The sun., 1900-01-01
NON WANTS OUR FRIENDSHIP
England In Her Sore Distress
Turns to the United
States.
DAY OF RECKONING AHEAD
Who VIII Hear the Blame for the
Terribly Mismanaged War?
Coal Famine Now Threatens
England and the
United Kingdom.

United Kingdom.
London. Dec. 3i.--It Is strange to note
that as the new year dawns for Great
Britain the greatest army she ever put
In the field remains passive In South
Africa, held at bay by two Of the small
est republics ON the face OF the earth,
while at home, in spite OF the large vol.
nrne OF trade and apparent prosperity.
her financial interests are in state Of
instability not seen since the Barring
crash. All Europe Is yelping at her
heels, and the necessity for Americas
friendship Is recognized on all sides.
Papers and people who for years have
been ready with gibe for Americas
good win no longer make any attempt
TO belittle the desirability OF securing
her friendship. America" says The
Globe, usually humorous at the expense
Of all things transatlantic, with a crop
OF B42, ,000.000 bushels, is especially In
position TO help u.s."
The economic shoe already begins to
pinch the military foot--not very seri-
ously, but enough TO suggest grave cogita-
tons as to what would happen IL Great
Britain were at war with great pow
or. The fact that the government has
chartered so many transports has re-
suited in a rise In the price Of bread,
while coal Is rising By leaps and bounds
20 famine prices. 1t il such unpleasant
results as these that silence the scoffer
at things American and induce such a
vituperative- publicatAh as The Satur-
dav Review 10 say;
slhe Americans have had their eyes
opened 70 the possibilities of foreign
policy and are taking n sounder, cooler
view OF the situation. They are not less
friendly to lis than before, but the insin-
kere element has been eliminated and has
left reliable substratum OF good will"
(which concatenation The Saturday
Review, under different circumstances,
would doubtless have construed into
damning evidence OF the insincerity OF
American friendship. II must not be
inferred that this view is held by many
OF the sincere English friends OF Ameri-
ca, who now point to what they are
pleased 70 term its great friendliness as
proof of what they have always main
tanned.
Day OF Reckoning Ahead.
With such serious outlook for the
coming year 1t Is hardly surprising that
articles appear under the heading, Are
We DecadentY and similar strains. On
the other hand, there is still small sec
tion of the press and public which de-
votes Its energies TO senselessiy abusin;
the Beers and prophesying the speedy
entry OF the British into Pretoria. Yet,
on the whole, the organs voicing the bet
Ter class of opinion face 1900 and its
eventualities in South Africa with an
evenminded, unhysterical determination
TINT compeIs admiration. That there
win be day Of reckoning for some one
Is a certainty that even the most guard
ed and conservative do not try to con-
eeal. Whether Il be Lord Lansdowne,
Lord Wolseley or General Butler II Is
impossible to tell. But all the inforIna-
ton obtainable at present and the gist OF
criticism point 10 Lord LaDsdowne hav-
ing 10 shoulder the onus OF the terrible
mismapagement.
While Great Britain feeds contentedly
upon long special cables showing Ameri-
can. friendship, the Boer agents in Eu-
rope believe sentiment in the United
States has been gradually turning Boer-
ward until the time Is now ripe 10 de-
velop IL into material effect. Under this
impression, Il Is learned that they are
contemplating dispatching special mis-
sion 10 the United States for the purpose
open meetings and by personally assist
lag the efforts Of those in congress whom
tney believe friendly. Moreover, they
consider 1t advisable to Offset what they
declare has been a systematic campaign
Of Mr.. John Hays Hammond, the Ameri-
can engineer who was member OF the
I johannesburg reform committee, 70 In
nuence Washington opinion. II the plans
now under consideration are carried out,
Il the mission will include very prominent
4 Boer agent and a pro-Boer member OF
u the British parliament, who intended TO
II soil last week, but were prevented BY
& what is thought to be n temporary hitch
IN the arrangements. Their desire is to
affiliate themselves with no particular
party. but by influencing political and
public opinion TO secure at least an offer
or mediation from the United States.
Careful inquiries failed to find any cir
cumstance 10 warrant the belief that such
an offer, however made, would receive
the slightest consideration.
Coal Famine Threatened.
The British government is threatened
with a coal famine, the most serious de-
yelopment Of recent weeks. Unless the
conditions improve many industrial con
Germs depending upon the coal supply
may have TO suspend operations before
February as their margin Of profit IL
rapidly being wiped ous. The root of the
trouble appears to be the withdrawal Of
40 many Golfers TO take their places IN
the ranks Of the reserves. Wages have
gone up. but labor is hard to find. Inc
normal Christmas congestion Of traffic
aggravAtes the situation, while the gov
ernment need OF fuel for transports, wal
vessels md depots ON the way to th'
Cape has created an unprecedented de
niaDd.
Y Thomas Kite, the old parish clerk o.
ghakespeare's church, has quickly fol
bwed the custodian of Anne Hathaway
cottage 10 the grave. He was 9l year.
IL age and succeeded his father enc
grandfather half century ago and wa
well known 10 all dramatic celebrities
Among those whom he conducted 4
Bhakespears's tomb were Sir Waits
.cofs, washIrgton Irving, Dickens, I'm
son. .Bough. kean and Hawthorne