Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-12-01
ALL ENGLAND AGHAST
Recent Events IN South Africa Cause
. Surprise.
CONDITION CONSIDERED SERIOUS
Belief That Kitchener Can Control
:. the Situation.
LONDON NEWS AND GOSSIP

LONDON, December 1.-South Africa
once more monopoizes attention. The pub
lie is aghast at General De Vets recent
success at De Wetsdorp. where he captured
the British garrison of 400 men and two
guns, as already cabled to the Associated
Press in detail. us this guerrilla war
fare?" The liberaIs papers ironically in
quire. Why" is asked on all sides. ARE
these troops coming homer" The ovations
to the victors strike even those participant
Ing in them as hollow, compared with the
events Transporting at the seat Of war. Par
lament not being in session, the public Is not
favored with any insight into the war Of
fees opinions and plans. But 1t is credit
ed with varying IDEAS from phiosophic in
difference to acute panic. representa-
tive Of the Associated Press interviewed one
of the responsible heads of departments
and ELECTED the following views:
Undoubtedly the situation in South AT
RIGA Is serious. 1t resembles, in many ways,
Americas trouble with the Filipinos. We
cannot expect to crush out opposition for
some time to come. We are not withdraw
Ing troops indiscriminately nor are we in
different to the gravity of the problem. The
Household Cavalry has come home be-
cause heavy cavalry is practically useless.
The infantry, too. is of comparatively small
Sci we rely upon Two 'ulIiSS " DIiHS
about peace. First, the transformation,
far as possible, of all the British troops in
the disturbed districts into mobile cavalry
and mounted infantry. Second, through the
establishment of a police force. Until the
latter gets in working order, even the cav
airy will not be able to accomplish much.
The police force should be similar to the
Irish constabulary, only all the men will
be mounted. When that body is organized.
l believe change will quickly come over
the situation
Canadians Were Not Surprised.
The Canadian officers who returned here
from South Africa this week expressed no
surprise at the renewal of Boer successes.
They only wondered that they have not
been greater. The Canadians, however, are
unanimous in expressing the belief that
General Kitchener is the right to deal
with the form of opposition now faced by
the British in tSouth Africa. Hardly any of
the returning officers expressed criticism of
Lord Roberts, even in the face of the recent
reverses. The genera! feeling toward the
field marshal is well put by the Sun Of this
city. 1t says:
Lord Roberts is brilliant, dashng
soldier and has displayed consummate
ability. But, after all, We fear he is too
much of a humanitarian for the work now
to be done Once Kitchener gets to work
on the Beers, nothing will stop him"
There is a noticeable incursion of Filipinos
into London and Paris. The report. sub
dos agent in Europe, contemplating
going to Hong Kong to reorganize there the
Filipino transport and resuppy the Fill
pinos with munitions of war. has given rise
to the belief that the Filipinos in Europe
are contemplating new campaign. A rep
resentative of the Associated Press has in
terviewed one of the most prominent men,
bers of the European junta, who has just
returned from Paris and Madrid. He said:
Denied by Member of Junta.
ll.,l,
There is no reason why Agoncilo should go
to Hong Kong to give the Filipinos fur
Their supply. of V,nnitions of war. The fact
that Agoncillo has just leased home in
Paris shows he intends to remain there and
watch events. The reports of our commit
tees at Kobe. Yokohama. Maceo, Batavia,
Hong Kong and Bagkok show they are all
working well. This is also evidenced by the
fact that 10000 rifles were Smuggled into
Manila last month The war is no nearer
an end than ever The Filipino resources
are still great. as can be judged by the fact
that Aguinaldo, is continuing to keep and
feed 5000 Spanish prisoners.
I'VE are deeply disappointed at the re-
election of Mr.. Mckinley. Although our
agents in the United States never led to
believe Mr.. Bryan would actively help us,
yet we relied on the strength of the anti
imperialists in the United States. We
still anxious to come to an understanding,
and there are indications that Mr.. Mckinley
y
Taft goes beyond his instructions, and that
Mr.. Mckinley is prepared to give greater
concessions than Judge Taft. 1t is true
that large number Of Filpinos are flock
ing to European countries. AT least sixty
now in London, but not with the idea
of a renewed propaganda. The junta is
content to wait til, the Americans are tired
of losing officers and men by deaths from
sickness. We hope and believe better times
are in store.
Sir Thomas LiptOn's Plans.
Sir Thomas Upton, recently has been
considering the proposal to send the Sham
rock 1 into American waters for a series of
trial races with the Shamrock H. How
ever. while he is anxious to give the new
yacht every chance he feels pledged to the
Glasgow exhibition committee to race the
older boat in the international match which
the committee has arranged to take place
on the Clyde, and has decided to leave the
decision to Mr. George l.. Watson, who has
designed the new challenger for the Amer
lea S cup. Therefore. it is improbable that
both boats viii! cross the Atlantic. as Mr..
Watson only desires to see how the new
and old yachts compare, and he believes
this can be done on the Clyde.
The only alterations yet made in the
| Shamrock l are to replace her corroded
plates. improve her sheer plans and re-
duce her draught eighteen inches, so i'm
proving her chances under the new British
| rule. which, however, will not now be put in
Shamrock II have been sailed
Mr.. Joseph H. Choate, the United States
ambassador. Thursday evening at the
Thanksgiving dinner given at the Hotel
Cecil, under the auspices of the American
Society in London, referred loosely to
'long-eared' reporters. which has evident
ly not been considered by the English press
to be humorous as intended, for the
papers dismiss the speech with a few lines.
The Pail Mall Gazette says:
Mr.. Choate was naturally, jubilant last
night, as Americans always are on Thanks
giving day. There IS no false modesty about
them, They have not written their recess
sional yet, and If any poet were to oblige
them with one unasked, they would prompt
ly put 1t In the fire. great people, a
young people, an expanding people, a peo-
pie that can lick .creation-thats the sort
of people to enjoy heartily Thanksgiving
day
Presidential POstmasters.
The President, In the first week of the