCTowded labor
market II disarmament were finally agreed
upon
The British In south Africa.
The meeting between President Kruger
and Sir Alfred Miner at BIoemfOutein Will
Re momeutous one. President Kruger is
doubtless fully aware Of the fact that Mr..
Chamber.aIn's colleagues have given him q
free hand. Several weeks ago Mr.. Balfour
said in the house Of commons that England
had 9.Uon soldiers in South Africa for the
purpose If cpaslng stations and matters of
thai kind. but before many hours had pass
ed Mr.. Chamberlain. who was not in the
house when Mr.. BalfJur made his state
meut. declared that the 5000 soldiers in