New-York tribune., 1905-02-12
NEWS OF TWO CAPITALS.
AFFAIRS IN LONDON.
War Has Cost $500 900 ,000-More
Russian Blundering.

ssecial TO The NeSr-York Tribune by French Csble)
o-,opy4eht 1895 by The Tribune Association)
london. Feb. II-Tbere has been strong i'm
-,sssion on the street this week that peace was
Z, sight in the Far East This has not been
cres4ed By the dispatches TO the English press
srou7 he various capitals so much by the
-.-en1rh o. the market for foreign securities
s,s the confidence displayed by the great inan-
.-s who have enormous interests at stake.
z,,,esiar securities have been strongly support
= bv French and German houses for many
,sets but artificial efforts for the prevention
:, general slump cannot continue indefinitely.
r7-i+isb and Continental bankers are exerting
enormous pressure in favor of the negotiation
:, truce between Russia and Japan and the
eeu-es supplied by experts showing that the
70 has already cost the two belligerents over
ssaa O00 coo have confirmed the contention that
. campaign so destructive to life and property
-,,,e- cease Optimism has been rudely shaken
aver night by the indignity offered NJ. Witte.
whose house is reported to have been searched
e,5 his private papers seized. AS he has been
an advocate of peace and has the ability and
force Of character required for OF polit-
,cs1 reform ana the reorganization OF the re-
sources Of the empire. this amazing outrage, un-
less satisfactorily explained, must be accepted
IS proof that the Car and the camarilla Of
e-and dukes are bent upon blundering in Man
II Plehve's barren policy Of repression and re-
ection in internal affairs The news from Rus
sis has been so fragmentary and confused that
The truth can only he sparingly CLEANED. but
The area from which public disturbances and
military outrages have been reported is so great
thar the empire may be described in revolt
against the existing order. When disaffection
Is so Widespread among the stagnant peasantry
q Is hardly credible that depleted armies can
-fa
prosecuted with any vigor, yet the demoralized
grand dukes seem incapable Of pulling them
selves together and negotiating peace for the
exhausted and bankrupt empire
President Roosevelt and Secretary Hay are
generally credited in diplomatic circles here
with the possession Of enormous moral power in
Influencing peace negotiations whenever these
may be undertaken seriously. There is every in
dicatlon that the State Department is receiv-
ing strong support from the Foreign Office in
all measures for safeguarding the integrity of
China and holding both belligerents vigorously
10 the fulhiment Of international pledges This
moral accord between the two governments is,
perhaps. more important than any action which
may BE- taken by the Senate arbitration
treaties.
The diplomatic changes announced from
Washington have been an open secret with
the exception of Ambassador Meyers transfer
10 ST. Petersburg and the substitution of Am
bassador Mccormick for Ambassador Porter at
Paris Henry Whites transfer to Rome is
garded as a well earned honor and reward, after
his prolonged service at the American Embassy
here Regret over his departure is tempered
with the satisfaction that the post of first
retary VIII be taken. without doubt. by J. r.
Carter most efficient and tactful official. with
ten years experience al the embassy.
Sir Purdon Clarke started quietly for New
York to-day on the Campania without other
comment than that the visit would be a short
one for the exchange of views with the trustees
Of the Metropolitan Museum
short session OF Parliament is again pre-
dicted by the political gossips but there is evil
dence fairly conclusive that the Prime Minister
intends TO hold his ground and to fight with his
back to the wall Mr.. wyndham, his closest
political adviser. has made this clear by his
speech this week. There will be no riding for
fail on the Aliens bill. and the Liberals must
defeat the Ministry on some minor issue like
the Irish amendment TO the address the
hgious question in order TO turn them out. The
budget speech is less likely bring on crisis
:han seemed probable two months ago. The
Treasury receipts have been heavily increased
by the pressure for payments The natural ex-
the collection is the urgent need of money for
current eXpeni es. The government, like a
spendthrift living beyond his means is COM
pelled TO anticipate its income. The current
balance sheet is forced at the expense of the
next one. when the arrears will be comparatively
Hight. The Liberals say this illustrates THE
Rake's Progress" In politics, but they know how
difficult will be Mr. Asquiths task in the Treas
my when he seeks TO reduce the outlay of the
great spending departments and TO balance ac-
counts by the ordinary expedients Of Free Trade
Earl Spencer's manifesto shows that an alter
native government has already been arranged
with moderate programme in which Home
Rule in Ireland is barely remembered, and the
revision Of the Education act is made a con-
tpicuous feature. Mr.. Asquith's presence at
the conference at Spencer House IS sign that
Lord Rosebery will take the Foreign Office and
sir Charles Dixie be left in retirement. While
ne Radicals have nominated Earl Spencer for
Prime Minister, Lord Rosebery has shrewdly
supported them by agreeing to serve under him.
NJ has thereby secured the reversion OF the
leadership when Earl Spencer's health fails. Sir
-n the War Office and the House OF Lords. The
-oysi ceremonial Of the opening of Parliament
Ni hot present any new features Efforts are
v41Ife0 10 secure the presence of any con-
aDie number Of peeresses owing 10 the alb
selce Of many titled women from London.
spencer House has become the social headquar-
'eIs Of The Liberals Lansdowne House. Lord