New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-05-14
NEWS OF TWO CAPITALS.
AFFAIRS IN LONDON.
Question of Neutral Obligations
Mr. BalfoUr'S Utterances.
osp,oisi by French Cable to The Tr.buncp

s!NopvTlg-t- 1905 by The Tribune
1ondon. May 1S.-The uneasiness caused bv
,-.o,hes Of the ordinary law of neutrality in
=. china seas has been temporarily allayed
4,hout anything more serious than d furry in
=. stack market. but il may he revived at any
,.o-,snL The Foreign Office has made no sign
-. tie srtlcle in The Tfmese' warning the
rr.,cb Government that it must fulfil neutral
-.,,,s,lons has been officially inspired The
,,Dsnese Embassy is bent on minimizing diplo-
-, complications as trivial matters The
y.,.sese Ministers agree with the generals in
80 esd gid the admirals afioat that the war
.reedily be finished by the destruction of
=. Russian feet and the investment Of Vladi-
1t They don't want to have England
:. france brought in when they are confident
=. ,bev can settle the fight with Russia sin
= ten5ed This is what / learn from high
.horitv Yet while official Japan is lenient in
judgments and not disposed 10 call the French
,-s-nr1ent 10 strict account, unofficial Japan
g. h. reckoned with. Cool and self-restrained
,s ,bs Japanese have been, they may he easily
unset BY a paroxysm of anger. and the govern
~, he forced TO act deCisively against
-D,ca The coolest and best informed CORE
s-,,5epts now in Japan admit frankly that the
,s-7ner Of the people is rising and may pass out
:. control any day. For this reason there will
- = genuine feeling Of relief in diplomatic and
4,snral circles when il is definitely known that
ia Baltic feet IS well outside the range of
-7-,,cb colonial waters. The closest students
., war and diplomacy recognize the necessity
Gar The adoption Of new international regula-
,ions respecting neutrality, and expect President
Roosevelt 10 raise the question Of a peace con-
r-ess after The close Of the war. The naval
o5osrs here say that the French Admiral in
China is powerless to coerce the Russian
armada Military men think the three-mile
limit does not meet the requirements of mod
ern artillery The essential truth is that a
general agreement among maritime powers on
neutral law would be a greater safeguard in
the emergency Of war than the regulations
adopted 10y q single power.
The arrival OF Prince Gustavus Adolphus. the
betrothed Of Princess Margaret. has been
ranged 50 quietly that no opportunity for man
Hesitation Of public feeling has been afforded. The
marriage is a popular one The sympathetic re-
ceptlon 70 the young couple at Albert Hall last
nigh, will be repeated at Covent Garden when
they are seen in the royal box. They are a
remarkably handsome pair ofsroyal lovers. Peo-
DE in touch with the court are emphatic in
denying that the marriage Of the King of Spain
with an English Princess has ever been con-
tenplated,
II marked contrast with the brilliant gayety
Of the season has been the dragging march of
The hymn-singinE bootmakers across the coun-
~ 10 Hyde Park with grievances which they
cannot rehearse before the Secretary of War
q Parliament The incident recalls Charles
Elngsley's Alton Locke" and the official in
difference 10 social reform of a generation ago.
The Socialist orators at Hyde Park and the
working members of Parliament insist that the
government is not q good employer and that
Ike sFc&Jing system is continued with the help
c: ofhciaI example. But little effect is produced
ny these vaporings except that the Minister OF
Nar has agreed TO send somebody TO Nor
i5sm:ttn 10 investigate the case there. A march
Ezlaf "a that Of the body Of bootmakers from
Laces,-: may be forestalled by this concession.
4 government which hesitates to adopt Mr..
Charnberlain's tariff policy is not likely to pay
Egbs' prices for contract boots for the sake
c: spcsu BODY of workers
III. Balfour has often told his friends that
imperial defence is the chief work which will
make his career as Prime Minister mem
cradle. He has devoted much thought to the
SUBJECT and has consulted the best experts
& he kingdom. The House of Commons.
acc-ztomed 10 witness his plays OF subtlety and
1aTibiity p tactican hardly recognized him
WIEN he made his brilliant speech on military
and naval strategy with the consciousness that
J: would be discussed in every European capital
For once he was fairly afiane with earnestness.
and made q profound impression when he de-
e-ared that any extension OF Russian strategy
ana railways into Afghanistan would be a blow
directed against the heart of the Indian empire.
The leading writer's naturally applaud the
Craa
there is an undertone of criticism among poll
tic.ans and military experts. More outspoken
followers Of Nj Chamberlain assert that the
Prime Minister, while deferring his decision on
The proposals for the compromise election pro-
graInae C tariff reform. Is raising issue
with which he is personally identified. Vete-
rams Of the Indian army warmly approve Mr..
batour's views respecting the violation Of the
northern frontier of Afghanistan but frankly
aonit that -he danger OF q Russian casus belli
II thar quarter is unworthy OF consideration at
the present moment Students OF the war like
Spencer Wilkinson. assert that the Prime Min
lster has proved that England is safe against
INVASION under purely hypothetical conditions
not likely 70 arise, since he assumes that the
naval forces Of both England and a possible
enemy are non-existent. Experienced men in
both services declare with emphasis that the
committee Of Defence is an unsuitable body for
acting as advisers TO the Board Of Strategy. and
mat the War Department at Washington has
taken Z more practical course in organizing the
General Staff on German lines.
Tue London season is now IN full movement
and hriniancy. and apparently safe against the
FlcissitUdes Of politics. The King and the
Prince Of Wales have thrown themselves into
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