The sun., 1900-02-12
BRITAIN IND PORTUGAL
A Secret Alliance Now Exists
Between These Countries
Of Europe.
FEAR EUROPEAN OPPOSITION
What Amounts to Practical Con-
scription Being Urged in View
of Secret Foes--The Clayton
BuIwer Treaty Remains
the Same.
FEAR EUROPEAN OPPOSITION

LUuuOu, reU. Ill mere ehlStS tOudS
what practically amounts to an offensive
and defensive alliance between Great
Britain and Portugal. For the past week
and longer there has been circulating
through the English press irrespective of
party lines nervous apprehension of Eu-
ropean opposition and still more nery-
Gus appreciation of the fact that Great
Britain at the present moment is unable
to face it with honor to herself. Constant
editorials in the most unsensational pa
pers have almost developed this phase Of
the agitation into a national nightmare
which is not at all justified by the tenor
Of the continental news published in the
English papers.
If the general demands for an imme-
1iate increase in the active naval and
military strength openly urged to enable
Great Britain to cope with the most ag-
gressiye movements that could possibly
be credited to Russia, France or Ger
many were only correlative with the ex-
tent to which Great Britain has been
drained to support her South African
war, these manifestations of the press
and consequent public anxiety would
easily be understood, but the clamor for a
great standing army and naval mobiliza-
tion so much exceeds the comparatively
slight deficiency in the defensive poten-
tiality caused by the war in South Africa
that an impartial observer can scarcely
help coming to the conclusion that there
is more under the surface than the news
from the continent conveys, and after
careful investigation it is learned that
this impression is quite correct.
In the first place, much of this press
clamor for tremendous armament in or
der to meet unforeseen emergencies is
| originally inspired with view of com
pelling parliament to pass quickly any
financial measures proposed by the gov
ernment and to make the same popular
with the people, who through additional
| taxation may be called upon to add their
mites toward the stupendous plans now
pending to place the British empire be-
| yond the fear of opposition. Lord Sails
| bury himself is perhaps more Independent
and more regardless of newspaper infiu-
| ence and the aid of advertising than any
statesman of the day, vet at this crisis he
| has not disdained to Use his immediate
subordinates ms direct agents to foster
among the leading London dailies public
agitation magnifyiDg the possibilities of
| foreign interference and minimizing the
capabilities of home defense.
nusslas activity in China and Persia
and French and German antagonism are
freely paraded before the nation as an
incentive to be up and arming, even if it
needs to be put to the point of putting in
to operation the militia ballot act, which
is almost Synonymous with conscription.
Yet the accounts of anti-British activity
all the world over as dished up for Brit
ish readers are not causing the foreign
office any serious anxiety, and they do
not include the real reason for the tre-
mendous military activity, which is de-
termination to convince Portugal that it
is advisable to meet Great Britain's de-
mands regarding the ports essential for
carrying on the Boer war-namely, Della
goa Bay and Bera-and at the same
time, having secured Portugal's assent to
every proposition made, be in a position
to support that country against united
European opposition. No word of this is
printed or limited at here, but, all the
same, intense pressure is being brought
to bear on Portugal by continental pow
ers to prevent her from giving aid to the
British.
Portugal's minister here, Senior Pinto
de Several, is almost as much an Eng
lishman as a Portuguese, and his gov
thing far beyond the bounds of neutrali.
ty to help Great Britain to protect Portu.
gal. Lord Salisbury is determined this
shall be done and is counting on the co
operation Of his countrymen to put the
nation on a footing to defy European
Opposition. He has taken definite meas
ures regarding the aforementioned ports
that can only be described as daring
Portugal, bending to the modicum OF
coercion and convinced that Great Brit
ain is able to uphold her. has acquiesced
until there practically exists today ar
alliance of the strongest fiber betweer
Great Britain and Portugal. Yet fol
reasons of diplomacy nothing could BIZ
more quickly officially denied in Londor
or Lisbon 1t is scarcely necessary tt
say that all the foregoing is CLEANED
from the highest sources and is basee
on unimpeachable authority.
The abrogation of the Clayton Bulwel
treaty is the source of copious comment
in the weeklies. The Saturday Review
cavils at GreA Britain for "giving III
rights" maintaining that nothing will
ever be got from the United States in re
| turn and saying Great Britains mag
nanimity will be mistaken by congress.
for desire to avoid complications on ac
: count Of the troubles in South Africa"
Because the Americans speak Eng
lish," adds The Saturday Review, "anc
the plutocracy of the United States i.
united by family ties with the directin,
, class, aristocratic and otherwise, o1
Great Britain is no reason for ordering
our affairs with them ON other than bust
ness principles"
The Speaker, on the other hand, says:
Certainly it is not in our interest t.
avail ourselves of diplomatic TECHNICAL
/ ties in order to prevent a result which i.
inevitable" Continuing, The Speaker
supports Lord Salisbury in declaring th,
| United States intends to tfoPestall /
! European descent upon South America
, which is not Objectionable provided ther,
, is no attempt to thrust American rul,
on unwilling peoples and the doctrine O.
equal trading rights is fully maintained.
, All the papers unite in declaring Secre
, tary Hay has secured a diplomatic tri
umph.
Lord BalfoHF of Burleigh, the secretaP,
for Scotland, has issued from the Scotcl
; education board circular to the schools
calling attention to the Importance o.
elementary drill and advising the ferma
tion Of school corps. This is the frs