The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-12-31
GLOOMY WEEK IN
LONDON CIRCLES.
The Recent Death Of the Duke Of
Westminster,
Combined With Mourning on Account Of
Losses Throughout the War,

Left Few Of the Titled Families Of
Great Britain Free to Celebrate
the Christmas Holidays With
| the Usual Festivities.
| Copyrighted, 1899, by Associated Press.)
| LONDON, Dec. 3U.-The death of the
Duke of Westminster, combined with
the mourning already prevalent on &C.
count of the war losses, left few of the
titled families of Great Britain free to
celebrate Christmas week with the
usual festivities.
| The Grosvenor family has so many
ramifications among the nobility, and
such a large number of other titled
people have recently died, that one
would almost think che court was in
mourning. To this condition Of affairs
a pathetic paradox is found in the So
ciety news columns, which daily an
nounce a long list of forthcoming mar
riages, the bridegrooms in majority
of the cases being soldiers. 1t is sea-
son of short engagements and sudden
deaths. MomentarilJ expecting orders
to start for South Africa, the British
portunity Of striking while the iron is
hot" and many quiet marriage is now
followed within a few days by a fare
we'll at Southampton. For instance,
Major Maxse, who took part in the re-
cent defeat of the Khalifa, returned to
England, married Lord Leconield's
daughter, and is now on his way to tie
Cape.
| The martial spirit and universal de-
sire to serve the country at the front
shows no signs of abatement. The ac-
ton of England's Premier Duke, the
Duke of Norfolk, who is Postmaster
General and by no means a young
man, volunteering for active service,
is the latest example of the spirit which
pervades all classes. The Duke of Nor
| folks position in the Cabinet ana mis-
tremendous business interests, to say
| nothing of his power as lay head of the
Catholic Church in England, will prob
ably prevent the acceptance of his offer.
The Duke of Connaught, whose
ardent requests to be allowed to go to
South Africa have been refused, is men
toned as likely to succeed General Rob-
erts in command of the British forces
in Ireland.
No little comment has been caused by
the War Offices tardy recognition Of
the engineers and artillery. Until Cen
eral Warren CT the engineers was sent
out all the general officers in the field
were cavalrymen or infantrymen- The
country howled for General Warrens
appointment, and at last the man who
knows South African topography bet
ter than any other General received
recognition. Then followed in quick
succession General Roberts, an artill-
eryman, and Generals Kitchener and
Chermside, engineers, until the cam
paign now bids fair to be chiefly d.
rected by the hitherto neglected gun
ners and sappers."
The impression continues to gain
ground that General Butler and his sub
| ordinates have been instructed to un-
dertake no important movement until
the arrival of General Roberts. and
Roberts will amalgamate the guns I'M
der Generals Gatacre, Warren and
French, subsequently marching upon
Bloemfontein to capture that place and
draw off the Beers from Ladysmith. To
accomplish this it is believed that Kim
berley and Mafeking may be sacrified.
Whether General Butler will acquiesce
in this arrangement is seriously doubt
ed by many who. know him, and they
are rather inclined to believe he will
attempt to emulate General Gourgh
! who under similar circumstances, re-
trieved his reverses in India while Sir
Charles Napier was coming out to SUI
persede him.
! The seizures of cargoes of American
-four off Delagoa Bay bid fair to excite
much popular interest in England. 1t
| is generally looked upon as fine point
of International law that will be ami
cably settled. So far no official steps
to the non arrival of the necessary pa
pers from Washington. The military
and international law authorities are
almost unanimous in declaring that
Great Britain should not declare food
stuffs contraband of war. The NAVAL
and Military Record" under this head
says to-day:
! Fully 80 per cent. of our food comes
from America, the colonies and other
countries. We have ceased to make any
effort to be self-supporting This con-
dition constitutes danger only bear
able because Of our confidence in the
strength of the British navy and in the
friendship and self-interest Of the Unit
ed States. The States may be counted
on to fill our larder in both peace and
war. but so essentially have American
supplies become to our safety that we
must take no step likely to lead to an
interruption of the enormous supply of
| foodstuffs
Our enemies on the Continent would
rejoice if we intercepted the foodstuffs
now passing into the Transvaa1 via
Delagoa. Bay. A dangerous precedent
would thus be created, which would be
used against England at the first op
portunity."
| A representative of the Associated
Press learns that the wireless telegraph
instruments recently captured from the
Beers and described as Marconi's were
not his manufacture. They were made
/ by a well-known German firm. whom
Marconi once employed to experiment
with plans he afterward discarded
Marconi declares the instruments cap
tured were not workable Some feeling
has been caused against the young in
ventor by the first report, the belief
spreading that he had broken his agree
ment to supply only the British during
the present war.
| Princess Christian of Schleswig- Hol-
sstein princess Helena Of England) for