The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-09-22
GOSSIP OF
L0NDONERS
"A Parliamentary Cam
'paign Under Way.
AS TO THE BOER WAR
American Investment Capita Wanted
in London Krueger's
Millions.


cut issue is again discernible in the
confusion surrounding the Chinese diff
f1culties, there may be reawakening
of real interest, but at present China
holds quite a secondary place in the
public mind in England. The Parlia-
mentary campaign is in full swing,
but Lord Salisbury has not yet taken
the country into his confidence as to
the balloting day; and the consequent
uncertainty gives a stump speaking
that is getting on in every constituent
cy, an academic tinge. So. Great
Britain lacking a more interesting
topic, has returned to the consideration
of the war in, South Africa; and the
newspapers are eagerly scanned for
signs of the real end Of the campaign,
President Kruegers dramatic retreat
has led the commentators to re-an-
nounce the close Of the war; but the
long lists of casualties or deaths in
hospitals aggregating 200 week, which
continue to fill up the bulletin boards
at the War Office belle their state
ments.
The yelled threat respecting the en-
ployment of rigorous measures sane
toned by the customs of war, is hailed
with satisfaction by the English press
which, too, has lost patience with Lord
Roberts leniency. Bulletins from Ma
chadodorp all point to the speedy col
lapse of the Boer arms. Sir Redvers
Buffers immense seizure of Boer stores
at Spitzkop, General Botha's retire
ment from command, General Pole
Carew's successful advance eastward
along the railway. with General Hamil-
ton within supporting distance behind
him: General French's advance toward
Barberton and various operations by
Generals Hart, Clements and Rumble,
are proofs that the pressure of over
whelming numbers Is irresistible, and
that the Dutch burghers are fighting
without hope and are gradually break
| ing down.
Military experts expect that the last
real battle of the war will be fought at
Nelspruit and that Commandant Viii
joen's forces will then dispense. Their
that little Importance can be attached
to them and it is fairly safe con-
clusion that there will be little except
police work after Komatipoort has been
occupied. The general elections will
not be deferred for the completion OF
| the police work. since, unhappily, that
| Is likely to go on for several years.
The claims hitherto made that the Brit
ish losses in South Africa have been
small as compared with those of other
campaigns appear to need revision, Judg-
ing from recent calculations made by a
well known actuary, who finds that OF
| the officers In South Africa, I'll per
Thousand have been killed or have died
from wounds, S0.6 per thousand of the
officers have died from disease, while OF
the men 10 per thousand have been killed
! or died from wounds, and 3l6 have dice
! from disease. These startling statistics
not only illustrate that while the officers
and men have suffered approximately
equally from disease, the risks of the
officers in action have been hugely dis
lproportionate, ard also that the rate OF
mortality in South Africa is much greater
| than in the Franco-German war. Kru-
gers millions are the subject Of disre-
spe ctful paragraphs and long narratives
of dispraise The lowest estimate of his
wealth is G1,G00,000, invested abroad
while some calculators figure his wealth
at 95,000,000. The Transvaal Government
/ is supposed to have two or three million
pounds in Continental banks, which viii
be boarded by the managing committee
DR.. Leyds says, for future rising when
England is in other difficulties.
All kinds of rumors are current regard
ing the coming of American enterprise
and capital to relieve London's congested
trsffic. That the Metropolis is far behind
every provincial center in many things that
/ go to make up a modern city is begin
ming to be realized by Englishmen as well
as by Americans; and demand is arising
| for new blood-American or otherwise
capable of solving transit problems. One
/ haG only to attempt journey TO the city
thic week to realize the costly delays and
vexations to which business is subjected
under present conditions. The main art
cry, Trafalgar Square to the Bank, is sc
torn up that II takes cabs and buses
thirty or forty minutes to cover jour
ney of less than two miles. Connected
with all this congestion is the great prob
Il lem of housing the working classes, al
which the closest students of London's
social problems are aghast, though they
readily perceive that the only remedy as
L in the case of lessening the congestion OF
the street, lies in widespreading network
os rapid transit. which, under the county
IcOCnc1l rules, must hereafter De
ranean. London. therefore, will gladly
welcome American aid; and there is nc
lack of indications that Americans are ac-
lively seeking investments in this and 9TH
| e. directions. There is scarcely hote
| in London that does not contain an i'm
portant representative of some American
! Industry or enterprise which he is ac-
lively engaged in promoting. There is
much gossip over the statements that Mr..
Charles t. yerkes of Chicago and New
York has secured control of the stock OF
the Chariug Cross, Euston and Hamp-
stead underground railroad and II is
limited that the denial made in this con-
nection Thursday by Mr.. Smith. the secre-
tary of the company, as already caoled
to the Associated Press. is by no means
conclusive. 1t is pointed out that there
are some evidences of truth in these re-
ports, and Mr.. Yerkes' friends openly de-
clare that he has not only secured this
valuable opening but that. his coming 70
London means that he VIII control the
electrical traction system of the met
ropolis. Nor Is London the only place
where American capitalists are engaged
IT. electrical enterprises. The next few
days will probably see the completion oil
plans for the construction and consolida-
ton of system Of 100 miles OF subur-
ban lines connecting Manchester. Liver
pool, Bolton and score of smaller towns