The Topeka state journal., 1899-10-21
REICNS SUPREME
The War and Its Incidents Alb
sOrb English Thoughts.
No Other Topic Can Get Hear
ing In the Island.
GETS INTO POLITICS.
Troops Are InOcuIated Against
Enteric FeVers.
CZarevitch Falls In Love With
Margaret of COnnaught.
GETS INTO POLITICS.

preme everywhere in England. London
is teeming with people notable socially.
but what cares London for society when
troops are piling into transports and
when everybody from her majesty
down, is saying goodbye" God bless
YOU and good luck to you" The
newsboys are fairly revelling in their
'"orribIe slaughters,'' and the ordinar-
ily pacific stock brokers talk incessant-
ly of strategic and military tactics.
There is nothing of the traditional shop
keeper element visible in Britain since
the first shot was fired
A multitude of military details flood
all classes of publications and almost
everybody who has ever been in South
Africa takes the first opportunity to air
his views as to the fighting capabilities
of the Beers, the result being a mar
velous mass of conflicting theories.
The news of yesterdays fighting in
Natal made a tremendous sensation
and the pluck and dash of the Kings
Roval Rifles and the Dublin fusiIeers
greatly stimulated the universal en-
+husfasn. The total British force at
C,amD- Glencoe. according to reports i'm
mediately preceding the announcement
of the engagement include the Elsh-
teenth Hussars, the Natal mounted
volunteers the First battalion OF the
Ieicestshire regiment, the First King
Rovai Rifles. the Second Dublin Fusi-
leers the DevOnshire regiment, the
Dorsetshire regiment, several compan-
les of mounted infantry and three neId
batteries a total of about 1000 men,
opposed to a BOer force estimated at
twice that number and possibly reach-
ing a higher figure
This verv disparity between the COM
batants gives an additional element OF
fascination to the history of the day
Probably no other officer in the Brit
oh
General Sir Vim. Penn SYmOnS, the
commander of the Fourth division, un-
der General Sir George Stewart White
Certainly none has seen more IN 1nqla
and the campaigns in Burmah and Zu-
inland revealed his splendid qualities
in the most brilliant fashion
THE WAR IN POLITICS.
The forthcoming parliamentary by
election in Tower hamlets, LONDON Is
being fought strictly on BOer and anti
Boer lines. The liberal candidate, Har-
old Spender, declares that the war was
brought about as much by the blunder-
ing of the secretary of state for the
colonies Mr. Joseph Chamberlain, as
by the obstinacy of the TransvaaI gov
ernment On the other hand the con-
servative candidate, VIM. Guthrie, as
serts that the scandalOus arrogance Of
the Beers was alone responsible Tor the
hostiIities. Both join in wish that
victory NAV attend the British arms,
but this does not deter the electors
from creating>a little war of their own.
One of the most curious features OF
the mobilization has been the 1noculat-
ing of the troops against enter1c fever.
This was not made compulsory, buC
the company commanders were in
structed to urge the men to allow
themselves to be inOculated and most
of them have undergone the ordeal.
Although medical men differ greatly
as to the utility of the virus, the per-
centage of enteric fever in the British
ranks will be eagerly watched by for
out to be remarkably small it is more
than likely that all the European troops
will be inoculated before going to cOun-
tries infested by the enter1c germs. The
war office continues to receive officers
for volunteer service from all parts of
the country. Col. Sir Charles Edward
Howard Vincent has officially repeated
his proposal to raise a thousand marks
men for service in South Africa at his
own expense. Col Vincent is COM
mandant of the Queens Westminster
volunteers. one of the crack regiments,
and ever since his offer was first pub
lished he has been inundated with re-
quests from those anxious to serve.
Many of the applicants are of good
social position. including several clergy
men. They hail from points as far apart
as Bombay, Halifax and San Francisco.
A Canadian offered Col. Vincent to
bear the entire expense of 100 men
throughout the campaign.
One of the problems left entirely to
Gen. Sir Redvers Butler in supreme
command, is the punishment of non
com batants who take part in the hos
tilitieS. The task of distinguishing
their status is very difficult as compar-
atively few Beers wear a uniform 1t
is said that the treatment he will ad-
minister to the German and Irish vol
unteers under the Transvaal flag will
not be more merciful than were Won
Moltke's dealing with the Franco
Tireurs.
BITTER FEELING IN FRANCE.
The bitter anti-British feeling that
exists in France is voiced in its ex-
treme manifestation by the Echo de
Paris, which says: I'VE shall join in
the whispered prayer that, out there
beyond the seas and beyond immense
Africa, Gen. Joubert, a good old round
shouldered general, whose ancestors
were Frenchmen, will give US our re-
venge, our heroic revenge, for
Fashoda.'
Rumors of royal engagements and
marriages multiply. 1t is now said that
the czarewitch has fallen in love with
Princess Margaret of COnnaught. with
whom he has been associating a great
deal lately.
The announcement of the betrothal of
the Austrian Archduchess Stephanie
to Count Elmer LOnyay, formerly sec
retary of the Austrian embassy in
Rome. seems to be correct. 1t is said
that her sad experiences a. s the wife of
the imperial Crown Prince Rudolph
whose tragic death with Baroness
Marie WetSera, was one of the great
scandals of Europe, made her thor
oughly disgusted with the formaIities
of court life. Emperor Francis Joseph
and King Leopold of Belgium have
both given their approval to the mar
riage- Count LOnyay threw up his
diplomatic career shortly after be
coming privately engaged to the arch
duchess, and he has since been prepar-
ing home for his royal bride.
Vanity Fair predicts the forthcoming
divorce of Prince Herbert Bismarck
who, since the death of his father, has
resumed his bachelor mode of living.
The Canadian high commissioner,