The times., 1901-05-26
LONDON NEWS AND GOSSIP.
The Dawn of Peace Thought to he
breaking in South Africa.

1he Dawn of Peace Thought to he
breaking in South Africa.
LONDON, May 25.-Brnliant sunshine
and all the delights of an English spring
are today Turing the Londouer out of
town. What with the persistence of the
South African campaign, the enormous
national expenditures on warlike opera
tions generally to be met by increased
taxation, stock exchange fevers, and dire
forebodings of coming doom to English
shipping and commerce at the hands of
America and Germany, the past three
months have proved a trying period to
English nerves. Today the prospect is
distinctly Frightening. The war Is not
over by any means. The pessimist is still
heard to declare that it is no nearer a
close than it was a year ago, but there
are, nevertheless, clear evidences of an
approaching end.
The Government, ii is true, are holding
back further re-enforcements and all pro-
posals to hasten the end by drastic means
until they have had an opportunity of
conferences with Sir Alfred Miner, who
arrived yesterday, but for all that the
latest Government adyices from South
Africa show that peace is gradually as
serting itself in the new colonies. not so
much by military as by administrative
conquest. Indeed, the belief prevails that
no formal surrender on large scale need
be expected. Peace is gradually overlap
ping war. Thus arrangements have been
disclosed this week. under which the I'M
perial and Transvaal authorities are al
ready providing for the education Oh the
children of the Transvaal. The vexed
question of the official use of the Dutch
language in the schools and elsewhere
To- ssff1t 1t~ffi lT
Sir Alfred Miner. who brings to Downing
Street the strong protests of the cape
Britishers against any perpetuation OF
Dutch talk but the new director OF eu1- e
cation in the Transvaal has secured ON ON
ciaI assent to his plans for the inaugural
ton in the colonies OF a common SCH1oOi 11
system closely approXimatng the ne"
brunswick system-that is, free undenoIh,,
national education controlled py IoCdi
elected trustees ..,t,.~ of in
dustrv in the new colonies is the assOcla-
tion formed by leading mining ana ma Al u
ciaI houses of the Rand TO regulate the
control of Kafflr labor in the mines III Co-
oI.ration with Katfir chiefs under the
supervision of a British native commls-
Sir Robert Giffen, for many, years Eng Eng,
lands official statistician, and the speclai
adviser of Mr.. Gladstone In the Gays VI
his Ministerial power. has also heipeu 70
send Englishmen holiday making py ms
] CbaprfnlneGS g in addressing the 1iiol ithSS
of Bankers on Wednesday. lie struck OUT
unsDaringly at those journalists ana pun
lie men who are attempting 10 HlShCei, HlSai
Englishmen into all manner OF poiitICdi
economic heresles, such as shipping DOuh-
ties fnter-imperial tariffs, ana counter
vailing sugar duties as the only means TO
ward off national decay at the hallds OF
American and German competition.
When pessimlsts assert that the great
excess of imports over exports proves tldt
Great Britain is living on her capital, Slr
Robert Giffen points to the income TAX r.
turns and shows that IN the iast zen
wears the assessments to this tax nave
grown by % per cent, while the increase Oh
population is only 10 per cent. ana IN re-
gard to this excess of imports over eX-
ports. which stands in such marked con-
trast with the American excess OF eH-
ports over imports. he argues that TINS eX-
cess probably IS the very measure OF Great
Britain's prosperity. If it points TO any
decline at all. 1t is to the decline OF BRIT
ish investments abroad OF when tnere Is
no sign.
present time Sir Robert Giffen computes
at seVenty-fve billion dollars, with an an
nual increase of between one thousand ana
fifteen hundred million dollars The Brit
ish annual war bill of three hundred mil
lion dollars comes out of an aggregate IN
come of seven billions and a han Ger
many spends one hundred and ninety-hVe
millions, France one hundred and sixty
millions, and Russia one hundred and
eighty-fiVe millions, out of an aggregate
income of about five billions each. FIVE
per cent roughly, therefore, is what
Great Britain pays as insurance of the
safety of the Empire What Englishman,
1t is asked, would hesitate to insure his
house and property at such rate?
Coming from so highly accredited a
quarter Sir Robert Giffens address at
tracts widespread attention. Of course,
he leaves untouched the question whether
the Englishman is getting value for his
increased expenditures on the army,
navy, and national administration.
TIE House OF Commons on tuesday re-
ject2d by a majority of III Sir Henry
Fowler's amendment to the budget, de-
plOring the recent alarming increase in
the normal expenditure of the country.
This enormous majority was due not so
much to the rampant Imperialism of the
hour, OF TO the absence of grave public
concern at the growth of expenditure, as
to the abstentiOn from the division of Sir
William Harcourt, Mr.. John Morley, and
their followers, and the Irish NatiOnalists
who thus marked their disa gproVal of
Sir Henry FOwlerS refusal as a Liberal
imperialist to attack the whole Govern
ment policy in South Africa. The fate of
the amendment was in truth an index of
the futility to which internal divisions
have reduced liberalism in Parliament at
this moment.
Ichthyologists are much interested in
the capture by North Shields fishing
boat of the extremely rare Opah, or king
fish. Its appearance off the coasts of this
country is very rare. It's chief glory is its
beautiful coloring-blue. green, and yell
low, and bright vermiion-and its scimi-
tar-like fins on the upper part of the
back The sides are green above. and be-
meath the lateral lines are a number of
yeIowish white spots. from which the fish
derives its name of luna. In Japan it is
termed tai. and is regarded as an emblem
Of happiness. because It is sacred to Nep-
tune. while by other observers its snowy
colors have caused it to be likened to one
Of the sea gods.
There has been another crowded week
at the opera, where Wagner has been the
great attraction. Tristan and Isolde
was a veritable triumph for Covert Gar
den IF" says one critic, Wagner had
heard the strings. and especially the oboe
and English horn, he would not have com
planned that anybody was playing like a
married man"