The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-01-07
GREAT BRITAIN CALM
UNDISTURBED BY THE EXCITE
MENT GROWING OUT OF THE
BUNDESRATH INCIDENT
PRESS COMMENTS MODERATE

Evidently Voice the Belief of the
Government, Which Evinces Not
the Slightest Fear of Interna-
tiOnaI COmpIicatiOns-Scar of
Coal In the Empire Is Causing
Some Embarrassment.
COPYRIGHTED by the Associated Press.
LONDON, Jan. 6.-The passing of an.
other week has apparently effected no
change in the war in South Africa. 1t
certainly has not been productive of Sc
rious development. In England the yeo-
many are manfully contending with the
difficulties of the riding school, which Is
putting their patriotism to the test OF
falls on the tanbark and other such In
conveniences.
Coal Is getting daily dearer, and the
funds for the "absent-mtnded beggars
and other individuals are swelling by the
thousands into proportions of unheard or
munificence, while the papers, when not
magnifying indecisive skirmishes into
brilliant successes devote casual atten-
ton to the difficulties which have arisen
Lourenzc Marques. In the latter respect
the Bundesrath incident almost monopo-
Lies attention. the seizure of American
flour being relegated to a very subsidiary
position and not being taken as having
the slightest possibility of producing In
ternational friction.
On the whole the British press has
taken a calm view of the German seizure
matter and has refused to be led into re-
plying in kind to the bitter comments
telegraphed from Germany. In this the
papers merely voice the feeling of the
government, for at the foreign office not
the slightest anxiety is felt regarding the
actions SO far taken against the alleged
contraband though that question in alb
stract causes no end Of cogitation, but
more regarding the effect the present de-
cisions will have upon future events
than by the press of contemporaneous
difficulties
HAS A GOOD CASE
The British government believes 1t has
good case against the Bundesrath. But,
both in this instance and in the case Of
the American flour, the government
can be done until details can be learned.
Even then the fine points of law involved
must be settled by the careful delibera-
ton of experts. In the meantime it Is
possible the government may deem it
advisable to make declarations regarding
contraband, especially foodstuffs. But
such a step is quite problematical. To
quote an American diplomat in London,
who, after reading the cabled account
that United States insistence upon her
rights might cause trouble:
How in the world do they think such
a complicated point of law can be settled
or cause any serious sagreement be-
tween powers so friendly as the United
States and England?"
Commenting on the American feeling,
the Saturday Review says:
We fear no accurate presentment OF
the real feeling of the United Sta -es re-
garding the war reaches this country, but
there is no doubt the balance is against
US. The administrator organs ard fin n
cial organs are still strongly with us. but
the latter are beg ming to waver because
the war is beginning to injure trade. It
must not be forgotten how completely tn
administration is in the hands of the
great f1nanciers and trust compani IS. ="
TO FIGHT THE PLAGUE.
The arrival in the United Kingdom of
five United States government doctors to
inspect shipping bound to America, for
bubonic plague, has created some aston
ishment, as the special precautions
against the plague were given up last
month at most American ports white no
case has entered an English harbor. At
Hull, one of the ports not assigned a
Il
raging, which, a physician informed TIE
correspondent of the Associated Press,
presents more danger than the bubontc
plague.
Admiral Melville writes the Globe re
garding the higher pay for naval engi-
neers, saying;
I'VE have had the experience in this
country of losing some of our very pest
men among the English fleets for the
reason that private firms are wiling to
pay so much higher compensation. Since
the passage of the personnel bill there
have been very few reservations in our
country. l wish our friends every success
to get their pay properly adjusted.
can say, as a result of our own expert
ences, that patience, comb rel with PER
sistent effort will be required for the
task. 1t was some time before the par
sonnet bill passed, but we finally secured
what we asked
Rear Admiral Lord Charles Reresford
is keeping up his reputation for be ng odd.
and at the same time thoughtful by at
tending the naval signaling school on
board the Victoria at Portsmouth, prior
to going out to the Mediterranean
COAL. IS SCARCE.
The scarcity of coal continues to such
an extent that several Scotch pig iron
furnaces have shut down Iron has reach
ed record prices 1t is believed the strin.
gency will be somewhat relieved when
the railroads become less congested wi.
holiday traffic.
The calling out Of the reservists has az
fected the railroads, as well as the COL
lieries. The miners at the collier.es raj
lie that restricted output increases
wages, with less work, and they are bv
no means anxious to relieve the stringen
cy.
At cost of e42o, 900 Birmingham has
bought from a private corporation the
city's supply of electricity. In 1876 the
city sold it, but now, bel v.ng that even
at much advanced figures it will yield
large substantial profit, has bought 1t
back
Cardinal Vaughn has notified the