The Washington times., 1901-09-22
LONDON NEWS AND GOSSIP.
A General Expression of Confidence
I'm President Roosevelt


LONDON. Sept. 2l.-Enslish opinion has
settled itself down to the quiet assurance
that President Roosevelt viii preserve
the main lines of the late President Nc
kinley's Angio-American policy. His re-
tention Of Secretary Hay has done more
to bring about that assurance than any
of his reported pledges of his continuity
in the Mckinley policy. for Mr.. Hay sym
bollzes Anglo-Americanism as English
public men view 1t.
Mr. Roosevelt running the Administra-
tion without Mr.. Hays support would
have inspired less confidence. for he
strikes Englishmen as possessing much of
that quality of you-be-damnedness"
which Lord Sherbrooke once declared to
be the best attribute of the present Duke
of Devonshire, and ou-be-damnedness
is apt to make friendly cooperation diff
ffcult In the circumstances constantly
arising between England and America. If
Sir Roosevelt should claim the fullest ex-
ercise of the Monroe Doctrine, England
would not attempt to stand in his way,
for no English public man regards as seri-
ously intended Mr.. Olney's Interpretation
of that doctrine as impeaching British re-
tention of existing possessions in Canada.
the West Indies, and Guiana. II, indeed.
Mr.. Roosevelt desired Engiand's formal
assent to the principle that no European
Power should increase its foothold in
America, neither Tory nor a Liberal
Premier would probably refuse 1t.
Again, as regards the Ciayton-Bulwer
treaty, there is no sign of British wish
to resist its revision on lines consistent
with Mr.. Roosevelt's desire that Ameri-
cans should construct and control the
isthrnian canal, and no one supposes that
Mr. Roosevelt would desire to follow the
lead of those who would calmly repudiate
the treaty as though it were non-existent.
One further Anglo American topic is lit
tie mentioned in the papers. but has been
much discussed here since Mr.. Roosevelt 8
assumption of the Presidency. VIII Mr..
Roosevelts Dutch origin induce him to
adopt less friendly attitude toward
England in the matter of the South AZ
rican war? Mr.. Kruger and his asso-
ciates clearly cherish hopes of this kind,
and they know what an entirely different
aspect Washington support might put on
the attitude of certain European Powers
toward their cause. Whatever early
fears existed here of any such change in
the American attitude mostly passed
away in the face of Mr. Roosevelts an
nounced adherence to McKinleYism. Eng
land, in a word. means to remain friends
with America, and believes that America
means to remain friendly with her.
The first week of General Kltchener's
new and severer regime closes in gloom
and evaporation for the British army,
for the week which was, in the minds of
the sanguine, to have driven the fighting
Boer commandos to surrender, fearful of
banishment and conhscation, has, instead,
seen the defeat of Major Cough, the cap
ture of guns and three companies of
mounted infantry on the frontiers of
Natal. a couple of checks in the heart of
Cape Colony, and the capture of two more
guns with an escort of mounted infantry
outside Pretoria itself, the very head
quarters of the British. General hitche-
ner's declaration that strict enquiry viii
be made into the last-named disaster. as
reported this morning. is taken to mean
that some suspicion attaches to the con-
duct of the defeated officers and men.
Meanwhile, these disasters are proyok-
ing authoritative demands for strict en-
quiry here also. The Times demanded
tion of the names of the officials respon-
sible for sending out the yeomarry re-
endorsements now being returned by Cen
eral Kitchener as worthless. Rejected
recruits are also being returned from
India. No reformed army is possible. the
Times and other leading journals de-
clare, unless the responsibility for flag
rant blundering of this kind is brought
home, however highly placed be the men
who will suffer in consequence.
Ihere is, moreover, considerable diSmay
among army reformers over the appoint
ment of General Butler to command the
First Army Corps, in the face of the Min
istrys solemn pledge in Parliament that
a distinctive feature of the new army
corps scheme should be that no general
should be appointed on the peace estab-
lishment who Vas not fit to undertake
his command in war time. No Ministry
would dare to give General Butler a high
war command after Colenso and other
bupglings in Natal. and the fact is now
seemingly established that after Colenso
he sent photographic message categoric-
ally ordering Sir George White and the
beleaguered garrison of Ladysmith to de-
stroy the cipher. destroy the stores, and
make for the l2000 armed men, the flow
er OF the British army, the best terms
possible with the Beers outside.
General Butler owes his new appoint
ment to his popularity with the army and
his place in the best society but IT is a
fragrant denial of the only possible princi-
pie for a reformed army namely, that
merit shall be the sole passport to high
est promotion. These things taken to-
gether are not encouraging for English
men who are tired of administrative mud
ding.
The most interesting literary and dra-
matte production of the near future is
Beerbohm Trees production In January OF
stephen Phfiiips odyssey play Mr.
Phillips Is now at Manchester with Mr..
Tree, celebrating effects in stage scenery.
The drama, like Homer's poem, opens
with a council of the gods on Olympus
Later the adventures and exploits of
Ulysses are described in narrative form,
the travels being Illustrated by series
OF dissolving scenes descriptive of the
hero's descent into hades and his even
tual return by way of the enchanted
realm of Calypso to the Isle g Ithaca.
The device of a moving stage VIII be en-
ployed.