The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-13
LONDON news and GOSSIP
Lord Salisbury the Political Figure
Of the Week.
His Speeches. One ON the Licensing
Question and :hc other ON Ma
tional Defence. Provoke Comment
and Criticism Promoter HooIey
Again Before the Public Eye.

LONDON. May 12-Politically Lord SAL
isbury is the man in front of the picture
this week. Heavy, sombre. halfsoma0lent.
as he appears. and despite his slouchng
gait and slovenliness of attire. he never
speaks without showing how effectualiy
he dominates political life not alone in
England. but in many parts of Europe,
and with what effect he can combine cor
tempt for what he would call the whims
of democracy with insight into the solid
and legitimate desires of that democracy.
His speech in the House of Lords on
Tuesday, on the Bishop of Winchester's
motion to give effect TO the recommended
tions of the Royai Commission on the Lii
censing Laws. has provoked much cr;ti
cism. 1t practically amounted 10 reas-
sertion of the Engiiskman's right to his
beer. or. as Lord Salisbury puts it, the
right Of the sober consumer to free in
diligence" indulgence with the fewest
possible legal restraints. This sentiment
chimes with British feeling. but does not,
of course, please either the Temperance
party or the moderates who think the
licensing laws capable of improvement.
Lord Salisbury's speech national de-
fence before the Primrose League, on
Wednesday. is regarded in some quarters
as pessimistic and alarmist. in others as
fitting and statesmanlike warning meet for
for the hour w T. Stead. a man of peace
and a leader in the international peace
movement, calls it LORD Salisbury's cla-
rion cry to the nation 10 arm for the de-
fence of its Shores
Lord Salisburys view is that, while it is
not necessary to suppose that England will
be called upon to meet powerful com-
bination of her rivals in the near future.
there is still a BY no means negligible
possibility possibility which the country
should be in a position Of preparedness 10
meet. The general opinion is that the
speech indicates not SO much an actual
danger ahead. as the intention of the Gov
eminent soon to make sweeping pIoposa s
with respect to military and naval reor-
ganization.
Ernest Terah Hooley. the personification
of English wildcat commercialism, has
once again become the subject of general
talk. His FIRST efforts in the financial ex-
ploitation OF beef essences and bicycles
ended, not as he planned. in Parliament
and in high society. but in the bankruptcy
court. He is still an undischarged bank
rupt. but for all that he now poses in
la haute finance. and, indeed. as the
powerful friend of British interests in
Russia
He himself startled London on Tuesday
by announcing through the medium of an
interviewer that he himself was the C n
cessicnaire to whom the Gar had granted
his much taiked-of personal gold lands in
the Siberian region of Nerchinsk- Each
day since has had its denials and RAISER
TONS but Mr.. Hooley still insists. to quote
his cwn words. that He is once again on
top" that the thing means millions. =
and that he will now easily repay his
colossal debts and leave himself as itch
as ever.
That there is concession to English
capitalists is undoubted, and. in political
circles. no little importance is attached to
this evidence of the Cars personal friend
illness to England and his belief in English
stability. AT the same time. the connec-
tion of such a man as Hooley with the
enterprise is regarded, to say the least
Is unfortunate from political standpoint
understand the fact is that the conces-
sion was granted TO a perfectly reputable
fpancier whose name has not been aiiowec
to become public. and Hooley and an ole
friend of his have maneuvred large in.
terest into their own hands. The com
pany is now formally registered at Somer.
set House as the Siberian Goldfelds Com
pany, capital 81, e00,00 but the publ,
are not to be asked for subscriptions
DR.. ]. w. Gregory, late Of the Geological
Department of the British Museum, nov
professor of geology in the University o
Melbourne has accepted the post OF scien
tiic director Of the national Antarctic ex
petition. which will sail from this coun
try in the autumn of 1901. He comes {,
England in the autumn to make the neces
sary arrangements with the rest of tn,
scientific staff, who. however. have not ye
been appointed definitely.
somewhat curious literary discover,
has been made this week by Londol
critic. who. when going through a friend
library. alighted upon a books of poem.
by Henrietta Huxley. Included In the vol
ume are three poems by Thomas Henri,
Huxley the great scientist. Huxley.
prose writings show that he had an imag.
NATIVE mind, and something of fancy TO,
the picturesque. These poems. writer
when he was past the meridian of life
prove that unlike Darwin. he retained his
poetic feeling almost until the last despite
the materializing tendency of his studies.
English fiction is. largely because of the
just now. but curiously enough, book.
which have made mark in America. are
selling very well here. English critic.
have received with marked appreciation
such novels as Miss Johnsons The Oh
Dominion Winston's Churchill's "Richar,
Carvel'' and, of course, Westcott's ''Davi,
Harum.'' and this week, the Macmillan
publish James Lane Aliens three novels
"A Kentucky Cardinal" Aftermath" am
Flute and Violin" MIR. Aliens novel.
come almost as revelation TO readers O
English fiction because of their simplicity
purity of tone. sympathy with nature. ant
entire disassociation from that suggestive
ness with which latter-day English fctio,
has been so often tainted. As agains
Thomas Hardy and his following. will
their continual insistence on sex, and a
against Rudyard Kiplfng and his imitators
with their wearisome beating of the drum
and CORY bespatterings. Allen comes t
English readers like an old world breatl
of Chaucerian sweetness.
PIea for DemfnE.
Representative Alexander of Buffalo i