The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-01-07

Country Houses Of Peers rendered
for the Use Of the Msn Invalided
Hene-Coal Famine Causes Shut
ting Down Of the Iron works.
Copyrighted, 1900, by the Associated Press.
LONDON, Jan. 6.-The. passing Of an
other week has apparently effected no
change in the condition Of the war In South
Africa. 1t certainly has not been pro-
ductive Of any serious developments. In
England the yeomanry are rnanfully con-
tending with the diflculties Of the riding
school, which d putting their patriotism to
the test Of falls on the tanbark and other
Inconvenience
Funds for Soldiers Grow Large.
Coal II getting daily dearer ana the funds
for the absent minded besgars" and 9TH
ers are swelling by the Thousands into
proportions OF unheard-of munifcence,
while the papers, when not magnffying In
decisive skirmishes Into brilliant Successes.
devote casual attention to the dinhculties
which have arisen over the seizure Of car.
goes bound for Lourenzo Marques.
Seizure Of German ships.
In the latter respect the Bundesrath In
cident almost monopolixes tho attention,
the seizure Of American -four being rele-
gated to very subsidiary position ana not
being taken as having the slightest posi-
bility Of producing international friction.
On the whole the British press has taken .
calm view Of the German seizure matter
and has refused to be led into replying in
kind to the bitter comments teiegraphed
from Germany. In this the papers merely
voice the feeling Of the. government. for
at the foreign Office not the slightest anxi-
ETY. IL felt regarding the actions 30 far
taken against the alleged contraband,
though that question in the abstract causes
no end Of cogftation, but more regarding
the effect the present discussion will have
upon future events than by the press OF
contemporaneous difficulties. The British
government believes II has a good case
against the Bundesrath. But both In this
instance and the case of the American
flour, the government holds that absolutely
nothing definite can be done until details
have been learned. Even then the fine
points Of law must be settled BY the care
full elaboration Of experts.
Contraband May he Defined.
In the meantime It II possible the gov
eminent may deem It advisable to make
declarations regarding contraband. especial
ly food sttfsA
But such step 10 quite problemaucnl.
To quote an American diplomat in Lon
don after reading the cabled account that
II the United States insisted upon her
"How in the world DO they think such a
complicated point Of law can be settled or
cause any serious disagreement between
two nations . friendly az the United States
and Great Britain?"
Comment ON American Feeling.
Commenting on the American feeling the
Saturday Review says:
1--WE fear no accurate presentment Of the
real feeling Of the United States regarding
the war reaching this country. but there Is
no doubt the balance Is against US.
1.-THE administration organs and imam
cial organs are stu strongly with US but
the latter are beginning to waiver because
the war IL beginning to injure trade. II
must not be forgotten how completely the
administration is In the hands Of the great
financiers and trust companies"
Guard Against Plague.
The arrival in the United Kingdom Of
five United States government doctors to
inspect shipping bound to America for
ment az the special precautions against the
plague were given up last month at most
of the European ports while no case has
entered an English harbor. At Hull. one
Of the ports not assigned doctor a severe
outbreak of smallpox Is raging which, 80
one United States consul informed a rep
resentative Of the Associated Press pos
sessed far more danger than the bubonic
plague.
Higher Pay for Naval Engineers.
Admiral Melville writes to the Globe con-
graduating It on it's efforts to secure higher
pay for naval engineers, saying:
I'VE have had the experience in this
country Of the loss of some Of our very
best men among the engineers for the rea-
son that private firms are willing to pay 50
much better compensation. Since the pas
sage Of the personnel bill there have been
very few designations in our country.
wish your friends every success to get their
pay properly adjusted.
II can say as a result of our own ex-
periences that patience combined with per-
sistent efforts will be rewarded at last. 1t
was long time before the personnel bill
passed but we finally secured what We
wanted"
Scarcity Of Coal Continues.
The scarcity OF coal continues to such
an extent that four Scotch pig iron fur
naces have shut down. Iron has reached
record prices. 1t is believed the stringen-
cy will be somewhat relieved when the
railroads become less congested with holi-
day traffic. The continued calling out Of
the reservists has affected the result as
well as the GOLFERS According to one
large merchant. the miners thoroughly
realize that a restricted output increases
wages for less work, and they are by no
means anxious to relieve the situation. In
crease the demand and coal goes UP. The
gas companies are reaping large profits as
a result.
Birmingham Buys q Power Plant.
At cost Of f42O,000 pounds. Birmingham
has bought from private corporation
the city's supply Of electricity. In 1886
the city sold 1t, but now, believing even
at such changed figures 1t will yield a
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