Evening star., 1900-12-22
Gen. Mercier's Talk of an Invasion
Of England.
BUT IT PLEASES THE FRENCH
Some of the Details Which Have
Leaked Out.
LONDON NEWS AND GOSSIP
Special Correspondence of The Evening otar.

plans evolved by General Mercier to the
French senate for invading this country
and all kinds of ridicule have been induiged
in at the expense of that doughty officer.
The English feel so strong in their tight
little isle that invasion talk does not
greatly alarm them. But I know that
many serious minds in this country do not
regard an invasion as out of the bounds
of possibility, and those responsible for the
defense Of the country make it their busi-
ness to be in a constant state Of prepara-
tion for just such an event. Mercier may
in some respects be a ridiculous man, but
he must not be taken out Of his setting.
The instrument he is playing on is French
Chauvinism, and he knows the tune very
well. His conduct In connection with AL
fred Dreyfus, SO far from eliciting the con-
tempt of his countrymen, has excited their
admiration. To him Is given the honor Of
having unmasked the TRAITOR He Is the
champion Of the army par excellence. In
defatigable and resourceful he secured the
Rennes verdict against all anticipation. He
1t was, too. who mounted the table at the
famous banquet in the Avenue de Wagram
and threatened the government with the
strong hand of the army. His latest move
Is to get generals into the senate, so as to
form an imperious body of oFyposition to
republican principles. His attitude toward
England, however, is not merely prompted
bV political ambition. He has a personal
g1udSe against the English for the plain
language of the press
General Mercier has every article in
which his name is mentioned sent to him,
and as his wife is English, he is in a posi-
TOR to read, mark, learn and inwardly
digest what is written.
Plans Not Made Public.
What MS plan Is for the invasion Of Eng
land has not yet been made public, but the
TACT Is there is not an army officer in
France who has not prepared a scheme for
invading England. 1t has been the pet
theme In French messes since the outbreak
Of the South African war
Inc latest plan l have heard of involves
the settlement as immigrants in this coun-
Try OF several thousands of French army
reserve men, all of whom could be trusted
10 keep their own counsel The settlement of
these could undoubtedly be ACCOMPLISHED
without difficulty and without raising sus-
plcIoh' as the police of England have no
such system as obtains in all countries on
the continent. There all foreigners who ar
rive must be reported at once to the police
by name and the nature of their business
disclosed II they remain longer than for
temporary visit they must give reasons
for SO doing and report themselves to po-
lice headquarters for permits. In Germany
small tax is imposed for a permit Here
all Is free, and 10000 Frenchmen could come
or go and no questions would be asked ex-
cept by the British worknaen. VINO might
grumbie at the blooming foreigners' look
ing in at his work.
At time agreed upon an incipient insur-
rection would break out in Madagascar and
II Would become necessary for France to
serd troops. In order not to deplete her
regular forces, notices would be issued
drawing upon all army reserve men living
abroad. The thousands IN England would
1ral,
London would make arrangements with the
railway companies to take the men to Har-
wich and to lower Thames port for trans
portatlon to France. Here the Erenchmen
all armed secretly with revolvers, would
surprise and capture the forts that protect
London. Joined by their countrymen who
would cross the channel in warships and en-
ter the Thames unopposed by the forts the
is the scheme, and it m ght not be unsuc-
cessful in practice, but for the fact tnat It's
every detail Is pigeonholed at the British
war office.
The Future of the Beers.
Mr. Chamberlan's idea for the future set
tlement Of South Africa Is generally accept
ed by all parties as the best possible solu-
ton Of the question. A majority Of the lib
erals support the plan One great difficulty
which confronts the imperial government
on the settlement Of the Boer colonies after
the extinction Of the present guerrilla war
fare is the return Of the prisoners now at
st. Helena and Ceylon There must now be
something like 20.0GO of these men, and IL
the country be further devastated it will be-
come increasingly difficult for them to re-
turn to their farms and their former avoca-
tions. They cannot be brought back and
turned loose and allowed to shift for them
selves. and probably the course Will be
adopted of bringing them back in detach-
ments. SO that they may settle down
quietly.
In this connection, an excellent sugges-
ton is made by Sir Howard Vincent, who
wants the government, before the repatria-
tion takes place, to offer them free pas
sage to some other country, and gra-
tuity, besides the free conveyance to them
in due course of their wives and families
1t is suggested that the plan of settle
ment might successfully be communicated
to the Boer leaders by Australian or Cana
dian officers, who would be able to explain
at first hand what is the actual meaning
and working Of the colonial self-govern-
ment that is promised to the Boer here
after.
Timothy Healy Abuses America.
1 hope that when Mr. Timothy Healy or
his satellites appear on their next annual
money-begging trip in the United States
the choice little gem that sparkled in the
worthy Tins speech in commons few
nights ago will not be forgotten.
Here 1t is, taken from the official report:
He believed that the conduct of the
Americans in the Philippines was more dis
graceful, more abomnable and less eX-
cusable than the conduct Of the British in
the Transvaal. Unlike the Americans in
the Philippines, England had some rag of
justification for her action. He did not be-
lieve the conduct of English generals in
the Transvaal had been black and dis
graceful as the conduct of the American
generals in the Philippines. He had read
Of Catholic churches being desecrated, tab
err acles being desecrated. and the chalices
Of the natives pawned in the pawn shops
of San Francisco. There were no such
stories as those from the Transvaal, yet IT
was an unhappy omen, when the right hon
orable gentleman wanted to justify his
policy, that it was to America in the miser-
able squabble with the Philippines he had
to 60
This piece of lovely Irish gratitude de-
serves to be remembered when the Irish
party makes it's usual bid for American
dollars.
Duke of Westminster's Marriage.
1t should be some consolation to Ameri-
can suitors and to British matchmakers
that one of the most brilliant parts of the
time has found bride on this side of the
Atlantic The Duke Of Westminster has
sought his duchess in a family already dis
tinguished by its alliances and it's beauty.
Mr. Cornwallis West lately married Lady
Of Col and Mrs. CORVALLIS West Is Prin-
80 ND iol