The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-03-09
BattIeship Queen Launched by Alex
andra and Keel Plate Of the King
Edward Laid by Edward.
TALK WITH MAJOR ARTHUR LEE
PROPOSED REFORMS IN THE BRIT
IsH ARMY DISCUSSED.
Laws of United states Partly Copied
Seats for Viewing Coronation Pa
rade Held at Fancy Prices.

LONDON, March S-An interesting letter
from Rudyard Kipling has been published
here. Dealing with the Philippines, he re-
piled 10 a Shanghai correspondent, who
drew his attention to American methods
I'm those islands, as follows: "All you say
about the Philippines, the conflict there
between the Americans military and civil.
and the pig-headedness of the military and
their habits OF setting bulldogs 10 catch
rabbits is immensely cheering TO me. be-
cause il is precisely what are doing i'm
South Africa. You cannot persuade a big
country full OF prosperity that it does not
know everything. When II has lost a few
thousand sons and a few thousand millions
sterling il may. If unusually enlightened.
begin to understand that il has taken hold
Of the wrong end OF the stick. But that is
a great deal to hope for and probably Will
not come in our time. l am very glad TO
learn. on your showing, that the American
seems TO be 'constitutiOnally incapable OF
admitting himself wrong and frankly put
ting himself I'm the right because 1 did
not like 10 think OF the Americans as any
more logical than ourselves. OF course.
what a new country wants is a high-toned
despot of unlimited powers and absolute
integrity. but as America and England are
both free peoples. we must just muddle
along in the expensive. wasteful but cheery
fashion that attends our Methods"
Xxx
The editorial sarcasm with which 50
many Of the London papers commented
on Prince Henry's visit TO the United States
was TO no small extent suggested and fos-
tered by the il-natured kilograms OF their
special correspondents in America. With
but few exceptions those correspondents
who retailed Prince Henry's doings for
English consumption did only with
eye to the ridiculous. They magnifed every
outburst of humor or minor contretemps
into a gauge of national feeling char
acteristic miscarriage of plans. The desire
TO receive Prence Henry Hospitality was al
most invariably represented here an
outburst Of sickening sycophancy, in which
all the Americans well known socially
were represented as endeavoring TO out-vie
each other as TO who should pay the most
self-demeaning obeisance TO the royal Wis
itor The particular offender i'm this respect
is the Daily Mail, which. in spite of its
alleged friendship for America. devoted
much space TO cablegrams depicting the
wife of an ex-minister to Austria spending
weeks in teaching Chicago women how To
curtSey and OetdlnnR the alleged upneaNat
in Chicago as to whether the prince should
visit the stockyards. Such alleged incidents
as these were made prominent that the
average Englishman was inclined 10 be-
lieve that Prince Henry's tour only
a huge travesty on himself and OF the
American people.
King Edward and Queen Alexandra par
ticipated in "A number of inspections and
ceremonies at Plymouth to-day. including
fb bo -
the recipients was Admiral Sir Edward Ho-
bart Seymour, who commanded the first
Peking relief expedition. The princfpai
ceremony of the day was the launching OF
the frst-clasa battleship Queen by Queen
Alexandra and the laying OF the keel plate
of the frst-class battleship King Edward
VII by King Edward. The latter Will ne
built on the slip on which the Queen WAS
constructed. When the Queen entered the
water King Edward touched "A button which
released the keel plate from its temporary
resting place, whence il slipped into posi-
tion on the blocks. The King Edward VII
will eclipse all previous efforts n naval
construction. She will be Of 800 tons dis
placement and carry four 9.2-inch guns fn
addition TO the usual twelve-inch and six
inch guns.
During the trip OF the channel squadron
from Beerhaven to Queenstown the battle
ship Camperdown, which sunk the battle
ship Victoria in the Mediterranean June =,
1893, twice narrowly escaped sending the
battleship Empress Of India 10 the bottom
There was a dense fog during the whole
trip. Soon after starting the Camperdown
steamed within a few feet OF her sister
battleshp, and only skllful maneuYering
sale the CamperdOwn was almost in col
lison with the Empress of india, when
shouts Of For Gods sake reverse!" averted
a disaster.
1t is learned that the British government
intends in the near future 10 remove the
halfpenny per pound duty which is now i'm
posed on West Indian sugar. This will az
ford the West Indies the relief they have
demanded until the Brussels convention
comes in force Between now and Septem-
Der. 1903. according 10 the terms OF the con-
Vention. Great Britain can take any steps
she deems advisable 10 safeguard the in
dustry. The abolition Of the duty on West
Indian sugar Is tantamount 20 giving IL
preferential treatment over all other sugars.
though this. OF course. ceases the moment
the Brussels agreement becomes operative.
According 10 reports OF the leading sugar
houses here the immediate effect viii be
TO bring 10 English ports the West Indian
sugar which Is now going 10 American mar
kets a delegation OF leading West Indians
whom the Colonial Office consulted this
week on this matter declared that unless
something OF the kind was done the West
Indies would be ruined before the new ar
rangement could commence working.
The new army regulations proposed By
the war secretary. Mr.. Brodrick. provid-
ing for increased pay and other reforms.
which have created SO much comment. ap-
pear TO have been directly copied from The
United States. Major Arthur Lee. NJ. p.
formerly British military attache at Wash
ington. said: At last We have taken out
leaf from your excellent book. though
do not believe We have gone quite so far