New-York tribune., 1901-09-24
CONFIDENCE RETURNING
LESS ALARM IN ENGLAND OVER THE
RENEWED BOER ACTIVITY
GERMAN LINERS MAY MAKE DOVER A
PORT OF CALL-EXTENSIvE HAIR
Copyright; 1901: BY The Nevr-yo-l, Tribune,


Copyright; 1901: BY The New-York Trbune)
tBY CABLE THE TRIBUxEl
London. Sept "a. / a. m.-While there is no
marked change in the situation in South Africa
there is a return of confidence in Lord Kitch-
ener's methods of conducting the war There
IS no evidence either that the War OAice is fur
ried or mat reinforcements will be dispatched
a large scale from England even if Natal
be invaded and the raiders succeed in making
dash toward Ladysmith or Colenso General
kitcheners command of the railways has al
ready enabled him to concentrate forces in
Northern Natal. where they are required and
General French is not in need of more troops
Army men are now charitable enough to make
excuses for Major Cough and assert that he
was easily duped by the Beers through his
energy in attempting to overtake a retreating
commando They attribute the loss of five
guns and several companies Of mounted in
fantry TO overconidence of the officers when the
Beers had not made a good stand for long
tine. They are confident that the warning
received will suffice, and that the army will
again be on guard against the wary foe These
explanations from military officers NAV he in
adequate, but the cheerfulness prevailing at the
War Office is a sign that Botha's invasion of
Natal is considered a hopeless expedient as he
cannot obtain recruits there among the loyal
colonists.
While no contract has been signed by the
North German and Hamburg lines
for making Dover a port of call, there is every
reason TO believe that the project will be car
rieo out IN the course of two years. Officials
Of the Harbor Board have assured ne that the
two German lines would make connections at
Dover AT once if adequate accommodation and
facilities could be offered The plans of the
engineers are complete, and as soon as arrange
he cd for
quired by the Dover port authorities, tenders
will be received and the contracts signed for
the enlargement and Improvement of the har-
Dor. The Admiralty work for encircling the
outer harbor with breakwater is in progress
but cannot be finished before 1907. The German
liners VIII not be compelled to wait for the
shelter Of the outer port; they can call at
Dover soon the Prince of Wales Pier has
been doubled in width and short connecting
arc has been constructed for the railway. This
work be done within two years, and the
liners have a safe anchorage. It will be four
years before. a new railway station can be
built for the Channel traffic and the plans of
the Harbor Board fully carried out. The en-
tire cost of the work on the inner and outer
harbors will be about S300000OO.
Londoners are frightened by the spread of
smallpox epidemic The disease has gained
quite unusual hold on one or two metro
politan districts. The London School Board was
asked by the dual government board to al
low children IN its schools TO be examined TO
see il they had been vaccinated, but permits
sion was only granted condition that the
parents saw no objection to examination. Vac
cination is by the law of the land voluntary not
compulsory, and many people attribute the
presence Of the disease 10 this very fact.
Mr.. Yerkes is getting impatient at the delay
IN fixing system for electrical equipment Of
the two principal underground railways Of Lon
don. He complains that the Metropolitan Com
pany is simply procrastinating. The District
Company is, he says ready TO arbtrate at once.
There is as yet nothing 10 Justify the hypothe-
sis that the Ill fated destroyer Cobra touched
ground. The causes which led her to break
In two and founder without the slightest warn
ing may perhaps never be determined. The
naval authorities have however. decided that in
the construction of future vessels speed will
be sacrificed to solidity.
The last echoes Of the public mourning for
President Mckinley come from the English
sesports where the Salvation Army conducts
active campaign. These amateur bands re-
quired several days of practice before they
could master HandeTs Dead March from
Saul but the work has been done and the
Salvation Army is now playing solemn requiems
President. and varying them with Mrs Adamss
hymn. l. F.
KAISER'S REFERENCE TO THE BOERS.