New-York tribune., 1901-03-26
SHEFFIELD MUST WAIT.
COLD COMFORT FOR BRITISH STEEL
MAKERS.
NJ. POBIEDONOsTzEFF.

! SIR MICHAEL HICKS -BEACHs PERPLEXI-
rIEs-MR. CROKER LEAVES I.ETCOMBE
old MASTERS AT LOW PRICES.
Copyright: 1901: The New York Trbunel
RY CARIE THE TRIBUNE.l
London. March 26. a m--Shefield received
little conf 1rt from the answer OF the Chancel-
lor of the Exchequer yesterday to a question
whether the American Steel Trust would he
fought by import duties. Sir Michael Hicks
Beach made the stereotyped reply that there
could he no official forecasts in advance of the
Budget speech He had dealt in similar way
with inquiries respecting sugar and other arti-
C,es menaced with taxation, but it was an easy
inference that steel would not be favored if
free trade principles TO he abandoned for
the sake of raising fresh revenues. Agricut-
ural products will naturally have the old TOrys
preference if tariff revision for revenue pur-
poses is Indispensable. 1t is probable. however,
that Sir Michael Hicks Beach will borrow
heavily instead of upsettng the free trade sys-
tenn and giving the Liberals issue on which
all factions can unite. Sugar offers a COM
promise. since ,he duties will strictly for
revenue. and special industry will he bene
fitted ny them. except possibly the refining in
! terest. Steel duties would be protective out
right and II the optimistic articles printed
about the Norway sands and Edison's process
are credible. English steel makers have found
scientific method for smashing American COM
petition. There is however. much searching of
hearts among the steel makers on this score.
Some Of them insist upon having guarantees
that the Edison process may not also be en-
ployed by the American trust.
r is interesting TO 'earu from Lord Lans-
4
was published last evening. concerning Eng
| lands position in regard to the Nicaragua Canal
, question that Lord Salisbury at time hnted
the possibility of making amendment of the
| Clayton -Bulwer Treaty contingent upon
! amicahle settlement Of the Alaskan frontier
| dispute AS matters stand at present. however
| the British Government prefer to retain unmodi-
| fled the provisions of the Clayton Bulwer
! Treaty. and it is clear that Lord Lansdowne
will not readily give his consent to a new con-
! venton.
| Lord Lansdowne is congratulated on all sides
| this morning. his attitude in the matter of the
| amended Hay -Pauncefote treaty meeting with
| general approval. From the Of the edi-
torials il is quite easy TO that il the Foreign
| Office had agreed 10 the suggestions Of the
| American Senate there would have been an out
| cry in the English press against the weakness
| Of the British Government.
| The Beers possibly by this time sorry
| that they declined to accept the terms offered
| by Lord Kitchener. General Delarey has been
| so badly beaten that It is doubtful IL he will he
! able to recover from the blow. Ventersdorp,
near which town he was routed lies west of the
| Johannesburg Kerksdorp railway and about
| midway between Krtigersdorp and IIchtenburg.
| Vaalbank. where his convoy captured. is
! twenty miles west Of Ventersdorp Dearey has
been opera ting in this district for some time his
! object being to harass conveys. Hitherto he
| has been fairly successful. but he has now
! with a crushing blow; and De Wet is lying
| low after his disastrous invasion of Cape Colony
and Lucas Meyer is still apparently being driven
| before French in the Eastern Transvaal. BOtha
will be sorely puzzled to know what to do next.
| Richard Croker has left Moat House for New
| market and Lincoln. The racing season is open
| Ing and his boon companions here are gossiping
! about his chance of winning a handicap with
| Harrow and his fresh purchase of lard. a con-
! siderable extent of which will be farmed out
| for him. His friends assert that he owns
| between three hundred and four hundred acres
| in and around Letcombe. some of IL being grass
| land suitable for training stables and the re-
! mainder arabic. The rural district committee
has passed a resolution authorizing him 10 inn
road leading from the public highway the
| entrance gate of Moat House, the land and cot
| tages on each side being owned by him.
The number Of American Jockeys in readiness
| for the racing season has greatly increased.
notwithstanding the discipline to which some of
| them were subjected last year. 1t is not ex-
pected that the stewards of the Jockey Club
will refuse to license them but 1T is probable
that foul or rough riding will be severely dealt
with There are over two thousand horses in
oyercrowded there is talk of ruling out
foreign stables. although the Jockey Club
| ceiyes seven guneas for every horse using the
training ground.
A large number of pictures by Old masters
were sold at Christies yesterday at prices which
indicated that country y-house estimates Of their
authenticity were untrustworthy Italian Dutch
and English masters suffered alike from neg
lect and even Nell Gwyn in Blue and White
commanded only 10 guineas. with all the ad-
ventitious aid derived from popular plays
on the stage The Elton cOllecton-Damascus,
Rhodian. Persian and other faience-wl be
auctioned off to-day, and Lord Dormers rare
THROUGH SLEEPERS WESTWARD
Leave New York and Brooklyn at convenient hours
every day by the Pennsylvania Railroad See time
4 gIHs