The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-12-09
STROIG BACKiaG R02 POaTUGlE.
BEST HOLLAND CAN DO is TO
SWALLOW HER
FLUFF
THE TREATY FOR THE CANAL
Probable That the United States SEN
ate Is Wasting Its Time in
Discussing Any Amend
C2ents.

LONDON, Dee. S.-The Nicaraguan
canal creates only mild interest in Lon
don The London cable dispatches deal
with the probable action of the United
States senate and its deliberations are
read by the general public with COM
paratiVely little interest and less under
standing. The report that the British
government has in any way indicated its
willingness to accept the amended treaty
is utterly false. In fact the indications,
such as they are, point to Great Britain
refusing to accept any amendment be-
yOnd what the foreign office already be-
lieves a generous concession.
Said a prominent official: We would
not abrOgate the Bulwer-Clayton treaty
for any other nation in the world. I'm
less all the traditions of the British for
eign policy are reversed fail to see how
We can afford to give away any more
advantages even to America"
No representations or inquiries have
yet been made to the foreign offise,
where it IS pointed out, it is impossible
10 form any final judgment until the
senate acts. That war, or even Sc
rious misunderstanding, could ever result
from such a cause receives no Official
or public credence.
PORTUGUEsE-DUTCH EMBROGLIO.
Though the trouble between Holland
and Portugal can scarcely result in war,
it is far more serious and interesting
than generally regarded here. Great
Britain is concerned in the affair more
deeply than appears on the surface, for
tht, Associated Press learns that 1t Is
due to a British protest to Portugal that
the exequatU of Herr Pott, the Dutch
consul at Lourenzo Marques, was with
drawn and the visit of the powerful
British fleet to Portuguese waters Is
something more than q coincidence. The
Lisbon press frankly declares it was IN
tended as a warning demonstration to
other nations to keep their hands OH
Portugal.
The British officials also do not hesl-
tate to admit their governments readl-
ness to back up the action which Portu-
gal took al it's request, hence Holland
can do little more than gracefully make
the best of bad job, unless she re-
ceiyc the supporter some of the great
powers, which is very remote con-
tin2ency.
The temporary withdrawal of the Netn-
erlands minister at Lisbon and the FOR
+ug11ese minister at The Hague, though
officially helittled, is the sequence OF Sc
rious friction. the details of whlch were
known to the British secretary OF state
for foreign affairs, the MARQUIS OF Lails-
downe, some weeks ago.
NOT AN ACCIDENT.
The unusual action of sending the whole
British channel squadron TO LISBON Is re-
garded by those who nave lhe llaios l'.lls "a
formation as being one of the boldest ana
most successful steps of aggressive q pio-
mary in recent history. With Great Brlt-
ain showing a strong hand, the absent
ministers are likely to return to thef
posts shortly, and the incident prooaply
will only produce an ettectlVe lllusl 1.'h o
of the fact that alliance exists De-
tween Portugal and G eat Britain. 1t was
effected when the question of Landing
South African troops at Belra, Portu-
euese South Africa, came up, ana WIS sth-
nounced at the time in these dispatches.
In this connection it is interesting TO note
that the French papers regard the whole
affair as a fresh menace towards FRANCE,
and the Spanish papers interpret 1t SINH
larly as regards their own country.
THE CHINESE PUZZLE.
The Cinese problem is so wrapped up
in contradictory dispatches and so COM
plicated by the multitude of notes ana
amendments thereto that even the Keen
est DIPLOMATS frankly confess they scarce
ly know how the situation stands. from
one of them regarding the American
uIans for China, it is learned that nego-
tniations going on al the time may be
summed up as cndeavoring TO get the
Chinese court to return to Pekln Inc
powers seem at last to realize that all
the dDie DOISS lnSN nave lOi bidlc1NCo al =
not worth the paper they are written
lIpon until the powers are in touch with
the Chinese court. Providing this Is ac-
complished, which it is now hoped VIII be
the case, the powers are willing to make
the question Of reparation secondary to
the establishment Of a stable form OF
Chinese government. When this is ac-
complished the matter of indemnity will
come up. The method of its eXaction is
not yet known, though it is realized it
cannot be secured territorially
Secretary Hays suggestion that the
''powers confer at Brussels or some other
place" is not likely to met with Great
Britains acceptance. The other Euro
pean powers are inclined to give their
representatives at Pekin a fairly free
hand, and dread the added complications
and delays which they believe a congress
of the powers would entail Otherwise
Mr. Hays latest propositions received on
the whole general approval and pr mise to
form the basis for an eventual settlement.
While the activity of the negotiations is
not likely to flag within the next few
weeks it is the belief of those best in
formed that they will net, or, rather, can
not, result in anything definite until the
ministers are personally in touch with
the Chinese court. There is no attempt
here to conceal the fact that in the alb
sence of details the iginal plan has been
departed from in regard to China
BATTING JOE CHAMBERLAIN
The past weeks debate in the house of
commons affords prospect that the ses-
sion will be lively next week With Mr.
Chamberlain at bay from continuous at
tacks, the colonial secretary got up on
Friday to explain the governments S pol
icy. Nevertheless u more urbane speech
was never made in the house. II was
not what had been expected Momentar--
ily the house waited for the mask of
peace to drop and the mailed hand TO
appear, but it never came In the as
tonishment from which the Liberals have
not yet recovered TIE official amendment
was withdrawn. Business, however, was
not facilitated. Mr.. Chamberlain has
still to face the ordeal of questions WITH
regard TO his personal business connec-
tions, and it remains to be seen when
he will remain so calm, when his own
personality is discussed. Nevertheless.
the government is likely to obtain sup
plies without any attacks more serious
than that upon Mr.. Chamberlain
Rev. George Min, the well known Chi