New-York tribune., 1900-01-28

on American lines
The British Cabinet has made final prepara-
tions for the meeting of Parliament at one of
the gioomiest Government councils held since
the Crimean War and the Indian Mutiny. The
first duty of the Government will be to ask for
q large extension of credit for meeting the war
expenses already incurred. When this has been
done. the Chancellor of the Exchequer will have
chance for explaining how he purposes to
finance the war. which is certain to prove the
most expensive campaign carried on by
England. Sooner or later a wider range of prac-
tical and critical questions respecting the con-
duct of the will be opened, and the Minis
ters will be exposed TO an enfilading fire from
their own supporters, well from the Oppo-
sition benches. 1t will be a war session, and
little in the way OF general legislation beyond
small uncontroversial measures can be expected.
The downfall of the Ministry is not outside the
range Of possibilities, if Buffers campaign for
the relief OF Ladysmith ends in failure or there
are fresh disasters in some other quarter The
Aberdeen Ministry could not survive the terri
BILE winter of Sebastopol, and overwhelming
is the majority behind the Upionist Govern
ment 1t will be in imminent danger unless Rob
erts, Kitchener and Butler win decisive vic
tories in the course of the next few weeks The
present Government is, however in different
position from the Aberdeen Ministry. The fail
ures in South Africa not due to the break
down Of the administrative branches of the ser
vices; the mobilization scheme has worked well:
there has been little delay in sea transport the
commissariat has been admirably ordered; the
medical corps has been wonderfully effective,
and there has been mismanagement of sup
plies The Crimean maladministration has not
been repeated and the soldiers have been equal
In gallantry and endurance to the heroes of the
Light Brigade. immortalized by Tennyson. The
spects. but they have not been ignorant, nor in
capable nor slothful When the last word has
been said about the low range of guns and the
lack Of cavalry, the Ministers cannot be justly
held responsible for failures due to bad general
ship and tactical blunders in the field
The budget of official reports from White,
Butler and Methuen published to-day confirms
the opinion that the Dutch owe their successes
as much to the blunders Of the British staff
and to the recklessness of the British officers
to their own valor. Parliament will not
son about these matters If there are more re-
verses. It will harass the Ministers with
criticism, and expose them to a deadly cross
fire from the benches The safety of the Minis
try lies In the reluctance of the Liberals take
Office and order general election. The Opposi-
tion cannot provide a substitute government
for carrying the war. and settling the South
African question. The Ministers will probably
be allowed to remain in office If they will
ing to be constantly snubbed and occasionally
kicked. As they are high spirited Englishmen
they may themselves kick against the pricks
and retire from Office.
That is the contingency for which the Cabi-
net makers providing when they contend
that the sequel to few more military reverses
will be the reconstruction OF the Ministry by
the retirement Of Sir Michael Hicks-Beach,
=
the creation OF coalition by the return
Of Lord Rosebery to the Foreign Office. This
seems incongruous since it would be reinforc-
ing the present Government at its strongest
point; there have been failures at the For
eign Office during the last four months. and
Lord Salisbury, the most capable and versatile
of European statesmen, has displayed consum-
mate ability in avoiding foreign complications.
Lord Rosebery by his own conduct helps to
keep the Cabinet makers busy; he fluent
enough, and certainly adroit and statesmaniike
when he opened the town hall at Chatham, but
when he spoke last night as chairman of the
Liberal Club Of Edinburgh he was tongue tied.
pleading his obligation to catch train his
excuse for a six minutes speech with elegant
reflections upon the utility of club libraries.
Lord Rosebery's lack of In addressing a
Liberal audience at critical time is attributed
by political gossips TO his own consciousness
that he is a necessary man in the non-partisan
coalition movement which may speedily be
brought to light
Apart from the issues Of the war, there is
neither public nor social life in England. Great
court personages like the Duke Of Teck pass
from the scene and masters OF literature like
Ruskin and Blackmore are buried almost with
out observation. Public attention is entirely
preoccupied with the military drama In South
Africa Books are longer read; day by day
the country lives on bread and newspapers.
Probably the only recent book which is having
q large and profitable sale is Fftzpatricks book
on the interior history OF the TransvaaI, which
has run above twenty thousand copies. Pub
fishers holding back everything which they
are not compelled by contract to bring out The
most promising field of enterprise for publishers
in time to be illustrative Journalism;
two new sxpenny weekIies have been started
this week. THE Spear" and 1.-The Sphere" the
latter conducted by Mr.. Clement Shorter who is
a recognized master OF that order of journalism.
There is now bakers dozen of these illustrated
weeklies in London.
The theatres offer few novel features. Mrs.
Campbell tonight reopened the Royalty Thea
ire with THE Canary and THE Sacrement of
Judas" and excited great enthusiasm by recit-
ing Mrs. Harters poem. entitled THE
Women Of Britain"
Mayfair is crowded but stagnant There has
been one notable wedding at ST. Margarets,
Westminster this week. that of Lord Balcarres
and Miss PeIly granddaughter OF Lord Wemyss;
HT fO11nd TrO17r 7np6iHina