New-York tribune., 1903-01-20
THE RAND SETTLEMENT.
Mr. MRCH4MBERL4INSP4RT
Venezuelan Connaent-The american
Lines ResponsibiLtY.

fspecis1 70 The Ne1r-York Tribune by French Cabie)
tCopyriEht: 1908; BY The Tribune AssociatonD
London. jan. 20. / a m--The government
ought to be grateful to Mr.. Chamberlain for di-
verting public attention from the Venezuela af
fair something creditable. Since Sir
Michael Hicks Beach is no longer the watchdog
Of the Treasury, there has been no opposition
within the Ministry to a settlement of the
Trausvaal loans on easy terms. Mr.. Chamber
lain's decisions have been registered by Premier
Balfour. and the judgment Of the press is favor
able. The bargain made with Johannesburg is
not a hard one, but is a businesslike solution
of the complete problem. It does not involve an
alliance between Downing Street and the Park
Lane milijonaires. and control of South Afri-
can affairs is kept in the hands of the Secretary
or the Colonies until the confederation. Mr..
Chamberlain receives full credit for his incom-
parable talent in exciting colonial enthusiasm
and carrying out an enlightened British policy
in a rnasterfuI way, after hearing whatever rep
resentative men of all the interests had to say.
Those who anticipated considerable rise in
South African mining shares result of the
Colonial Secretarys pronouncement have proved
themselves false prophets. The measures con-
templated by the settlement do not promise that
quick solution of the labor problem which most
peculators desire to witness and prices, for
MS reason. gave way yesterday. Judging from
% talk of one or two magnates in the city,
ere is a disposition to cling TO the notion that
resort TO Chinese labor is the only way out of
difficulty.
The comment is sometimes made that the
British Government would not have surrendered
Independence OF action in the Venezuela affair
3, Mr.. Chamberlain had been fully consulted.
He was. however, at Sandringham when the
German Emperor entangled court and ministry
IN an alliance which has been generally con-
demned, and must bear the full share Of re-
ton of that unnecessary coalition is that it was
a substitute for the details OF the secret partner
ship in East Africa. which the ministers were
rot prepared TO reveal It seemed a safe under
taking. for the Washington Government had
not objected to the collection Of the German
debts under carefully defined restrictions. and
could not reasonably discriminate against Eng
land. Whether the German Emperor dreaded
the effect of a naval demonstration upon Amer
ioan opinion and looked upon British co-opera-
tion as a safeguard. whether the Washington
Government preferred dual TO single action, is
not Yet clear: but the risks and unpopularity of
the condition by which the two European
powers were drawn into a hard and fast debt
collecting alliance are fully apparent. Nobody
outside the Foreign Office supposes that the
Washington Government considered England's
agreement to assist in collecting Germany's
claims against Venezuela a friendly act that
the continuance Of wanton acts Of provocation
by the German feet, like the attack upon the
San Carlos fertilization. is consistent with Brit
ish traditions Of pacific diplomacy
II is considered highly probable here that the
Gerrran attack upon the fortress of San Carlos
viii not only prolong the Venezuelan situation
but make it more acute. The Daily Chronicle
says that whatever the real facts of the in
cident may be. there be no doubt that the
success Of the negotiations are seriously i'm
perilled.
shipping people believe that the Canadian
Pacific Railway Company will buy the Beaver
Line for the Lverpool-Canada freight service.
il is reported that negotiations have proceeded
so far that the purchase of the line is now only
question of price.
While regretting the delay Of the st. Louis,
officials of the American Line in London contend
that there absolutely no danger whatever.
One of the companys representatives stated
yesterday that the boilers in perfect con-
dition when the st. Louis left Cherbourg and
there was no reason to suspect that anything
would go wrong with the machinery the
voyage. Commenting the published state
ment that some Of the passengers contemplate
bringing actions against the company the
ground that the St. Louis was advertised as the
fastest vessel Of the American Line official
said the suggestion altogether absurd. In
the first place, the company had never issued
such an announcement; in the second place, the
steamship company was under no guarantee to
disembark passengers in a limited number of
days. Newspapers here which refer to the mat |
ter editorially consider that, in view of all the
circumstances Of the case. the American Line !
viii be wise TO investigate the charges which |
have been made as TO the condition Of the ST. |
Louis before leaving Southampton.
The trial of Colonel Lynch for treason, which |
VIII begin tomorrow, promises to turn on the |
question Of whether he Transvaal burgher |
British subject when he took up arms for the |
Beers. British law is now more merciful than |
IN the days of Jacobite plots when conspira tors
having French commissions were unceremoni- |
ously hanged.
The Wireless Telegraph Company expects TO
send commercial messages to Canada after |
Marconi's arrival at the end of January.
I. n. F.