New-York tribune., 1900-04-22
NEWS OF TWO CAPITALS
LONDON.
THE COMPLETE ASCENDANCY OF Iopn
ROBERTS EVERYWHERE.
OTHER SOLDIERS SOCIAL INFLUENCE PAR.
ALYZED-THEATRICAL QUESTIONS
PICTURE SHOWS

tcopyrSht. 1900: By The New York Tribune,
by Cable 70 TRrBCVF
London. April 2i-The period of fnaction s,s
expectancy has unnerved many fighty and tim
orous souls. but the ordinary man in the s,ra.,
gees about his business quietly and is consols5
by the reflection that the British Constl,utlon
stands. that a wise Queer reigns and tha,
8obs' is all right. Confidence In Lord RobAr+s
has become I'm war times cardinal article of the
national faith Ike respect for the consti,ut,o,
and reverence for the Quee1 n is unshaka,
and unassailable Whether Lord Roberts ba IA,
| tined for a dukedom not neither Marlbor-
oUgh nor Wellington In the plenitUde % their
military prestige and political power ever exsr
cised a more absolute dictatorship over the fort
unes Of British soldiers or the conditions o. nuh
lie thought. There has not been whisper a,
censure Of Lord Roberts for the censurez which
he has passed upon generals who six months
ago commanded the confidence Of thu natlon
nor does any journal in the United Kingdor
question the expedieHcy or necessity OF a pro
tracted pause in the military operations in south
Africa, although the nation is weary q the war
and eager to have the campaign conducted with
vigOr and infiexibIe deterTni ination.
There is nothing in recent history more strfk-
Ing than the complete ascendancy Of Lord Rob
erts in the political and military fortunes ~ the
empire. He has delivered the Government from,
political anXieties. restored the public faith IN
the Anglo-Saxon military genu,. and become
the main rock Of defence during the storm and
stress OF wartime. The generals who have been
pioried for their Llurders and failures have
swarms of influential friends and the smart SETS
are in sympathy with one cr another II them
General Warren being the only one without 40
ciaI following. although he has strong BODY a,
sympatnizeTs among Cecil Rhodess friends ara
/ in South Africa generally. These social adher-
ents do not venture 20 critcjse Lord Roberts
whose word is law in England. out they must
find some "ent for their emotion. and the War
Office is in plain sight
Lord Lausdowne. Who was exposed 20 de-
st:uctive fire of criticism few months ago re-
spectins guns Of inferior range. is now assailed
! for publishing Lord Roberts's structures on o.
/ hcers in the field. and thereby rendering all the
generals timid and afraid of responsibility These
cavilling cenSors are quite as Ineffective as the
/ ignorant small bores who attacked -ha War or
flee few months go without measuring ranges
or asCertainiDg the real facts OF ,he case. What
the British army needs : a thorough shaking
up Of the Headquarters STAFF and The AIdershot
ling. This II IS in a fair nav 20 have
What practical men clearly perceive Is the truth
that tAe administrative services have been wen
| conducted. and that IN" rank and dIe of the a
| army have fought with marvellous gauantry and
| patience but Jhat the training of officers has
been defective. and that the staff has beea
| guilty of many indiscra;ions ami much insf-
| fciency
Lord Roberts is now setting a high STANDARD
| of work and establishing training school
| the field which will render British aficers the
| best and most experienced in the world The
| reform is not likely to end with he campaign.
| Lord Kitchener may not be destined 70 trans
! form the War Office and the Headquarters star.
but Aldershot methods are doomed The infu-
/ L.
| is undermined and arrangements viii be made
| for field training and battle tactics over large
areas and on comprehensive lines
| Domestic politics being stagnant. imperial
questions hold the field. One of these IS the
| Australian Federation. which is making slow
but sure progress with intelligent oversishtfror
Mr. Chamberlain. Two Premiers have consent
| ed to the amendments 70 the commonwealth
! scheme imposed by the Imperial Government
and three are prepared 20 take them II directly
sanctioned by Parliament. The compromise
which is likely be effected is the maintenance
of an appeal the Privy Council the lines
! followed by the Canadian Constitution The
/ Australian delegates now in London appar-
! emily convinced that amendments the orig
| inaI scheme are requisite in order establish
vital connection Of the federated Australian
| colonies with the empire at large.
The West African situation is considered
serious owing 10 the possibility Of French COM
plications; but these are not likely arise dur
ing the Exposition period
Cecil Rhodes sailed to-day for South Africa
with the consciousness that Lord Roberts had
justified in effect the structures upcn the military
authorities which Julian Ralph had put into his
mouth at Kimberley, and which he has net
taken the trouble to deny. Mr.. Rhodes is not
likely to exercise much influence in the immedi-
ate settlement of South African questions. but
he has ally in the German Emperor, and his
ambitious railway projects Will ultimately es
taken up A great financier like Lord Cronler
will be needed the is ended. and
he cannot be under the influence of Rhodes or
Alfred Belt for the wealth of the Rand is the
only resource for meeting the immense colonial
claims fer damages and demands upon the m
peral exchequer for incemnities.
American affairs remain in the background
but the action Of the United States Government
in demanding the payment OF an indemnity lons
overdue from the Sultan for the destruction OF
missionary property attracts much attention
II is generally admitted that the American
Government Will not be able 70 collect this m
demnity without a moderate display Of force, bat
II is considered certain that the money viii De
supplied If the sultan finds that President Nc
Kinley is Thoroughly in earnest and intends 10
collect just debt. The German Emperor is the
sultans chief adviser. and he is likely 10 urge
peaceful and speedy settlement Of the misslon-
airy claims
The reDorted changes OF the canal treaty In
conformity with the original text OF the Paunce-
fote-Hay convention are not discussed by the
press The convention in its original form Vas
generally regarded as an Important diplomatic