The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-22
LONDON news and GOSSIP
Purpose of Rhodes Trip TO England
an UnsOlved Mystery.
He Makes the Journey From South
Africa, and. So Fnr rs Can BE
mcnt OEcials-British Admiralty
Planning Naval Demonstration.

LONDON. April 21.-Mr Cecil Rhodes
Is the mystery man of British impe-
rial politics. When his departure from
the Cape for London was announced
month OF so ago, the object OF his
mission was the theme ofo every jour
nalist He had been summoned TO London
to support Mr.. Chamberlain against the
rest of the Cabinet in his policy of thor
ough' in South Africa, in insisting espe-
cialIy upon a proclamation of British
dominion over the Transvaal and the Free
State, upon immediate penal treatment
for the Cape and Natal rebels, upon the
protection of the gold millionaires from the
supposed predatory instincts of the Chan
cellor of the Exchequer eagerly seeking
some one to pay for the war, and so on.
Well, Mr. Rhodes came, ensconced him
Self in the Burlington Hotel, and, so far as
the pressman could tell the world, he went
nowhere except to the offices of the Char
tered and De Beers companies. In the city
certainly. he saw no Mr.. Chamberlain and
no Lord Salisbury, and now he quietly slips
back again to South Africa by today S
steamer without a word in the public ear,
and, so far as journals know. without a
word in the Government ear, either,
1t all seems mysterious to the man in the
street for he has been taught by certain
section of the press to believe that Mr..
Rhodes is the one real Governor of South
Africa. the man Of millions without whose
word Ministers dare not move or act. The
truth is that Mr. Rhodes has learned that
where Mr.. Chamberlain is concerned he
can do more good by silence than by his
most forcible expletives that the Ministry
mean to follow their own path in South
Africa. and do not mean to be hurried
into any attempt TO impose political prob
lens upon a military situation still suf-
ticiently complicated. In word, they look
at this moment to Lord Roberts. and to no
man else, and will not move till he pro-
yides the moment for political action.
How complicated this military situation
is this weeks publication of Lord Roberts
despatch on Spion Kop shows Four high
officers make fragrant failures. Lord Rob-
erts censures General Gatacre, and he is
ordered TO England. He also censures
Generals Butler and Warren. The censure
is kept six weeks by the War Office the
officers are retained in command and the
censure is published on the eve OF i'm
portant movements in which both generals
are concerned. discrediting them just when
they need every support from their men.
Finally. Lord Methuen makes the most
glazing blunders Of all, and nobody knows
whether he was or was not censured. The
censure certainly never was published.
and this is most provokingly mystifying to
the public. and everybody is full of sur
misses which the reassembly of Parliament
may or may not remove.
Very quietly the Government has decided
to demonstrate afresh to the world Eng
lands sea supremacy. The Admiralty are
planning naval maneuvres on an impor-
tant scale and already have approved of
the estimates for bringing forward ships TO
be specially commissioned.
But. more significant Sill, Greenwich
College is to be closed from June 80 to
September !. that is to say. the whole of
the naval officers there undergoing in
struction viii devote three months to leave |
before maneuvres. duty during maneu- |
vres, and leave after maneuvres.
What form the evolution will take has |
not yet been revealed, but 1t is expected T!
that there will be more cruisers in COM |
mission than usual. and that torpedo-boat |
destroyers will play their part as scouts |
in the van of the cruisers.
Mr.. Gladstone's memory is TO be per- |
petuated in his own home county by a me-
mortal chancel in Buckley Church Flint !
shire which is the gift of the statesmans /,
daughter, Mrs. Drew. wife of the Rev. |
Harry Drew, vicar of Buckley, and Miss !
Helen Gladstone.
Old London is fast disappearing under |
the hammers Of the housebreakers. Holy |
well Street, otherwise called Booksellers !
Row. the haunt of the book collector. is |
being at this moment reduced to dust and |
bricks. Elsewhere the London of the first |
quarter of the century is being rapidly |
improved away. Regent Street and the |,
Regents Park and st. Johns Wood dis |
tricts will soon be the only succeed quar- |
tiers left. The latest to disappear is St |
Brides Avenue. Fleet Street the home |
for over forty years OF Punch" Had /
London a Baron Haussmann, as Paris had, |
Sir Christopher Wren's imposing Church |
of St Bride, until now hidden among the /
surrounding clusters of mean houses. |
would at last be given breathing room, |
but it will soon be huddIed away again be- |
hind Offices higher and uglier than ever
This advertisement in today's Saturday I
Review" suggests that clearing away Old /
London does not mean clearing away old /
customs. 1t runs "Cockhghting Gentle /
men interested in the revival OF this an
cient sport are invited TO cooperate in the /
of a club. Address So-and- So" !
Once again an effort is to be made to !
close up the divisions in the Church of
England. The latest proposal made by /
Prebendary Webbe Peploe is that a con-
ference shall be held of representatives of /
the High and Low Church parties. A SINH /
lar proposal made by Lord Halifax two
years ago led TO no result but il is hoped 4
that the bitterness is less now. and there
is general feeling that concerted steps
should be taken to discourage the brawl- |
ing in churches. in which some extremists /
of both parties still indulge But the ques-
ton is, viii the Ritualists recognize the /
necessity OF foregoing fancy rituals? The |
brawling in ST. Mary's Church, in Munster 1
Square. on Grood Friday, was provoked 4
by the inclusion in the service of the Mass 4
OF the Presanctifed." Moderate churchmen ]
naturally ask what place has a mass Of the 1
presanctified in the worship of the English I
Church, What primitive authority is there |
FOR It? What would have been the verdict |
upon il OF men like Pussy and Keble?
Intending visitors TO the exposition may /
find this note from a friend in Paris of /
service: The price Of food has Lot yet /
been advanced. and rooms are not yet at /
famine prices. SO those who can should |
come early to avoid the season when heat
and crowds will make Paris something
like hell upon earth
MIR. ALIENS DEPARTURE