The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-08-19
LONDON NEWS AND GOSSIP.
British Public Criticise the Policy of
the Ministry,


LONDON, Aug. 1s.-For Ministry most
anxious to stand well with the man in the
street. in view of the probability OF gem
eral election. this has been a most irving
week. In the vital matter OF protecting
the vast British interests at Shanghai,
England has made herself the laughing
stock of Europe by her vacillation and pu-
sillanimity. 1t is. men, say. Port Arthur
| over again. only worse. for Russia was
not, at least. a negligible opponent. as
China should be in such centre of British
| influence and power. But Lord Salisbury,
Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary
though he is. has buried himself among
! the villages OF the Yosges. and cares moth
/ ing for the angry epithets OF the minis
| terial organs from the Times" downward,
or for the renewed rnutterings of revolt
among his parliamentary followers.
! But worse for the Ministry than China
! is this weeks revolt of Lord Wolseley. the
commander in-chief. The other day Lord
Rosebery shocked Lord Salisbury and his
ministerial colleagues in the House Of
Lords by demanding one sentence from the
military head OF the army to assure the
nation that England was, as the Minister
asserted. amply prepared against invasion
/ and the other perils to which the absence
OF her 250,G0 soldiers in South Africa ex
posed her
Field Marshal Wolseley has responded
this week not frcm his seat in the House
of Lords-that would have been too open
an affront to his political chiefs. Lords
Lansdowne and Salisbury-but on the re-
view grounds at AldeEshot He says that
he went to Aldershot TO see what lessons
the officers and troops had gathered from
the war in South Africa, and he hlurts out
report which has sent cold shIvers down
every ministerial back.
How completely agricultural life Is be-
ing overshadowed in England by the in
dustrial life. which the nation has erected
upon it. is illustrated by Parliamentary
return issued this week The ratable
value of all kinds of property in Eng
land and Wales was last year SS1S, 900 900.
being an increase of $780,. 600 900 in thirty
years. But while the contribution Of land
TO. this total fell from SO per cent in
1870 to II per cent last year, that of
dwelling houses. factories. and shops rose
from % to S. per cent. The ratab!e value
of railways rose from to per cent,
while mines and other classes OF prop
erty increased from to Z per cent. And
this loss OF $4,000. eco in the value Of land
in thirty years Is quite apart from the
great reduction in the amount of personal
property which has followed the expendi-
ture OF ready money on crops made I'M
profitable by foreign competition.
To anyone but tradition bound English
men it seems incredible that. in the face
OF those figures British politicians, save
alone Horace Plunkett. in ireland, make nor
effort to do what other States have been
compelled to do-eneourage the farmer to
leave the old. WORKOUT ruts.
Captain Rason, OF the royal navy, re-
ports a startling growth of lung diseases
in the British navy. Since 1888 respiratory
cases have increased SO per cent, and this
despite the abolition OF masts and sails,
so that the men are infinitely less exposed
to cold and wet than formerly. Captain
Rason suggests that making the men live
in unlined steel ships is one cause. The
greater internal heat of modern men-of
war may be another cause, and the great
er crowding together. Whatever the cause, !
the facts compel attention.
Much interest is taken here in the pro- |
ceedings of the Zionists. Isaac Zangwill /
the novelist, has declared at the meeting !
that. while claiming to be a practical man, /
and not a dreamer he still dreams of the (
establishment of the Jews in model State /
But it Is hard to see how the Jews could |
be better of than they are in England. !
At the same time. if fancy takes them I
Trey will be as free to go as they were to
ccme- What the Zionisis term "shekei (
money is being freely subscribed and Ed (
doubt we shall see. in the course OF time, I
something like an exodus of the poorer
elass of Jews 20 Palestine. But the wealthy +
En- glish Jews. though they may subscribe.
will certainly not emigrate.
Publishers here have begun to issue their
autumn lists. T.io2e to hand give promise
of an unusual s.eaaon. at any rate, as re-
CARDS nuIsbe-. Probably many works in
gas lists lave tsen held over from spring.
owt. = the, war, which has even put a
stop 20 the sale of war books.
Ii is understood that a commission OF
Americans has arrived here to enquire
into the prospects as to Industrial eombi-
nations in this country. The commission
is consulting Mr. Robert Donald, weE-
known authority on municipal and in
dustrial matters However, the only +
trusts which are likely to me- with sue +
cess here would be in the theatrical way.
1t is said that Mr.. C. E. Machin, we'll
known theatrical eEtrepreneur. has a big
trust of this kind on the stocks, which will
bring about the amalgamation of several .
large theatrical interests and the building
of new theatres. both in London and the
provinces.
The autumn theatrical season opens
next week. Several new plays are down
for production. including two pieces with
Nell Gwynne for the heroine's part. Sir
Henry Irving has definitely decided. in the
face OF prophecies of failure. to produce
Manfred" The Fr0hman-Gattf tenure OF
the vaudeville theatre is to extend over
a period OF three years. Mr. John Farriug-
ton and Mr.. a. H. Candy have taken
Terry's Theatre until December and will
produce there q series of American plays.