The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-02-25
LONDON news and GOSSIP
Mr.. Cbamberlain's Latest Triumph
in the House of Commons.
An Unsuccessful Attempt by His
Enemies TO Reopen the Jameson
Enquiry-The Radical Party sus-
pecfed of Dealing with DIR. Lcyds-
Wide Breach I'm the Liberal Ranks.

LONDON. Feb 24.-London Is still walt
Ing with panied tension for news of Cen
eral Cronie's surrender or annihiiatlon
within his square mile at Paardeberg UNI
der the terrific bcmbardment Of Lord Rob-
erts hundred guns.
Everyone realizes that General Cronie' S
humiliation or surrender would mark the
beginning of the end of the campaign. The
section of the Free Staters who follow
Mr.. Frasers lead rather than President
Steyn's will belle all expectations here IL
they do not recognize the game TO be up
and sue for peace, and if Mr.. Hofmeyr and
the Afrikander Bund. and as some still
suggest President Mckinley also should
LEND their weight to the appeal, there VIII
be no small stir in English political cir
cles.
At least -four Liberal committees exist 10
welcome any such suing for peace. Some
OF them are infiuentially supported, such
as the Right Hon. Leonard Courtney's con-
Citation committee. and many Tory as
well as Liberal public men would hesitate
over the question, Shall the Republics be
allowed to stand of course, under re-
formed franchise, under British protection
and subject to restrictions as TO arma-
ments--or shall the South African slate
be wiped clean, the Transvaal and the
Free State placed under immediate mar
tial law for two or more years and re-
created as elf-governing British colonies
preparatory to the ultimate formation of a
British federation for all South Africa?
Some say that Mr.. Chamberlain stands
almost alone. even in tie British C@binei.
for this clean slate policy, though such is
the martial spirit of every three English
men and Scotchmen out of four at this mo-
ment that he, and not Lord Salisbury.
probably represents the public feeling on
this int.
I'VE have had enough of magnanimity, -
rays the average Eng.ishman. remembering
Maiuba and all that has happened since.
Lite doubt is felt. moreover. that Cape
Colony. Natal. Australasia. New Zealand,
and Canada. whose right to be heard after
their sacrifices, Is now generally recog-
nized. would in the main echo that senti-
ment.
Mr.. Chamberlain. so his friends say. re-
CARDS this past week as marking one of the
most decisive triumphs of his strangely
checke-ed career. Fer .he best part of
three years he has sat silent and unmoved,
while his enemies have fired at him cha ges
which. In other days. must have meant his
Impeachment. On Tuesday these persist
ent attacks reached climax In the House
of Commons, when two Welsh Radical
members moved for a fresh enquiry into
the circumstances of the Jameson raid,
with an especial view TO the disclosure of
his alleged completely in it with Cecil
Rhodes. The opening speeches revealed
the full bitterness OF the hatred toward
him In Radical circles, bitterness which
is the great, IL not the only bond of union
among the Radicals today.
For the first time in this personal cam
paign Mr.. Chamberlain lost his temper
You want" he angrily asserted, mot
enquiry. but execution"
But erfn his enemies admit that politi-
cally he triurnphed. He was able TO show
that whatever was done In not pushing the
enquiry home. especially in relation to the
alleged completely Of the Colonial Office.
was done. not by himself alcne. but by the
whole committee. including Sir William
Harcourt and Sir Henry Zimmerman. the
past and present Opposition leaders, and
both these Opposition chiefs acquitted Mr.
Chamberlain in subsequent speeches OF
course. after this the vast majority of the
House did the same thing
Not less fortunate for Mr.. Chamberlain
is the cloud of suspicion thrown upon GER
tain minor members of the Radical party
of urde-hand association with DR.. Leyds
and on the discredited journalists here
who have for months past hawked around
letters stolen from the Office Of Cecil
Rhodes solicitor
Assertions and denials abound. but the
real facts remain in doubt. One effect
apart from Mr.. Chamberlain's personal ac-
qulttal is increased suspicion in Radical
quarters OF Mr.. Rhodes connection with
English public life. and the Spectator"
today calls for full. free enquiry cover
ing his dealings with the Irish party and
his connection with the Colonial oshce
since 1882. and especially the political
financial transactions affecting the charter
of the South Africa Company: but as Mr.
Chamberlain will be no party to any such
enquiry. II could only come In a seemingly
far distant day wheh3i Redical ministry Is
again in power.
Far distant" because this week has
again emphasized the vital differences in
the liberal ranks. Lord Rosebery, by
his somewhat hysterical attacks upon the
Government for not going fast enough in
fits militarism, and his demand for instant
mobilization of the feet, TO keep Europe
in order, has widened the breach between
himself and such Liberals as Sir William
Harcourt, MIR. John Morley. aud Sir H.
Bannerman Indeed two facts seem to sug-
gest that Lord Rosebery has now shan-
doned all expectation Of Liberal reunion,
and means TO fight for his own hard as Lib
ersl Imperialist leader.
II is announced today that he has ut |
last decided to open a political campaign 1
by a series of meetings in north England. |
while this week has also seen the forma |
ton OF Liberal 1mperialist League. ap-
parentiy designed to create a new national |
party out of the imperisiistic Liberal sec |
ton, which follows Lord Rosebery and Sir
Edward Grey and that section of the old
Liberals who. though now labeled Union
lists, have never felt comfortable in asBo-
citation With Toryism.
II Is early in the day even TO speculate
upon the outcome OF these movements. All
3hat is csrtain is that the compact Liberal
party. as Mr.. Gladstone made It, is scat
tered beyond recall.
An expedition OF much geological interest
has Just sailed for Egypt and the Valley OF
Sobat to collect the fauna OF the upper Nile
Valley. Recent reports attest the extraor-
binary abundance OF big game there also. |
Two naturalists who were with Mr.. Mac |
kinder during his recent journey TO Mount |
Kenya accompany the expedition.
The stream OF books aboat the war is 1
still at the food. One literary journal to- 1
day publishes advertisements of thrty-two.
The most noteworthy production of that 4
kind during the week is J. S Hobson's
work on the causes and effects of war. as
viewed from an ant-inperialist, anti
Rhodes standpoint
The sudden death of II. ID. Trail, editor
OF Literature. has caused universal re-
grct In literary circles. Only last week he
published an enlarged edition OF his imag-
mary conversations. THE New Lucian."
A Quiet Day AT the White House
The White House was yesterday deserted