Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-02
ENGLISH "TOUCHY"
Over Prerogative Of the Red
Sea Cruisers.
ROOT CROPS NEED RAIN
STATISTICS OF LoNDoN's PoPULA-
TON AND HEALTH.
Story Of Kruger's Frugality on Ship
board-Winston Churchill May
Visit United States.
ROOT CROPS NEED RAIN
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.
LONDON, July 20, 1904.
England Is greatly perturbed over the
activity of the Russian volunteer cruls-
ers In the Red sea, and the constant stop
ping Of vessels floating the flag OF Jap
ans ally. England has about the same
amount of affection for Russia at pres
ent as she had for the north during the
American civil war and the English peo-
pie are as "touchy" over the exercise Of
the undoubted prerogative of the Russian
cruisers in the Red sea as they were
when Charles Francis Adams talked bust
ness to Lord Palmerston and Lord John
Russell in the sixties.
There has thus been raised the whole
subject of what constitutes contraband
and what are the duties of neutrals and
the rights of belligerents. A peremptory
summons to stop and a general overhaul
ing of ships cargo in search of con-
traband is an act which no doubt causes
great irritation. but it is an act which,
according to the law of nations, is, I'M
der certain circumstances, completely JUS
titled. Letters and dispatches consigned
to belligerent ports are contraband,
prominent international lawyer explained
nal evidence of their address, but dis
patches from accredited or consular
agents in neutral territories are exempt
from seizure on the ground that their
transmission Is as important in the in
terest of the neutral as in that of the bel
ligerent country.
But official communications on the pub
lie affairs of a belligerent are liable to
confiscation, as well as the ship which
conveys them, since the miSchieyous con-
sequences of such service may extend
far beyond the effect of any contraband
gods conveyed by the same means.
In the case of the Malacca. which was
captured by the Russians and taken to
Port Said with the Russian flag floating
from her stern. more serious question is
involved. If the mails. or a portion of
them. were clearly intended for Japan, the
seizure of them can be justified, If it can
De proved that sufficient examination was
made before condemning them, but the
capture of the ship can only be defended
on the score that the captain or the own
ers OF the vessel knowingly took on board
packet or letter addressed to public
ofhcer in Japan, and this must have been
In the nature of a special charge and not
merely included in the ordinary mail bags
II may. however. be proved that the ship
contained contraband of war in the nature
OF arms or ammunition or material for
their manufacture. In any case the law
has been SO clearly defined in innumerable
pfecedents furnished from this country's
own experience that when the facts are
clearly established, the matter will very
easily lend itself to legal settlement
Long Run of Hot Weather.
The long run of not weather which we
rave experienced continues unbroken. The
shade temperature rose to So yesterday, and
IN the early part of the day the heat was
cicse and sitting. There is no immediate
prospect of a change In the south of Eng
land the land has become parched. and
there is much need of rain The heat IS
very good for the wheat but the root
crops are suffering much for want OF
moisture. The fine weather is, however an
immense boon to the mass of people, The
commons and parks today were crowded
almost as much on Bank holiday Not
Tor some years have the Inhabitants of
London been able to live so much In the
open air as during the last three weeks
There are familiar indications now of the
approaching close of the London season
perhaps the excessively hot weather has
somewhat fastened matters these sultrv
July evenings being inimical to entertain
ments In crowded rooms. But in any case
the decay of the season usually begins IN
betray Itself about this time, and there are
evidences in the west end of the annual
exodus of the moneyed and the fashionable
Pleadings for "pairs'' till the end of the
session have become rather persistent in
parliament during the last week or ten
days, and a number of members have al
ready secured happy liberation from the
tolls of parliamentary service When an
other fortnight has passed over evidence
of the end Of the season will be still more
conspicuous. For little time past mem
bers of the royal family have been excep-
tionally active in the discharge of public
engagements, but their public appearances
Will now grow fewer in number.
London's Death Rate.
A volume Just issued by the London
county council contains some interesting
statistics bearing on the condition of Lon
H.
under notice is the steady decline in the
birth rate. In 1867 1t reached little over
361 per 1000 while in 1902 1t had fallen to
little over % per 1000 The death rate in
1902 was the lowest ever recorded, except
that Of 1901. which was slightly less.
The proposal that the metropolitan
borough councils should be empowered TO
establi creches for the reception of young
children while their mothers are at work
seems to be growing in favor. At the con-
ference of the sanitary authorities to-
morrow the medical officer for kenslng-
ton is to move resolution requesting the
London county council to insert In their
suIzIIou2uB uoIsIAoLd q IIIq sIeMod lpIeusS
the borough councils TO use the rates for
this purpose.
the population of that part of the metropo-
lis over which the London county council
holds its extensive sway amounts to A.
536, 541 while the ratable. value is nearly
14oVVV'VoV. ne oeot VI the county council
was, at the commencement of last year
f5S, 100000 but now is f63OO0,OOO. The
scholars on the registers of the London
schools exceed 1000, there being more
than twice the number in the board schools
Than there is in the voluntary schools.
Kruger's FrugaHty.
A characteristic story of the late Presi.
dent Kruger is going the rounds of the
club and has probably not reached America.
On a certain occasion the Boer president
was taking a sea voyage. His fellow-pas-
sengers remarked with some surprise that
he regularly absented himself from the
dinner table At first they surmised that
he was suffering from seasickness. but that
hypothesis had to be rejected when 1t was
seen that during the dinner hour he paced
the deck, eating huge quantities Of biscuit