Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-24

SSulFo SouHcii4AO draw up In a. complete
form the pr ssident'sp proposal regarding the
franchise In order to submit 1t as quickly
as possible TO the deliberations of the Rad"
This resolution, the telegram continues, was
the burghers SEES that fight for their indie
pendence is Unavailable, and being ready,
more ready than England, think it tho
wiser plan to preciptfate matters.
Germang and Arbitration.
There is no doubt that Germany is doing
its best to wreck the scheme for interna-
honal arbtration which has been discussed
at The Hague conference. The kaiser is
the one power actively and keenly opposed
10 the scheme, and dt is. Of course. within
MS power to prevent the conference COM
ing to unanimous decision. Even vet,
however, the kaiser may hesitate to go in
lace OF the public opinion of the whole of
Europe. In any case it does not follow that
tne German Emperor will be able to wreck
the work of the conference. Whatever it
may actually do, its proceedings have given
an immense momentum to the principle of
international arbitration. That subject has
passed from the hands of private enthuSi-
asts into the hands of statesmen, and it
Will inquire more and more largely in the
work Of diplomacy and international poll
| tics.
According to one version the kaiser will
not consent to arbitration because 1.-The
| lowest village wench in any village in his
| empire will not let a man kiss or hug her
VIII mas IlOt DeGn a soldier lnlS IS SeltlHS
one step lower than Hyde Park. 1t is an
| old saying here that there would be
strike of nursemaids if the guards should
be abolished, but village wenches manage
| to get along comfortably with their civil
ian sweethearts 1 fancy, too, that the
German wench, if she were consulted,
would admit that Saturday nights wage
was fairly good substitute for red coat.
Still the emperor's remarks are useful
object lesson to the sort of arguments
used against arbitration ana peace.
snIisbury's support.
I am in a position to state on the very
best authority that Lord Salisbury has
worked steadily and earnestly in support
of a scheme of international arbitration.
The tory party as a whole seemed rather
cold and Indifferent, if not hostile, but GER
tainly this is not the attitude of the prime
minister.
A gentleman who has been a close OBJ
server of the proceedings of the conference,
and who knows as well as any one What
has been going on, assures me that Lora
Salisbury has shown himself deeply IN
earnest on the question. 1t is quite posi-
Bile that if scheme of arbltratlon IS
adopted by the conference some of the
great powers may agree to the estapllsh-
ment of such a tribunal between them-
selves The British prime minister Is very
anxious for some arrangement OF the klno,
especially with view to the settlement OF
any difference that may ARISE with lhe
United States. There will always pe d
certain difficulty in carrying an arpltratioi
treaty between this country ana the oilteu
States through the Senate, but II scnell ne
were adopted to which several Oh me siea
mowers were parties it would be viewed III
different light.
To Explore the Antarctic.
understand that. although considerable
progress has been made with the prellnl-
nary arrangements for the organization VI
the British antarctic expedition, 1t mas now
finally been decided that the expedition Will
not be dispatched until the year after next
AS the German authorities some tme ago
came to a similar decision, both the BTitish
and German expeditions will SAIL IN I99li
This will give ample time TO the Jolli'
committee of the Royal ana RoyaA Teo-
graphical societies to perfect the pialiS,
which l have some. reason to beIeve, VIII
be on a much more extensive scale IMAM
was considered probable some weeks ago
The German government has already pro-
vided a sum of 100000 as a preliminary con-
tribution to the German eXpedltlon ana
understand that Sir Michael H1cks-Beach
has been induced to reconsider the refusal
of the treasury grant toward the BRUSH
expedition. 1t is indeed, extremely proba-
BILE that the joint committee Will hnd 1tsel1
with a sum of over 100000 at it's disposal
and if this should prove to be the case IL
will be possible for two vessels, as orlglnal-
ly planned, to be fully equipped 10 repre-
sent Great Britain in the south polar area
a Nansenas Plans.
Dr. Nansen's intention to undertake
voyage of exploration to the Antarctic is
no new resolve but has been known for
some considerable time to his personal
friends, who have. however, maintained
discreet silence in accordance with his
wishes. His interest in antarctic exploration
is of long standing. Even before ne set out
on his memorable voyage in the FRAN ne
had intimated his intention of subsequently
visiting the antarctic regions II on his re-
turn the work of exploration had not been
systematically taken in hand and carried TO
a successful issue. AT one time 1t was, IN
deed proposed that Dr. Nansen should join
forces with Great Britain, and it was sug-
gested that he might be placed in command
of a land expedition which would nave Tor
it's object the south pole.
DR.. Nansen, not unnaturally, felt that 1t
would be difficult to separate the command
of the naval portion of the expedition and
of the land section. He has therefore de-
termned to organize a purely Norwegian
expedition, not in any sense in rivalry with
the British and German expeditions, but in
the heartiest cooperation with both. He
intends l understand to devote himself
mainly to land expedition on the antarctic
continent, which is believed by geographers
to occupy great portion of the south
polar area. He is convinced that the actual
spot which marks the southern axis of the
globe can be reached much more easily
than the corresponding point on the north.
But the accomplishment of this feat would
not be his main object, but merely inctden-
tai to the scientific work which he hopes
to be able to achieve in conjunction with
the other expeditions which now being
organized with a similar object in view.
Americans>in London.
London was probably never before so full
as it is this season. This is at least the
general impression, if one may judge from
the number of times the remark is made
in places where people most do congregate.
The state of the streets, the experiences of
the principal tradesmen and the practical
imposslbility OF obtaining hotel accommo-
dation, unless it has been engaged before
hand, all combine to prove the essential
truth Of the observation. In the principal
thoroughfares Of the West End the block
Of carriages is at times interminabIe, and
were it not for the admirable regulation of
the traffic, for which the metropolitan po-
lice have such a deservedly high reputation,
locomotion would become almost impracti-
cable. Even the West End tradesman
whose wall goes up at once if the season
fails to meet his expectations, has no time
for complaints, so busily is he engaged in
seeking to meet the demands of the flood
of visitors who have poured into London
AS for the hotels, for weeks past beds have
teen at premium, and l have heard of
several Americans just arrived from Liv-
erpool who have spent anxious hours in