The age-herald., 1900-02-26
JOE CHAMBERLAIN
 THE MAIN TOPIC His Defense of Colonial PoIity Was Almost Vicious AN UNDlGNlFlEO ATTITUDE Condition of the English Navy and AL legged Inadequacy of New Esti-
 mate is Creating No End
 "a. of Discussion
AN UNDIGNlFlED ATTITUDE
s. of Discussion
' -aF- -------lsalss.s. 'aiss' :


 London, February 25-Apart from the dramatic change that came over the sttaa- xion in South Africa, the event of the week was undoubtedly Mir Joseph Ohamiberlafn's vigorous, almost vicious, self-defense in the house of commons. The colonial sec retary met the accusations and demands with one of those terrible fighting speeches for which he is noted. With yenomous re- tort and scorn he once more denied com plicity in the Jameson raid, denied the so- called revelations of the Independence Beige, and with delft phrases called the op- position agitation a personal attack upon his most persecuted self.
 In the heat of debate, and with an over whelming majority, ready to cheer every bitter phrase, MT. Chamberlain carried all before him. But after reflection many of those who thoroughly believe MT. Cham berlain to be absolutely untainted, and who place no importance upon the letters stolen from Mir. Hawksley, counsel for the British South African company, regretted that the colonial secretary took up the matter in such personal spirit. Voicing this feeling, the Saturday Review, while strongly dep- recating another raid inquiry at the pres ent juncture, dep1ores MT Chamberlafn's ''undignified attitude" and reminds him that the good faith of a secretary of state is not a personal but a public matter. Continuing, the paper says 1t regrets that he did not court a resumption, but adds that obvious reasons of state prohibited such a procedure at the present crisis.
 In the meanwhile, Dr. Gavin Brown Clark, radical member of parliament for Caithness, who was formerly consul gen. eral of the South African republic, stands accused by Mir. Hawksley of buying stolen property in the shape of letters in regard to raids. Though Dr.. Clark had denied the allegations printed in the St. James Gazette, he has not so ifar denied Mr. Hawksley's charges. His fellow common CTS are much stirred up in regard to the matter, but Dr. Clark seems unlikely to take any steps unless his constituents force an issue.
 Roseberry Banterina the Lords
 Lord Roseberry this week. the forsaken oie oracle Of 41Egubrious vatirinations has peen bantering the lords of the government in the lightest satire upon the fix they have got into by the unexpected change of the Wemyss resolution which originally propos- ed to enforce the existing statute providing for conscription, but, which, at the last moment, was altered to read that the stat ute be amended in order to make 1t availa- ble to be put in force a change which up- set Lord Lansdowne's plans and the Duke of Devonshtre's carefully prepared speeches to such an extent that Lord Roseberry sat- rically moved an adjournment to enable them to prepare new speeches, and even Lord Salisbury laughed.
 Win the accomplishment of the govern ment's plans the main objections regarding war legislation collapsed and some attention was directed to home measures, which, in- cidentally, were supremely interesting.
 The ancient methods of obstruction en- ployed by William Redmond and one or two other Irish members have so far failed to have any result.
 The nomination of Major Mcbride of the Irish brigade in the service of the Boers, to contest South Mayo, vice Michael Davitt, resigned, has created no little outcry.
 Another nationalist, MT. O'Donnell, op- poses Major Mcbride. Consequently Feb ruary 28, when the voting is done, Mr. O'Donnell and the absentee candidate will fight it out between them. The authorities pay so little to Irish disaffection that no steps have been taken ito prevent Major Mcbride contesting the seat The indul- gence of the government of which this is an instance, fosters the feeling that Irish advocacy of the Boer cause, and, in fact the whole Irish movement at present, is of mo great importance. This, it is claimed is as the government desires it to be.
 Condition of the Navy
 The condition of the navy and the alleged inadequacy of the new estimates are creat- ing no end of discussion. The fact that the government has ordered the reserve squadron to assemble at Portsmouth March 1 has relieved ;he fears of those who thought the continental powers might in- terfere; but they hail with no pleasure the accompanying announcement that the