The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-01-08
ENGLAND PUZZLED.
Now Occupies q Position Between the
Devil and the Deep Sea-"
Is j. SEIZURE OF DELAGOA BAY
A'''r1 70 a1 , ga, ,AroiI Her With
is'V
NOT TO TAKE POSSESSION OF IT
And Announce the Qud Pro Quo Which
Germany Gets
NAY ENDANGER THE FAMOUS ALLIANCE.
Sntd TO he Quite Likely that Sails
bury VIII Adopt the Heroic Meas
Ure of Coercing Portugal.
Especial to The post)

don cable says: Lord Salisbury is between
the devil and the deep sea. Either he
must risk embroillng England with halt
of Europe by saying the word which will
give England control of Delagoa Bay, Ger
man public opinion being appeased by the
announcement OF Germany's substantial
quid pro quo elsewhere, or he must by
keeping his Delagoa Bay card in reserve
till quieter times leave this German furore
over the seizure Of German ships to drive
the German government into alienation
from England.
The belief in authoritative quarters here
is that he will take the former FISK ann
let the public into the long guarded Dela-
goa Bay secret, just so soon as certain
details have been arranged with Portugal.
For that purpose high British diplo-
matte official. in whose hands this mat
ter has largely rested for several years
left London on Friday of last week and is
still at Lisbon. Unless, therefore, an en-
tirely new aspect is given to the question,
it is probable that before the prize court
at Durham has given Judgment on the seiz-
ures Europe will be in the throes Of a Del
agoa Bay crisis. That. at least, is the
present expectation in English official
circles.
The strange history of this Delagoa Bay
affair has been partly unfolded. There
never probably was an international COM
pact which has been subject TO more de-
malls and hopeessly conflicting assertions.
Herein it is a prime illustration OF the
well known diplomatic maxim that there
is only one sure way of keeping an inter
national secret, namely, to allow a cloud
of contradictory reports to envelop the
whole question. till the public believes
everything. But, despite this cloud OF ru-
mors. the facts are simple enough, as re-
! lated yesterday by one who has had init
mate official dealings with South African
problems and speaks with peculiar author
/ ity as regards Delagoa Bay.
He fully confirms the often-expressed
statement that all this talk OF delay on the
part of Swiss arbitrators is mere blind.
Ever since the end OF 1896 Lord Salisbury
acting, of course, in concert with the
kaisers government, has only had to raise
a finger to insure the delivery OF the
award at two weeks notice. England and
Germany have not wanted the award de-
livered until they were ready for 1t, and
the Swiss arbtrators. receiving $4,000 a
year so long as arbitration lasts, are not
likely to prove obstreperous; but the seiz-
are of German vessels puts a new face on
the question, and the award may now he
expected very soon,
Portugal must then rnise the money to
pay the award. and her most accessible
asset Is her colonies. Hence. Englsnd's
compact with Germany, that when the
time OF Portugal's need comes Delagoa
Bay should pass under British control.
subject, probably, 10 the retention OF Por-
tuguese sovereignty. SO as to save the
king and Germany should get other por-
; tugnese plums. also at a price. Portugal
stiIl under old treaties the protege of Eng
land, fell into Eugland's arms like a faint
ing woman. to use Sir Alfred Miners
phrase. and we seem now on the eve OF
the completion of the deal.
This authority was asked what, in diplo-
matte circles, was expected to be the re-
suit Of this move in Europe. He said
that it was understood that France, an
. ticipating such an AngloGerman step, had
come to an arrangement with Spain BY
which France should claim ceuta as The
price of her complaisance. THAT, OF
course" he said, lis absolutely impos-
sible. unless we mean to make Gibraltar
and Malta OF no effect. and hand over our
highway 10 India, which, Of course. We Dc
not mean 10 do. England must and woult
fight rather than yield to any such de-
mand"
"And what OF Russia? The papers have
been suggesting that she has told LORD
Salisbury that the future Of Delagoa ba,
Is really no business OF hers"
"oh. dear no" replied he, "that is alb
! soiutely untrue. France counts on Rus
4 STA. and IL the Franco Russian alliance 4
half as effective bond as France claims
i she should not count in vain. Yet de-
spite all that, and though Of course Eng
& land Is forced by her position In Soutf
Africa 10 run the risk Of grave Europeai
complications, war will not come. Tina
is the firm belief OF those whose opinion
count for most in England Russia, yo'
see. dare not attack England. or. indeed
attack anyone Just now. for Japan Is osl'
u | awaiting such an opportuuity OF Russia