The age-herald., 1899-01-08
NATIONS AGAIN
 AT LOGGBRHEADS Tension Between France and England
 Increases. PESSIMISTIC VIEW TAKEN Editorial in the Times Regarded as Gov
 ernment UtteralC0. SUPERSENSIvlvENESS OF FRANCE Accompanied by Gruffness on the Part ofEngland, May Yet Lead to Se- rious Breach-The Madagas-
 car Bluebook.
PESSIMISTIC VIEW TAKEN
SUPERSEnSIylvENEsS OF FRANCE

London, January 7.-All events seem to work together in European politics to in- crease the tension between Great Britain and France. The past week has brought Madagascar and Egypt forward as irritants just when the mutual irritability was sub siding. Even the most conservative ob- servers begin to take a pessimistc view of the relations between the two powers. This includes those who up to the present have considered the belligerency to be mere talk, due to supersensitiveness upon --e part of France and to be unnecessary gruffness upon the part of Great Britain in insisting upon part of what she considers her rights. On the one side France seems to foster a growing belief that Great Britain is de- termined under some pretext or another to force her into war and is willing to take a pretext if no plausible excuse arises On the other side, large party of the British public profess that their patience has been strained beyond endurance by what they deem to be the unvarnished dishonesty of French diplomacy. The past twenty-four hours brought the publication of the Mada- gascar bluebook, which was followed by a leading editorial in the Times denouncing France in language so fiery for that con- servative newspaper that Frenchmen are reading the two together and construng them as parts of deliberate policy inspired by one mind.
 Chamberla the Man
 That mind, in the theory of the man-in- the-street is MT. Joseph Chamberlain, the secretary of state for the coIon.es. Other papers may storm and scoId ana are not noticed, but when the Times becomes abusive foreigners interpret il as being the voice of the government.
 In the present instance Englshmen will place the same construction upon its ut terances, recalling how the Times led the mo surrender cry over the Fashoda in- cident under evident inspiration. One fact is certain, public--opinion n Great Britain will not sanction the government to sWerVe an inch to avoid war with France, thinking that if it must come, this is the best time to have it out.
 Many people give importance to the issue of the Madagascar bluebook almost simu- taneously with the quiet but unmistakable announcement at Khartoum by which the British agent there, Viscount Cromer, in his remarks to the Sheikhs announced that Great Britain has set her seal upon Egypt. If there ever was a doubt in the minds of her European rivals that Great Britain in- tended to foreclose the mortgage on what she has expended so much labor and blood to secure it must have been set at rest by the utterances of Lord Cromer
 Egypt and England
 A more definite notice that Great Britain's tenure of Egypt is permanent could not be asked. The British agent told the assembled Sheikhs that henceforth they will live under the joint British and Egyptian flags, knowing no sovereignty but that of the queen and the khedive, which, of course, means that the latter will be a harmless fgurehead This formal assumption of sovereignty over the Soudan is more distasteful to France than to any other nation. and renewed protests may be expected
 In the meantime another enterprise of he utmost moment in the furtherance of Great Britain's domination in Africa is about to = be consummated Mr. Cecil Rhodes, the former premier of Cape Colony. alleged instigator of the Jameson raid and so called Napoleon of South Africa is go- ing to England to arrange for pushing for ward to the Cape the Cairo railroad, so long the dearest dream of the imperialists.
 A definite proposition will be presented by MT Rhodes to London capitalists for an extension of the railroad from Bulu- wayo to Lake Tanganyika. He does not pretend 1t will be paying investment from the start. It's importance for some years will be political instead of commercial and he hopes to persuade the British govern ment to smooth the way by guaranteeing 3k per cent. interest on the bonds to cover the costs of construction. Rhodes counts upon influencing monied men to back their upon influencing moneyed men to back their patriotism with their cash, even if he Is unable to enlist the government on his side If any man can succeed in this pro- feet Mir. Rhodes is the man.