New-York tribune., 1900-07-22
NEWS OF TWO CAPITALS
LONDON.
THF SENSATION CAUSED BY THE cox.
GER DISPATCH.
CABALS IN SOCIETY AGAINST LORD RoB
ERTS-DIsAPPoINTING INACTION
IN SOUTH AFRICA

A
Copyright 1900: By The New-York TribuneI
[BY CABLE To THE TRTBUNEI
London. July 21-The simplicity Of young
America has confounded the arts and wisdom,
of European diplomacy. The practical device ~
the State Department for finding out by a cipher
message whether Minister Conger is still alive
has startled the Foreign Office. dazed haIfpennv
Journalism and silenced the requiems for the
dead ordered by the Dean and Chapter of the
metropolitan cathedral
Naturally diplomatic enterprise Of this uncon-
ventional kind is regarded critically in this con-
servative country where there is a pretudiee 81
long standing against anything so untutored
and unfettered as American statecraft Min
lister Conger's message is not considered con-
elusive, either by the British officials or bv the
London press. which has been printing detailed
accounts of the massacres at Peking As for
the Dean and Chapter Of St. Paurs, who have
been prematurely arranging theatrical service
Tor the dead for Monday, and suggesting that
The Dead March from Saul" should be played
IN every church tomorrow week words are
lacking in which to express their astonishment
over American creduIity and meddIesomeness.
There is a general agreement that the proc
esses Of American diplomacy, while simple and
childlike, are irregular and untrustworthy
Why has not our Foreign Ofice thought
donald?" asked an indignant Briton last night
Why should news Of this importance be al
lowed to come from Washington instead OF
our own sources Of information" Secretary
Hays opinion, cabled TO the morning papers.
that the message was authentic and that
Minister Conger was alive last Wednesday
is respected even by the critics who are most
loquacious on the subject of beIated dispatches
and the artistic qualities Of Chinese mendacitv.
raI dc rHa
burial service. with its solemn requiem. until
there is certainty respecting the fate Of the
legations and refugees.
The Chinese mysteries divert public attention
from the inscrutable secrets Of British inaction
in South Africa. This is perhaps fortunate. for
the heat has been terribly severe for London.
and worrying is dangerous unless il can be done
underneath a straw hat It is probable that
Lord Roberts's campaign has not been going
We'll although the situation IS not clear. and
there may be pleasant surprise for the pub
lie Anyhow, it had been generally believed that
the Beers were rounded up in a mountainous
corner OF the Free State. and that they were
fallins back demoralized into the Transvaal. but
these expectations have not been justified. Gen
eral De Wet has contrived 10 break through
the Gordon with a single column. which NAV
now be heading for the railway or swooping
down upon the conveys and isolated posts He
mas also IeIJ pehind IN the mountain Businesses a
force Of sufficient strength 70 compel Generals
Rumble and Hunter TO operate cautiously Mean
while General Botha's force has been pressing
closely around Pretoria since NitraPs Mex and
Lord Roberts does not appear to be accom-
plishing any useful result by sending columns to
Rustenburg and northward from Waterfall
The long silence which has followed the brief
announcement that the Boer fox had broken
from the mountains with two brigaSss az
mounted troops after him sAAras 10 Indicate
that he has found cover ia some unexpected
quarter 1t is hardly possible TO form any con-
clUsion from the meagre dispatches now printed
from the theatre OF war. as the censorship Is so
rigorous that important movements pass un-
recorded. The fact has come out that General
Paget was practically under siege for weeks at
Lindley, and that General De Wet made re-
peated attempts to capture tire town. This was
not hinted at until day or two ago. Military
men fail to explain why the Beers have sue
ceeded in capturing one body OF British troops
after another. while they invariably elude pur-
suit themselves. disappear when apparently
surrounded and entrapped. and then reappear
elsewhere and work further mischief. Their
horses ought TO be worn out by this time and
they cannot be sure OF getting remounts or sup
plies; but their mobility is unceasing and So
called flying columns on the British side are un-
able to overtake, hunt down and capture tha
commanders. Lord Robertss friends are as
serting that he is badly served by the generals
In the Free State. and assuming that as soon as
General De Vets forces are dispersed the cam
for rent from Oct. 5Tth St. 9TH Geo. Orvis Mgr
-Advt