The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-06-23
GOSSIP OF LONDON Town
EDWARD VII S SEVEN-YEAR-OLD
GRANDSON is TO HE FRAMED
AS A S.AILOR
NICARAGUA CANAL QUESTION
British Cabinet Has Begun It's Con-
sideratiOn in an Informal Way
discussion of Affairs
In China

LONDON. June 22-The British public
is only just beginning to look upon the
little Prince Edward, the seventh ami
versary of whose birth occurs tomorrow,
in the light of future king. The import
ance Of his place in the machine of state
is somewhat magnifed by the absence Of
his father. According to prese Mt plans,
Prince Edward will be a sailor, going up
on the training ship Britannia in a few
years. His present education cons SITS Of
few short daily lessons given by
NademoiCele Bricka for many years
companion to the late Duchess of Teck.
The king is said to be strongly opposed
- stuffing children with too much
knowledge" His recollection is ks en- of
how pleasant it was to be walking
dictionary at twenty.
a story is going the rounds of young
Prince Edwards precociousness. At
juvenile party, in the presence of the
Duke of Cornwall he was given toys of
wood for which he solemnly thanked his
playmates with old-1ashioned expressions,
whereupon the Duke Of Cornwall exclaim-
ed: The little wretch; he speaks better
than I do" which is not far wrong, for
the Duke of Cornwall is VIGOROUSLY ner-
Rgous and untitled for public speaking.
TALKING CANAL.
In a tentative, easy sort of way. the
cabinet has begun to consider the Mica
Aragua treaty matter. Lord Pauncefote
has explained many things to Lord Lans-
downe, the foreign secretary, ami the
latter is once more graphing the problem.
1t is needless to say that the foreign
Office has no intention of hurrying, and
in the course of a month or so it may
come to a decision. This will take the
form of instructions to Lord Pauncef0te,
who will return to the United States.
These instructions will probably not be
officially communicated to the state de-
partment until congress shall convene
or until the attitude of the senate in
the matter shall be definitely known.
Lord Pauncefote will probably be per-
mitted to interpret his instructions pretty
broadly, and they show signs of being
elastic enough to provide for any con-
tingency except a direct refusal on the
part of the senate to recognize the valid
ity of the Clayton Bulwer treaty. Lord
Lans1owne is as persistent as eI er en- this
point and however willing he may be to
abrogate it. he will vigorously maintain
the potentiality of the Clayton BuIwer
treaty until such time as both signatories
Shall have agreed to it's abrogation.
NOT TRYING TO DELAY.
a lih c:!:ciaI, in tie .urse CT a con-
verSation with a representative of the
Associated Press, said: Americans seem
to think we are trying to delay the CON
struction of the canal; but this is en-
tirely wrong. We are just as anxious
as are they to see it completed and are
willing to do almost anything to further
that end, but we do not want to See a
treaty we made in good faith torn up like
q piece of waste paper, and we still con-
slider that we are entitled to some quid
pro quo for the REIMBURSEMENT of our
treaty ;ghIs."
\ recent special cable dispatch saying
that the Nicaragua matter had been
practically settled and that Lord Paunce
fote in consequence would not return to
the United States caused much amuse-
ment 1t is utterly unfounded On the
highest authority the Associated Press is
able to state that Lord Pauncefote will
remain ambassador to the United States
for the rest of his days, or as long as he
cares to retain the position.
THE CHINESE EMBROGLIO.
Lord Lansdowne an Associated Press
correspondent learns, does not take such
q peSSimiStic view of the Chinese negotia-
tons as do a majority of the British
newspapers. The foreign office by no
means comedies with the view of the
Pekin correspondent of the Daily Mail
who cables today that the negotiations
are drifting into hopeless muddle. There
is now an opinion among competent otfi-
good prospect of settlement. 1t is denied
Chat Germany has increased her demand
for indemnity; from the British stand
point Germany has now adopted a fair
and rational basis, though, of course, in
common with the United States and
Great Britain, she would have liked the
indemnity to be smaller. 1t is admitted
that Great Britain is partly responsible
for the delay in deciding the method of
payment, but it is maintained that she, as
the largest trader with China, is more
vitality concerned than any, other power
in keeping down the duty on imports.
This question: said an Official lis
about the only one which now prevents a
final conclusion of the negotiations, and
no doubt it will be solved shortly. In any
case, our trade is bound to suffer and we
want to minimize the loss by the substi-
tuition, to some extent, of concession i'll
lieu of increased taxation. We are not
adopting an aggressive attitude, and we
believe that before July the powers will
see that our suggestions will. be for the
mutual good
The comments of the afternoon news
paper on the report of Gen. Chaffee and
other American officials on the campaign
in China and on the report of Capt Slo-
cum, who was United States military
attache with the British army during the
war in South Africa, while unimDortant,
give evidence of gratitude at the fact
that an unbiased critic has come forward
to testify to the mercifuness of the Brit
ish in South Africa. The ST. James Ca
Zette wishes the asterisl1s in the reports
had been omitted and that the med
cine bottles of criticism, which the as
terisks were intended to hide, had been
exhibited.