The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-02-16
R0SEBERY SOUNDS ALARM.
Says the Crisis Is Urgent. and More
Troops should he mt Once
Called Out.

LONDON. Feb. i5.--fn the house of
lords today the Earl of Dunraven raised
a question on the governments military
proposals, and expressed a doubt as to
whether these We're sufficient.
The Earl OF Rosebery said he fully
recognized the gravity Of the situation.
lie doubted whetner the paper force OF
0900o men in Great Britain" to which
the secretary of state for war has refer
red. would stand analysis For the vol
unteers Lord Rosebery said he had the
highest respect. but by no stretch of the
imagination could they be called soldiers,
as It was admitted that they needed
months OF training annually to render
them efficient.
''The auspicious news of the morning
from South Africa" said Lord Rosebery.
lied to the hope that there might be bet
ter news to come but when fighting on
our own territory we have been unable
before to advance an inch. and II another
$1,000 should be wanted for South Africa
] do not know where they would be got.
II may be said that 1t is unwise to lay
bare the weaknesses OF our country; de-
pend upon IL. other nations know our DO
sftion as well as, If not better than, we
ourselves.
Crisis Is Urgent.
81 would like to ask whether the fleet
Is to be strengthened or modified. 1t is
not a time when we can leisurely discuss
what we are. going TO do in a fortnight
or or a month hence The crisis is urgent.
Inc danger liz upon you, and at such a
time you come to this house with pro-
posals that in the month of March, when
teers under canvas and that then this ISL
ana ana empire will be safe. (Cheers)
Tried to Make Alliances.
The crisis in South Africa is urgent"
continued Lord Rosebery, but we must
no. no. keep our eyes upon South Africa
made earnest overtures TO great powers,
Germany and the United States for an
ahlanee; but those overtures were not
received with such cordiality as to en-
courage the government to pursue them
~ does not appear that the friendship OF
france would bear any great strain. and
as TO Russia, events have been recently
witnessed IN Persia which England for
merly would have had something to saw
about, but which she now passes unno-
1T becomes the government to take
large grasp of the situation and to
make adequate proposals
Time is the essence of the situation
me government never realized It, but
the hurghers have and the present sit
uatlon In South Africa has arisen from
THIS fact Lord Blythswood has referred
70 the armies of the northern states of
the American Union i'm the civil war ana
TO the vast forces raised there within a
year. Some one might reply that in the
United States ut that time IL was n maj
ter OF life and death, and would tell
her majesty government now it Is for us
a matter of life and death.
What May lie Lost
III Great Britain were 10 lose South
Africa she would lose the most important
base outside OF the United Kingdom, ana
she would lose that colonial support which
mas been given because the colonies have
believed that they were associatinE them
selves with q powerful empire and thus
the empire would break away from US
X ms be not a life and death crisis I
don't know what Is"
No Offer of Alliance Was Made.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 1.-THE statement
OF Far Rosebcry that IN December over
lures were made to the United States FOR
an alliance II not suhstantiated here OF
ficials of the administration are at 4 loss
TO understand the report. and express the
opinion that some mistake has occurred
80 far as the United States Is concerned
they declare. no offer OF an alliance has
been made, but they could not say any
thing about Germany, to which country
according 90 the London dispatch over
lures for an alliance were made at the
same time.