Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-07-05

copyrighted, 1900. by The Associated Press.
London, Eng, June 3d. The "yel-
low peril" as the Chinese crisis is now
called hero, is for the moment role
gated to second place Public interest
in the hospital scandals IN South Africa
so absorbs attention that no amount
of IofficIal quibbling can Suppress
IT.. The treatment of thousands OF
wounded and fever stricken British
soldiers In the field threatens to
become as serious matter for
public agitation as the military camps
were after the Spanish American
War. If Lord Roberts were not SO
frankly willing to shoulder the major
part OF tho responsibility, the cutlery
which Mr.. Burdett. Coutts' letters
raised would we'll nigh swamp the gov
eminent. But, few people care to seri..
ously criticise the successful general
whose consideration for his men,
especially the wounded, is byw0rd
in the army and elsewhere. The action
of Lord Lansdowne, the Secretary OF
State for War, in submitting the ofiti-
oisin Of Lord Robei ia himself, was q
master stroke OF politics which temper
arily saved the governments head.
| However, II the proposed Parliamentary
committee finds that the War Office
| failed to adopt necessary medical
precautions, IT will take the Conserva-
| tives long time to re establish their
prestige with thousands in Great
Britain who have suffered bitterly
through the loss and illness of relatives
in South Africa.
A significant sign Of the times is The
announcement In the July issue of the
| Nineteenth Century that some of the
most distinguished men, regardless
| of party, have agreed to join an assocla-
tion with the object of fixing steadily
1 public attention on lessons of the war,
foremost among which Ia the necessity
for examining tho defences OF the Em-
pire and the need Of conducting the
various departments Of state on ordinary
business principles.
Viscount Doerhurst, colonel of a
volunteer battalion Of the Worcester
Regiment, who married an American,
Miss Virginia Bonynge daughter Of
Charles W. Bonynge, formerly of San
Francisco), in testifyinG befoi Parlia.
inentary committee this week, brought
home with startling force the rotten
ness of the material supplied to the
army. He declared that, "after paying
an extra price for shoes for the hat
TALON. after one march they were like
paper bags, with shreds Of leather in
side, and you could easily put YOU
finger through tine majority, of th,
soles. :"
An amusing story is current regard
. ing Harry Beaumont, one of the best
! dressed London clubmen, who married
Miss Jessie Fellowes of New York, ant
went to South Africa as an officer o
the Cheshire Yeomanry. 1t is said tina
: he requisitioned a Boer house for hi
own use, but, before occupying it, b
showered the building with insec
powder, and drenched 1t with eau d
! cologne
How tired the people of England ar
: becoming OF such kid. gloyed method
! Of warfare could be Judged the othe
, night. when Sir Eveleyn Wood. tn
adiutant- general of the forces, who
VIGOROUSLY influenced by feminin
advice, received hostile reception q
/. the hands of such broad-minde
: body as the Institution of Mechanics
, Engineers.
! Somewhat in these lines, Sir Claud
|. M. Macdonald, the British minister
! China, is coming IN for criticism.
!, is frequently said that he is o bette
= hand at afternoon teas than in prt
y serving the Empires interests ]
= China. A local paper OF Tientsin ono
. said it was evident Sir Claudo's mott
Il y was "I do not care what her flag is s
! long as she is fair" II IS not general
i known that. last September, Sir Clau6
u Macdonald was suffering SO much fro
Il heart disease and other complication
~ that he could scarcely walk 100 yard
i, Real social gayety reigned this wee
y for the first time this season. III
~ Americans here have taken col
- spicuous share ia the festivities.