The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1900-12-16
According to Press and Public
Opinion Of England.
GOVERNMENT KNOWS SBETTER
English Officials Do Not Wish to Affect
American Legislation BY Making
Statements oa Nicaragua
Canal Question.


States have many able men but no one
Of conspicuous merit" This statement
appears in the Daily Mail year book
lust issued to compete with whitaker's
Almanac under the section devoted to
the worlds chief statesmen.
While it is not an inspired or parucu-
larry erudite publication. 1t unfortun-
ately represents the bulk Of press and
public opinion in England. Nothing 50
wen explains the attitude Of the Eng
lish press toward American action in
Nicaragua, China and other quarters
OF the globe rs this crude revelation OF
It's estimate Of American public men.
It is this underlying though seldom ex-
pressed belief which permeates the ed
itorlals row so frequently devoted to
the policy OF the Washington govern
nent.
How utterly this is at variance with
the opinion Of the foreign office and
the highest government officials here is
apparcnt from the fact that in almost
every recent case where the English
papers have attempted to advise or to
forecast the attitude Of their govern
ment towards propositions suggested by
the United States they have taken ex-
actly the opposite line from the course
eventually pursued by Lord Salisbury
and the Marquis Of Lansdowne. This
lack Of sympathy between the admin
istration papers seems to hroaden daily.
Hence while the mass OF English com
ments on the Nicaragua canal question
undoubtedly represent the views Of
large section of the public it must not
be considered in any way official or
even semi-oficial.
NICARAGUA CANAL QUESTION.
A special cable dispatch from Wash
ington complains that the London dis
patches dealing with the Nicaragua ca
nal do not give any indication Of the
views of Lord Salisbury. the Marquis
of Lansdowne or any authoritative per-
son. II may be said that Lord Lans-
downe has been given every Opportuni-
ty to communicate his views on the
matter but he has definitely refused,
remarking that he did not wish to at
tempt to interfere covertly or otherwise
in the formation Of American public
or legislative opinion. He has not even
discussed the canal in his frequent con-
ferences this week with the United
States ambassador. Joseph H. Choate.
Great Britain's decision doubtless will
be arrived at only after a cabinet con-
ference. What Lord Lansdowne will
advise his fellow cabinet members to dc
depends entirely on the final shape in
which that treaty is returned As the
matter stands II would be equally un-
safe to say he will counsel its rejec-
tion or acceptance, though If he fol-
Icws the ideas which at present prevail
among the foreign Office officials he viii
fall back on the Clayton-B -Bulwer treaty
and reject any modification of the Hay
Pauncefote treaty.
HOLIDAY SAIETY.
The dreary prospect Of interminabl'
war in South Africa and Increased tax
alton at home is no deterrent to Christ
mas gaiety. TIE shops and markets ar
brighter ;hAn ever. gay throngs fl
the streets. business is al top notch anC
the theatres are crowded. Thousandl
Of people are preparing tc Invade Lon
don to welcome Lord Roberts home. TIL
number OF spectators Of 'Bobs marci
to st. Paul's accompanied by the Prince
of Wales, January 9, is likely to breal
all records. The officials are already be
sieged for tickets FOR the thanksgiving
exercises and window owners are anx
iously awaiting the announcement 0
the line of march.
SUBMARINE WARFARE.
The British admiralty has thorough.
awakened to the Importance Of submar
Inc and similar methods of warfare. /
has arranged to test various invention
for steering torpedoes and submarin
boats by means Of wireless telegraph
operated by A. G. Hlggs, the Unite
States consul at Weymouth.
The United States naval attacht
Commander Glover. is following up III
matter closely. Germany has made a
offer for the German rights. The inven
tion has been considerably altered sine
it was first shown to the German gov
ernment
The inventor expresses tie belief tina
the danger of interference. or jam
ming as it is technically called, ha
been eliminated. As recent Marconi ex
perinents prove. instruments not ey
actly tuned to the same note can hay
no influence over others. regardless {
the power of the batteries. Mr. Higg
provides each torpedo with differer
note and directs it from a ship or tn
land. on or under water, towards the Ok
ject It is desired to destroy, by mean
Of the same current whereby wireles
messages are transmitted.
PoIARsDoG TRUST.
The latest form of trust is that {
polar dogs. According to Sir Clement
Markham, president of the Royal Gee
graphical Society Americans are re
sponsible for forming such a corner /