New-York tribune., 1900-08-26

IBY CABLE TO TIE TRTBUNEi
London. Aug 25-Opinion on the Far Eastern
question. which has oscillated during the last
few weeks from the depth of dependency 70
optimism and hack again. may now be said to be
In an expectant mood People waiting 20
make up their minds. and while some think the
Chinese crisis is practically over others suggest
that II has just begun Meanwhile. the Chinese
Minister here has unbosOmed himself at
length. and exhibits not unnatural indignation
at the manner In which he openly branded
as liar in newspaper and by various highly
respectable Chinese experts He insists that the
main trouble is due to missionaries. and that
there will be no peace In China as long as they
are permitted to work among the native popuia-
ton.
Mr. Chamberlain's publication OF the letters
from Mr. Labouchere and others 70 Boer Lead
ers is generally regarded rather good piece
OF electioneering; but believe IT was not In
tended TO publish the collection just now. but to
keep 1t back till the OF the general election,
when the bolt might have been shot with more
effect. Mr.. IAbouchere rather cleveriy forced
the hands OF the Government by publishing his
own letters himself. BY the date OF the cleo
tions the impression produced by these docu-
ments may have partly or The letters
from the Cape statesmen emphatic IN
dictment of the KRUGER regime; the other
hand the Liberals contend that these letters also
prove clearly that there never was general
Afrikander conspiracy against Great Britain
The slow progress Of the South African war is
giving rise to a feeling OF evaporation which
is fast becoming savage The English nation IS
losing its temper with the handful OF persistent
burghers who continue to defy 1t. and violent
measures are angrfly called for. Lord Roberts's
last proclamation declining to recognize the neu-
trality of non-combatant burghers is generally
approved. though there is an inclination 70
complain that 1t is not sufficiently drastic Thus
Punch" has published cartoon in which Lord
Roberts is upbraided for his excessive gener-
osity and a Conservative newspaper has been
openly recommending that he should adopt
WeyIer's Cuban policy and carry 1t out more
thoroughly. 1t is true that this suggestion Is
made only in The St James's Gazette" jour
nal which has entirely lost the high reputation
it once enjoyed. and is now edited in a very ir-
responsible fashion; STILL the mere fact that such
propositions can be put forward in English
newspapers which appeal to educated and well
to do readers is significant
Similarly. the death penalty visited upon the
wretched young German lieutenant Cordua has
| been received with a shout OF satisfaction. and
| there was hardly hint anywhere that elen-
ency should have been extende5 To the rash
| young man Undoubtedly COrdUa, in breaking
! his parole and conspiring against the British
/ authorities rendered himself liable TO the Sc
| verest punishment under martial law. but II IS
/ also true that his plot against Lord Roberts
was really originated by the Spanish police Of
| fcer Caro- by whom the whole idea was sug-
| gested to Cordua. 1t was urged however. that
an example was really necessary, TO teach the
Beers not TO engage in secret conspiracies and
violate their oaths and that Cordua's life was
| necessarily sacrificed with this object in view.
I fancy the angry impatience against the
Beers is rather more pronounced with the
rho Evr he me-
| community the fashionable world and the
politicians the prolOngation OF the war IS being
| felt more severely every day 1t has 1nterrered
| with business. caused stagnation in finance and
| clouded the whole political future with uncer-
| tainty. The prevailing doubt about the general
| election is highly inconvenient TO Members OF
Parliament candidates and supporters OF the
two great parties generally. who do not know
whether they will have to find the large sums
| of money required for the contest within the
next few weeks or not With the populace.
| however, mingled with animosity against the
| Beers. there seems to be rising a certain good
| humored tolerance. and even admiration. for
| these tenacious foes. De Wet has strongly ap-
pealed TO the sporting instincts OF the British
nation, and headings Ike this. ''TransvaaI
Handicap-De Wet Still Leading" are not un-
| common in the cheap newspapers which ap-
peal to workingmen De Vets progress east
ward however. seems now effectuaIly checked
/ by Baden-PoweH. who has got across the Nns
/ separating him from the Lydenburg and Bar
/ berton districts The great guerilla leader has
| fallen back, and is understood to be max
| ing for the Orange Free State again. probably
| intending to attack Roberts's communications.
/ According to the Commander-in-Chief. De Wet
| has only three hundred men with him, but this
may be underestimate
| Meanwhile. and quite without reference to De
| Wet. the Beers are in considerable force In the
| Transvaal. Boer officials have been re-estab-
| lshed in Zeerust. Lichtenburg. Potchefstroom.
/ Klerksdorp and Rustenburg. that practical
| ly the English have temporarily abandoned the
| occupation of the country from Mafeking al
| most 10 the outskirts OF johannesburg. Rob
erts seems to be concentrating his efforts. IN
| conjunction with Butler. on the main Transvaal
force. under Botha. which the correspondent OF
/ The Standard" at Pretoria now puts az twenty
| thousand men. This army is covering a wide
| stretch OF country from Belfast nOrtheastward
| to the border OF Swaziland. At the same time
/ BOer raiders at work on Buffers communl-
cations in Natal. and are even threatening
| Newcastle again. 1t is tOlerabIy certain that
the Chancellor of the Exchequer's anticipation
| that a large part of Roberts's troops might be
brought home In September viii not be fulfilled
nor is the likely to be brought to a
| conclusion by the second week OF October. when
the Ministerialists hope it may be possible to
| begin general election
| To the various campaigns which occupy her
| energies abroad Great Britain may now have
70 add the scarcely less serious evil Of wide
| spread industrial war at home. For some time
| there has been great unrest among the vast
| body OF men employed on the English railways,