The times., 1899-05-14
THE CONTROVERSY
With THE TRANSVAAL
The Stand of Chamberlain and
Sir Alfred Miner.
President Kruger Apparently at
the Point of Yielding.
The Pacific Influence OF Lord Sails
bury-The RituaIistic Agitation
-GOssip of London.

London. May 13.-The Bishops, the opera,
and Mr.. Carnegie have almost driven for
eign politics out Of the public mind this
week. l say almost. for there is one topic
of foreign politics upon which good deal
has to be said, namely, the undoubted
crisis in the relations between President
Kruger and the Imperial Government.
Mr.. Chamberlain and with him Sir AL
fred Miner are clearly taking a very firm
line, and the official denial issued from
the Colonial Office last Saturday must be
taken TO mean nothing more than that it is
automatically inexpedient Just now to ad-
NIT that Mr.. Chamberlain has called upon
President Kruger to set his house in order
That he has not put the demand in the
form of a regular ultimatum, TO be fol-
I lowed up by force if necessary, is due
alone TO Lord Salisbury, who cannot see
why 1t should not be possible TO secure
British interests peacefully in South At
rica, as he claims that he has secured them
in East Africa, West Africa, and China.
But there is no prospect OF Lord Sails
bury's peaceful tendencies being disturbed
in South Africa. Mr. Chamberlain and Sir
Alfred Miner between them are making
President Kruger realize that the removal
longer delayed. Having made friends with
France and Germany in Africa. and with
Russia in China. England has isolated
President Kruger from every possible
friend and freed her own hands for any
contingency. He, indeed is at this mo-
ment believed to be rather anxious than
otherwise to be pressed, that he may find
in England's insistence justification for the
concessions which he is now about TO
ka He Wi ic said rbs n.tt
landers an equitable franchise and strive
to obtain an amendment OF the London
convention which will secure the perma-
nent independence of the Transvaal. sub
ject only to general British paramountcy
in South Africa.
The Rituaiistic Agitation.
For the Bishops it has been a week OF
storm and stress at Lambeth palace, where
for seven hundred years their Graces of
Canterbury have lived in luxury, and
where the Lollards were once tortured for
the faith. The Archbishops of Canterbury
and York nave set up a new court of doc
trines, and have spent this week in grave
ly celebrating upon the ceremonial use OF
incense in Anglican churches, and, as far
as mere layman can peer into high Epis-
copal minds, the Ritualsts are winning
the day on this point, for the Arehbish-
ops have been visibly impressed by the
contention OF two recalcitrant priests. who
disobeying their Bishops, have used in
cense. and claim that they do so by virtue
of medieval canon law which the Reforma-
ton left unaffected. That way, of course
lies fresh trouble for the Church, for If
there is one thing upon which Protestant
England is determined, il is that the Re-
formation does and shall provide the sole
foundations of the National Church.
The determination found renewed ex
preston in the House OF Commons this
week. when in order To defeat a resolution
10 enforce the law against all ritual aX-
cesses, the Government made a formal
pledge TO legislate 10 bring the Church
back TO Reformation principles if the
Bishops should fail in their present efforts
to restore peace and order in the Church
by personal suasion.
Perosi n Failure.
The Covent Garden opera season has
opened with every sign of exceptional sue
cess, both musical and social. The season
this year practically is run by society OF
shareholders, including royalty and half
| the pcerage. The chief debut of the week.
! that of Nine. LityiIne as Isolde, made,
| however only moderate impression be-
| side the Tristan of Jean de Reszke and
the Brangane of Nine. Schumann- Heink.
Herr Mottl conducted. As was the case
last year, Wagner promises to be the main