The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-03
LONDON NEWS AND GOSSIP.
Disposition of the south African Re-
pubIics the Main Topic.

| LONDON, June Now that the end
seems to be in sight in the Transvaal. O
canvass of nam: IS for high posts in the
new South African colonies is proceeding
| in inner political circles here and at Cape
Town. The greatest difficulty is the choice
of the new Governor of the Orange River
and the Transvaal colonies. 1t is recog-
nized that the ideal Governor must be
military man to cope with the military
situation still uppermost in South Africa,
but a military man of wide civil expert
ence, acceptable to the reconcilable Dutc1,
as well as Britishers, for the root principle
Of the British administration is to be the
Cancellation of the Beers to British rule.
General Roberts will probably have the
refusal OF the post, at all events, for the
first period of stress and transition, aud
everyone would applaud his appointment.
His courtesy to the defeated Cronje, his
ready appreciation of the colonial citizen
sOldiery, his rigid evenhandedness and
loathing Of unnecessary bloodshed have
won him esteem even among the better
class OF Beers, but General Roberts is six
ty-eight, and may well look for a qlietef
life
CHarleS warren dlsO
his military failure at Spion Kop is Lot
held to stand in the way Of repetition
of his marked administrative successes in
GriquaIand West and Bechuanaland. Gen.
eral Kitchener has his nominators, but he
is the only hope OF those who realize the
deficiencies of the whole army system. IL
anyone is to give the British Empire
business-like army without extravaganza.
it is the organizer Of the British victories
in the Soudan and in South Africa The
Times votes today for Sir Alfred Miner,
but he could hardly be called conciliator
in the present state Of South African feel
ing.
There remains the name of Sir Edward
Grey, were he willing to assume the semi
military post. The intention is to fill the
administrative posts under the Governor
by civilians holding office at the Governors
Will. As native commissioner. Sir God
frey Lagoon would be an ideal selection.
He following Sir Marshall Clark, made Ba-
sutoland the best governed and most pros
porous native State in the world. and the
most important commercial factor in South
Africa. next to the De Beers Consolidated
Mines. By his single arm he kept the
Basuto nation back from participation in
the war, service which none who knows
South African history will depreciate.
Were he selected, as is quite probable. he
would avoid one OF the greatest perils be-
fore the British administration of the
Transvaal, namely, the exploitation Of ma
tive labor in the interests of the Rand
gold fields.
Other civilian departments of mines,
postoffice. telegraphs, land registration.
and survey probably, will be filed from
the ranks of able local business men. The
Colonial Secretary will De Mr.. Fiddes,
now Imperial Secretary under the High
Commissioner at Cape Town. The judi
cial arm of the Government will from the
outset be the high courts, reconstructed,
and to their ratification all acts and de-
cisions OF the military men who must
necessarily replace the old landrosts out
side the Rand, probably will be made sub
ject. Under this system. rather than as
Grown Colonies, administered from Down
ing Street, the two new colonies of South
Africa WILL it is hoped, most speedily be
prepared for full parliamentary self-gov-
eminent.
There is certainly no intention so far
evident Of yielding to the strong pressure
from the Johanneshurgers in Cape Town,
who wish to see the Boer the under dog
in the Transvaal in the place of the Brit |
on. British Ministers and Sir Alfred Mil |
ner realize that their task is not merely
the conversion of the British Johannes |
burgers into free men, but the pacifica- |
ton Of all South Africa on race-blind !
principles.
Every fresh piece of good news from the !
seat Of war strengthens the hands of those
inside and outside the British Cabinet who I
are working for dissolution, while what is
now generally known as the Khaki
glamour is over the public mind, that is to !
say, in July or in October. after the VIC
torious troops have made their triumphal
march through London. But the expecta- .
tons grows that Lord Rosebery may have |
a surprise for the Ministry His friends !
entertain increasing hope tina: he will face |
the electorate with the aid Of Mr. Asquith. !
Sir Edward Grey Sir Henry Fowler. Earls
Spencer and Kimberley, and remove the |
South African problems from the party
arena by generally supporting the Gov I
eminent police FOR the reconstruction of |
South Africa, AID take his stand on a root
and branch reform of the British army
and progressive home policy of land, tenn
perance, and educational reform, for which
the time unquestionably Is ripe.
Calm students of the political situation
say that such a group of Liberals, with
such policy, might easily Dust the present
who, apart from the war. have
really next to nothing to show for their
five years of office with bursting revenues.
Lord Rosebery's letter to the Western
Daily Mercury this morning seems to
point in the direction of some such move
being made, and is considered of great sig
nifirance as showing that he is still in
touch with the large principles of liberalism
and disposed toward definition Of its pur-
pose and aim. The Times" however
says that. while the sentiments expressed
in Lord Rosebery's letter are admirable in
tone and spirit, they are Just little too !
general and abstract to shed much light |
on the actual difficulties Of the moment |
Finds of rare interest have been brought |
back by the Skeat expedition. They in
clude the Peripatus ichthyoptus, some |
queer spiny-haired mice, and quaint liz
ards. Some fossils were also found. a
great rarity in the Malay Peninsula. There
is a large collection of chronological OBJ
jects. from goldsmiths' weights no bigger
than a grain of rice to Malay village
stocks. Very many of this class have ref
erence to Malay industries. and will serve
to fill gaps in the Skeat collections pre-
viously given to the Cambridge Ethnolog-
ical Museum. One grewsome treasure is a
sakai or negrito skeleton bought by Skeat
from a chief but the explorer had to dig
1t up himself.
Reports received this week from Athens
record remarkable discoveries of the Hell
lenic Society in the Palace OF Mines at |
Knossos. near Gambia. in Crete. On the |
west OF the palace was found long series
of stone galleries with immense decorated |
oil jars in position. and stone receptacles |
for oil under the floors. A great plaster |
bull in relief. of artistic excellence for |
that period. has come to light and the |
lower part OF the fresco showing a long |
procession of white-footed ladies' in richly |
garments and red-footed men |
semi-nude. In other realistic frescoes OF |
ladies the colors are well preserved.
A magnificent set of vases in marble. |