New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-01-11
NEWS OF TWO CAPITALS.
AFFAIRS IN LONDON.
Ewopean 4v Electric zcith Suspicion
-Enelish Init German Feeling.


London. Jan. lo-whie the air of England
snd the Continent, in the Carlyle phrase is eiec-
rric with suspicion. there Is no oehnite centre
Of disturbance Senor Sagasta's death has not
involved Immediate political consequences. Spain
and the Morocco affair is a temporary hurry
There are continued signs Of cloudiness in the
1sofr.ns and a serious raid from the mountain
aistricts in the spring is predicted by bulgarian
snd Servian sympathizers with Macedonian
christians but these forecasts are made by
erarn,ists every winter. American missionaries
at Salonica reported TO be starting Tor the
Tinted States in the course Of a few weeks. This
:, = honeful sign for they are well informed re-
snecting the Balkans. and would not plan the
;ou-ney If they thought that their services
,,vouid be required for relief work. The Oar
daneiles question is mainly academic since IL
Is by no means certain that Russia desires an
alteration of its treaty arrangements, AND there
SC no likelihood that the powers can De unlieu
q, offering resistance to such changes. flahs
for STRENGTHENING the Dardanelles defences were
devised bv German officers several years ago,
but have not been carried out The Turkish
Government lacks the facilities for enforcing the
treaty law against foreign warships. ana there
* a strong probability that Germany will sane
,son The revision of the straits regulations, IL
Russia proposes il. There are also runors fhat
Russia and England may come TO an unoer-
standing respecting the Persian Gulf without
consulting Germany, but these are vague con-
lectures.
More important than these small episodes and
controversies is the prevalence of strong anu
German feeling in England The Venezuela al
fair has been welcomed by the enemies OF Ger
many here because 1t has disclosed British as
well as American distrust of the methods or
the Berlin Foreign Office Dr. Won HoneoenS
retirement is explained in many ways, but is
generally attributed TO the dissatisfaction OF
The German Emperor with the recent course OF
events and the desire to discover a convenient
scapegoat The British journals conceal with
siaicultv their exrltation over the evidence that
the Venezuela affair has strengthened the Ieelr
ing of confidence between the United States ana
England and created a suspicion IN both coun-
tries against Germany. There are missing links
in the chain Of evidence. but the conclusion is
eagerly reached that the Venezuela aftalr mas
been better business for England than for Ger
many.
The leader writers go further They suggest
that the new American lead respecting China
shall be followed by England and that nothing
shall be done either at -he Dardaneles or the
Persian Gulf TO create Russian resentment the
1,rezailing theory of diplomatic policy is that
England would better make conciiatory ar
-angements with both Russia and France, since
Germany cannot be depended upon 10 support
British interests in China. the Mediterranean
the DardaneIies or in any quarter of the world
-,,a ra,,orts that the king will open Parlia-
r1ent in full state are premature like the ru-
Inors OF the Mediterranean voyage OF the royal
yacht with visits 10 Malta, Athens. Alexandra
and Cairo. More credible is the explanation
that the Irish Land bill will be the chief gov
ernment measure. and that the royal visit to
Belfast Dublin and Cork will either precede
or follow a fresh attempt to reconcile landlord
and tenant. The land conference. which has re-
ceived encouragement from the Chief Secretary
for Ireland if not from the court. has brought
r,ro1ninent landowners into agreement with the
Nationalist leaders and T. W. Russell and
greatly facilitated settlement on the lines Of
voluntary purchase rather than compulsory sale.
The margin between what the landlords con-
slider the estates are worth and what the ten
ants think they can afford to pay is wide and
she British taxpayer before covering it. needs
10 be convinced that the settlement effected
will be permanent. 1t is not clear, moreover,
that the small saving brought about by the
substitution Of a reduced instament Of pur-
chase money for rent will involve the redemp-
tion of the island from impoverishment and
misery. What is encouraging is the evidence
that the champions of the tenantry have been
induced to talk over the land question with
s,erresentative landlords in a. reasonable spirit
Sir Charles wyndham has been greatly aided
in framing useful and practical measure, but
more than one round table conference VIII be
required before the causes of Irish discomfort
and roverty can be removed. Old industries
need TO be revived occupations diversified. agrf-
culture rendered remuneratiye under the stress
Of American and Canadian competition. and re-
sources accumulated for meeting the increasing
demands Of imperial and local tax gatherers.
Clerical influence has been exerted without
doubt in bringing about a temporary truce be-
tween landlords and tenants Economic evils
like the impoverishment of the people the de-
cline of both population and agriculture. the
steady increase of emigration and the intolera-
rather than temporary pallatives. South Africa
after the civil war is in a much more hopeful
condition than Ireland after generations of mis-
government and neglect. Sir Charles Wynd-
ham has at more arduous and thankless
sob than Mr.. Chamberlain
Cretan exploration has received an impulse
from the patronage of the Academy, where Ar
thur Evans and Mr.. Hogarth allowed to IL
lustrate their excavations of the tabled Palace
Of Milos the Dictean Cave, where Jupiter was
reputed to have been born, and other marvels.
The explorers are enthusiasts. who consider
fheir work as important the excavations in
Babylon and Assyria, Palestine and Egypt.
Among the most interesting discoveries the
frescos suggesting the legend of the Minotaur
and ancient script which the archaologists
have not yet succeeded in deciphering. Crete.
while released from Turkish rule. is not max
ing rapid progress under the protection offered
by European powers. The island is without
roads. harbor works and enterprise. The chief
source Of expenditure by the sluggish govern