Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-06-23
CHINA TO THE FORE
Attracts More Attention in London
Than the Boer War.
ELECTRIC ROADS IN ENGLAND
Some Of the Joys Of Houseboat-
ing on the Thames.
ANOTHER MINING BOOM
ELECTRIC ROADS IN ENGLAND
ANOTHER MINING BOOM
Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.

LONDON, June 5, 1900.
The China situation overshadows the war
just at present, when things are so lively
in the yellow kingdom and so stagnant in
South Africa. "Bobs'' has turned quiet
and no news comes from Pretoria, which
there is reason to believe that he may find
q somewhat embarrassing position. But
from China there is real news. The critical
situation remains unrelievcd. 1t, indeed, be-
comes graver day by day. The Boxers
appear to be masters of the country be-
tween Tien Tsin and Pekin, although some
reports declare that a Chinese army of
some kind has been sent out to meet them.
The situation is complicated by the ignor-
ance which prevails as to the real reia-
tonship between the rebels and the Pekin
court.
Whether the empress Is in full sympathy
with the Boxers, even to the extent of
substituting them, as alleged or whether the
Boxers are a genuine revolutionary party.
fighting against the foreign devils
well as against the dynasty. it is not easy
to determine from the conflicting reports
sent to Europe.
1t is recognized here that in any case we
are face to face with crisis which will
need all the skill and tact of all the diplo-
natists at Pekin TO tide safely over. Should
there be anything like a breakup, poiti-
clans here. whether conservatives or liber-
ais, have little faith in Lord Salisbury be-
ing able to hold his own If pitted agains-
the more astute and more resolute Musco
vite diplomatists. He has been jockeyed
by the Russians repeatedly in China, and
he will be likely to be jockeyed again. The
government has no policy in the far
east. They do not know what they want,
and if they did they would not know how
to obtain it. Russia, on the other hand,
has policy, and is always ready to enforce
IT. The last hope of peaceful settlement
lies in such combination of the powers
in the interests of peace as would effectua!y
prevent Russia or any other single power
taking the settlement into its own hand..
The future depends mostly on the success
Or failure Of the Boxers. Their overthrow
would throw off the present danger. while
their triumph would probably finish the
Manchu dynasty and throw China into the
melting pot.
Trouble is Inevitable.
If the emperor could be rescued from his
Imprisonment and placed on a throne made
secure by the protection of the powers
working together, the real breakup might
not come SO soon. But come 1t must sooner
or later, and then look out for wars in
China and trouble among the powers we
have seen the beautiful effects of the "Eu-
ropean concert over Turkey and Crete.
and where such luscious morsels are con-
cerned as would result from the PARTITION
of China affairs would doubtless become
very lively, not only in the far east but
nearer home.
The United States is taking a wise part
in holding aloof from acting with the Eu-
ropean powers. Her influence will have
far more weight on account OF this policy
when the real crux is encountered 1 have
reason to believe that the British govern
ment is highly satisfied at the sand the
United States is taking.
1t is even limited in diplomatic quarters
that the United States, Japan and Great
Britain will form coalition over the mat
ter. but whether one believes this not it
is evident that thus far the three countries
have worked on the same lines.
Electricity in England.
I have mentioned more than once the
hesitancy with which English towns, es-
pecally London, have shown In .opting
electricity as the motive power in working
tramways.
This was we'll brought out in lecture de-
livered by Mr. Algernon Binyon to the So
ciety of Engineers last night. That Lon
don should not yet possess a single electri-
cally worked tramway is of itself a re-
markable fact, but several other almost
equally strange points are brought out by
a comparison of the traffic with that of
New York. No less than 81 per cent of the
London traffic is worked by horse and cable
cars in New York such traffic is practi-
Cally nil.
ways. 3G9.O0OOOO passengers per annun1,
40 per cent of the total traffic; under
ground railways, 12SoO0,OG0, or 10 per cent.
and omnibusas PAS, 500, 600 or &c per cent.
The total number of passengers carried is
CSC. 100000, and thus the $500 600 of people
in London may be said to travel 124 times
over each year. In New York the electric
tramways carry yearly no fewer than 517.-
100000 people, or 20 per cent Of the total
traffic. and the elevated railways 22S,000.
600, or 30 per cent. The total number of
equal to the population of 3.5OO,OOO travel
ing 2l0 times over each year. Mr.. Binyon
foretells that when the London Central
electric line is opened. and when the exist
ing district and metropolitan lines are worked
by electricity, We shall have startling
developments in London. England. he
holds, is an ideal country for tramways,
being SO densely populated. England can
not he says, expect to destroy the lead
America has in the production Of electric
traction material, but in time he hopes
matter up seriously. If they do not. all con-
tract orders of any magnitude will still
cross the Atlantic. There is plenty of
scope. Mr.. Binyon maintains. for English
manufacturers to make all machinery for
use here without having to import it, and
he offers his assurance as an expert that
the best poles, brackets, trolleys and cars
are even now made in England. The re-
mander of Mr.. Binyons lecture was de-
voted to the best method of tramway trac-
ton to ADOPT. He favored the overhead
tramway plant. Mr.. Binyon advocated COM
pletely separate dynamos and mains
House boats on the Thames.
The summer-like weather of the last few
days has tempted large crowds Of visitors
to that most delightful Of all London's re-
creation grounds the valley of the Thames.
On Saturday practically every boat from
Maidenhead to Richmond was occupied
the houses and picturesque cottages by the
riverside had put on the sayest appearance,
and large and constantly increasing bodies
of campers had erected their bell tents on
every available piece of ground. Living in
house boats is far from being a declining
hobby. Not only is the number of these
floating residences larger than hitherto, but
many of them have made additional provi-
sion for comfort and convenience by moor
ing another large boat alongside the bank
to which access is gained by platform,
and in which all the cooking can be done.
In decoration even more elaboration Is dis
played than in previous years, but the most
admired are those displaying a variety of
blooming plants along the edge of the up
per deck. At few spots in the river Is 1t
now possible to get quite out of sight
of houseboat. One of such stretches Is at