Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-28


Beers, and now used by them. Also wheth-
er there are now with the army in Africa
any Vickers-Maxim guns that fire she'll
and the value We are to attach to the
statement that the Beers now possess be-
tween 30 and go heavy guns and field
pieces, instead of the ITO with which they
had been credited.
So far from the war fever having spent
itself In the metropolis recruiting officers
aver that they never remember a time
when their services were in greater de-
mand. The class Of recruits Offering Is
much superior to what 1t Is in times of
peace. Many well-educated men. chiefly
clerks and shop assistants, are coming for
ward. especially for the cavalry regiments
and the artillery. which are believed to
have the best chance of seeing active ser
vice. 1t Is believed by experienced recruit
ing sergeants that if the government sane
toned special enlistment for one or two
ing In London alone several thousand ex-
cellent soldiers within a few weeks.
Cost of the War.
How much will the war cost? How will
the money be raised? These questions, SO
interesting to the public. have been already
largely determined by the cabinet. 1t is
stated on high authority that the figures
have reached an amount which points to
the sum Of f56.O0O,OO0 as the total cost Of
the conflict when it has been brought to a
conclusion An eminent member Of a pre-
'AoeS SeahVe 20 ASpoIlSu " nave uttldI cu
privately that the war is costing us IS, O00,-
600 month. but statistics which Mr.. Wynd-
ham Is expected to lay before the house
this week will contradict the statement.
For the moment there will be no addition
to taxation. The money will be drawn from
the floating debt, and its repayment spread
over a large number of years. In two
years the income tax will probably witness
an Increase Of over shilling, but it is
satisfactory to learn that the ministers
have already determined to make the raad
milLonaires pay a considerable proportion
of the cost.
The army must be spending vast sums in
Natal, yet reports continue to be received
of bitter distress from that country, which
the local government Is sore put to relieve.
cape Town, on the contrary, is simply COIN
ing money, since half of fashionable Lon
don has migrated there. To be an hotel
Keeper there must be for the time one Of
the most lucrative vocations on earth. l
speak not without warrant, for 1 know of
some persons who, having inquired prices,
were asked 900 month for a bed in a
three-bedded room. Think of that's 900
year for single bed ROOM The revenue
of the colony may suffer during the war,
but its aggregate wealth must certainly be
increased enormously.
Uniforms for Menelfk's Army.
The Emperor Meneik is progressing and
begins to occupy rather a forceful posi-
ton in the politics of Europe, and now he
is turning his attention to the uniform Of
his army. Menelik's mems military COS
tune Is to be very different sort of thing
to the none too ample raiment which jokers
have sometimes associated with Abyssinian
full dress. Russion artist has, it ap-
pears, satisfied the monarch's somewhat ex-
acting ideas by designating a uniform that
is a mixture of European and Ethiopian. 1t
consists iE a short dark-colored tunic, with
one line Of buttons only. corded with red,
for the soldiers, and with gold for the Of
cIo,.< hat
most Of the leg remains bare, as do the
feet, Menelik having rebelled at the idea
of shoes for his quick steppers," who, In
fact, are renowned for their extraordinary
swiftness in marching. From the belt hangs
the cartridge case. while they carry, be-
sides a rife, a sword and short dagger
The officers have also a revolver The cap,
Ii SO 1t may be called, is the most curious
feature of this interesting costume. The
ordinary soldiers cap not seeming appro-
pirate, a plume Of feathers has been sub
those of the officers being ostrich
held to the head by a species of round
comb. And thus the Ethiopian army, with
black faces glistening under gay feathers
will proceed to battle, with the proud con-
vicuon of being the most gorgeous troops
In Africa.
Kindly Critic OF America.
Mr.. William Archer's jottings on "Ameri-
ca Today published by Mr.. Heinemann
are very pleasant reading, and one is glad
to miss the shrewish note which certain
observers of life across the Atlantic have
to consider as appropriate to their mission.
Mr. Archer does not pretend to go very far
below the surface and his journeyings were
limited to some half dozen cities, of which
Chicago was the furthest west. The jul
dicious traveller was captivated by his
glimpse of life in the eastern cities-the
life, by the way, of highly educated men
and wonderland the swing. the rush. the
briliance of New York streets seem to
have fairly fascinated him. Among a hun
bred men whom he met at lunch he found
dantic person. More than half the women
in the theater were beautiful. The hospi-
tally was cordial and generous in the ex-
treme but perhaps a trif1e too lavish. Even
the custom house officials stretched out
hands Of welcome to Mr.. Archer. and he
pronounced them to be not only undeEla-
bly, human beings, but civil and helpful
into the bargain.
Mr. Archer has no pity for any of the
has good word for the New York adver-
tisements. the American interviewer and
the Manhattan policeman not to mention
a selection of Americanisms. New York.
he assures us, Is less trying to the nerves
than London. and though he grudgcd the
time spent in the elevators, he found the
morning and evening crush on the elevated
whole, he concludes that New York, with
its living school of architecture its blaze
of electric light and it's general appearance
of vitality, is the most maligned city in
the world No English traveller since
George Stevens who died the other day
at Ladysmith has discovered SO much Of
value in America as this newest writer on