The age-herald., 1900-01-07
THE SEIZURES AN
 ABSORBING TOPIC In Spite of Sentiment German Government is Deliberate. BILL TO INCREASE FLEET The Government is Determined to Dis solve the Diet if the Bill is Again
 Reiected-Fight Reopened
 on American Meat
BILL TO INCREASE FLEET

Berlin, January 6.-The excitement occa- stoned by the seizures of German mail steamers by British cruisers increase and overtops everything else. Even the opening of the Prussan diet on Tuesday next is dwarfed thereby In spite of the strongest current of popular anti British sentiment, the German government honestly tries to continue its course of loyal neutrality, but anxiously awaits fa- yorable British action regarding the seizure, which the government and nation both gard as unjustified.
 The government has ascertained without a shadow of doubt that the Bundesrath was seized on strictly neutral territory within a radius belonging, by international law, to the Portuguese colony. Thereby the action of the British cruiser Magicienne was clearly wrong, as here contended.
 The news that Great Britain has released the steamer General, seized at Alden, is here construed as Great Britain's backing down.
 In official circles today the hope was ex- pressed to the Associated Press represent tative that Great Britain will admit that she is wrong after detailed and comprehen- sfve proofs are submitted at London. Part of these proofs are the bills of lading of the Bundesrath, the General and the Herzog, showing that the German East Africa line was most particular to exclude all chances of their vessels containing contraband.
 The Bundesrath is shown to have had on board forty passengers for Delagoa Bay, comprising twelve Portuguese, of whom several were government officials; two former German officer. The rest were publlcans. This line is subsidized by Germany to the amount of OO,o0O marks annually. The action of the Colonial society in further inflaming public opinion is condemned by large part of the press. The Freisinnige zeitung says:
 "The president of the Colonial society is the regent of Meckenburg Schwein. Does he deem it compatible with his position to use such language towards friendly pow er?'
 Is It the Right Time
 The Hamburg correspondent doubts whether this is the right time for an in- dgnation meeting.
 The Madgeburg Zeitung says:
 "He who advocates forcbe measures, does not know that Germany, in such a conflict with England would be isolated,
 
 since in France everybody awaits the mo- ment impa tiently when serious quarrel between those two powers will enable her to act.'
 The Vossische Zeitung says:
 'All the political parties in Germany will support the government in vigorously pro- tecting our interests. The attitude of the whole German press shows that it lot, ;p act mi at this stage"
 The Cologne Gazette says:
 Ut is regretable that an English cruiser dared to seize the Bundesrath, but German sober opinion disavows purely agitatory measures"
 All the talk and agitation over the seiz- ure of the German vessels forecast that the increase in the fleet will be rushed through.
 The government is expected to hurry for ward the bill so as to take advantage of the money situation. With the reconvening of the diet, the canal bill fight will oe re- newed Tue governments chances or pass ing the new bill have somewhat improved in the meanwhile. But the conservatives remain obdurate in spite of conciliatory measures and utteranceS recently made by Prince Hohenlohe and Dr. Von Miquel Strong arguments have been prepared by the opponents of the bill, including the fact that the newly opened Dortmund-Ems ca nal must be closed for three months for ex- tensive repairs, showing the unreliability Of canals as vehicles of communication. 9c The Emperor Determined
 The emperor is said to be determined this time ito dissolve the diet if the bill is again rejected
 The reichstag, after reconvening, will soon consider a number of important meas ures, including the meat inspection bill. Therefore the agrarian press reopens the fight on American meat.
 The Associated Press is reliably inform ed that the emperor means to reorganize and extend the Royal theaters in Berlin by the erection of special Wagner theater here, planned under royal auspices.
 The correspondent of the Associated Press is authentically informed that the re- to Princess Marie Louise of Cumberland or anybody else is baseless.
 The American Presbyterian mission at Batanga, Camaroons, has sent the German government a letter of thanks for the ef ficient protection which the German colo nia authorities afforded the mission in 1899.
 Plans for the American church in Ber din which MT. Lefarge, of New York, drew up after several modified tiohs,ado not find approval upon the part of the Berlin build ing authorities, who insist that to render the building safer German architect will have to change the plans accordingly.
 sNutside of Mrs Beehler wife of the United States naval attaehe and third sec retary, no Americans will be presented at court this season.