New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-03-31
LONDON NOTES.
Sequels to Racial Conflict = The
Cricket Prince-Pause at ChrFstie's.

Seven wears ago he was the Boer leader when
lord Roberts was relieving Kimberley. march
ing across country TO BloemfOntein and heading
northward TO Pretoria. with the largest army
eyer recruited in England and with fighting
oontingents from the loyal colonies. After that
exbausting battle for empire General Botha Is
now the Premier of the reorganized Transvaal'
with a Boer majority in the Legislature. ana
he is 10 be the guest Of honor at the Colonial
Council. with stately courtesies awaiting him in
Buckingham Palace and Marlborough House.
with eulogies and compliments from the Prime
Minister and Lord Elgin in reserve and with a
hearty welcome assured at public banquets and
from street crowds Sir Wilfrid Laurier who
was the hero of the last council will be less
interesting parsonage than this once formidable
enemy now transformed into trusted servant
Of the Crown: the Premier from the South Seas
viii not rival him in arousing public curiosity
and interest, and DR.. Jameson. once an irrespon-
sible raider and now the successor Of Cecil
Rhodes at Cape Town. will be completely over
Swallowed by him. General Botha's trumphal
reception in London will be a strange sequel to
the outburst Of patriotism over the departure of
the army corps to South Africa and the antics
and masquerade of the hooligans over Lord
Roberts's victories and the relief of Mafeking.
A single decade will have witnessed the trans
formation of the most dangerous enemy of Eng
land since Washington and Napoleon into a
popular hero in the livery of the Crown
History moves too rapidly for some of the on
lockers in public life Magnanimty in triumph
IS a vagary to which partsans in opposition
cannot accommodate themselves. The govern
rnent has been charged with surrendering the
Transvaai after a conquest costly in blood and
treasure. with communicating the constitution
IN the interest of the Beers. with depriving the
British community of the Rand of political
asoendancy. and with reviving throughout
South Africa racial resentment against the
imperial system. The Prime Minister has re-
piled with amiable optimism 10 these structures
and Nr. Winston Churchill has flung out sar-
casms and scornful invective whenever MT.
Iyttelton and Mr.. Bonar Law have exposed the
dangers Of reconstruction with the Dutch in
command of the strongholds Of political power.
Those most intimately acquainted with South
Africa shake their heads ominously and de-
clare that the government has been duped by
rnarplots like Sir Richard Solomon and that the
results Of Mr. Chamberlain's vigorous policy
and Lord Miners systematic administration
have been squandered. It probably is true that
tie nation since the storm and stress Of the ter
rible campaign has lost sight Of South Africa
and does not know what is going there. The
Dutch have regained control of the Transvaal
and il will not be long before they are again
in the saddle in Cape Colony. The rebels dis
franchsed in the last elections will he voters
when the next canvass comes on and DR.. jane
son viii lose the Premiership. If confedera-
ton be FASTENED. the Dutch will be in power IN
cape Colony the Transvaal and the Orange
River Colony and unless all signs fail the new
commonwealth viii be under their direction
General Botha when he attends the Colonial
Conference viii have the promise Of the potency
Of a federated Dutch South Africa, whose 10y
atty the empire will be more or less con-
jeetural Sir Wilfrid Laurier ought not 10 stay
away from the conference, even If he be cast
for second part. His presence Will be a re-
hinder that a race which has fought against
England has become constant in its loyalty to
the Crown.
The most popular romance IN England is the
Cricket Princes succession TO. a throne. with
three palaces Ranjitsinhji. with his agility as
fielder and his marvellous leg strokes. the
affections Of a mob Of admirers in every English
town where cricket was played. and he enlarged
his reputation as an all-around spokesman when
he made the circuit Of Australia. As "Ranji" he
was known by hundreds Of thousands, who could
neither spell nor remember the princes name:
and as the Jam he win now be hailed by a vast
multitude outside the realm of Nawanagar
More familiar already than any OF the thousand
and one nights entertainments is the story Of
this descendant Of a long line Of RaJput kings
who bowled out twelve years ago by the
son Of morganatic marriage, in consequence OF
an unjust ruling by the Indian government At
last his wrongs have been redressed. and he has
been placed on a throne where his ancestors have
ruled for $50 years. India IS unknown world
10 the syyarms Of spectators who gather in Eng
lish cricket fields year after year TO watch their
favcrite players; bur even the youngest school
boys now know that Ranji entered his palace IN
triumph. with magnificent Oriental robe and
3ewelled belt and sword that the roads were
lined with soldiers and elephants Preoccupied
he was with the pomp and glory OF his state.
he did not forget his loyal friends in English
playing fields one OF his earliest messages was
20 the muutudes who had cheered his master
strokes and wonderful drives, 1t promise
80 play the game" on another field where he
has $4,000 subjects
II is seldom that there is a touch. OF pathos
in the auction sales at Christie's the clearing
house for England's art treasures The voice OF
the auetiOneer is hard and dry. whethe: the
properties under the hammer have belonged 10
the living or 20 the dead: and the groups OF
bidders and loungers consider It bad form to
be influenced by sentiment when the various
lots are ratified of as mechanically as an in
voice is inventoried by entry clerk There
was, however. a moments hesitation this after
noon before that Unconditional functionary In
the chair started the third days sale of ths
Massey ainwaring collection. which is valued
az something over 100000 The silversmiths
also looked at one another uneasily before they
were prepared TO enter into rivalry for the pos
session OF the huted teapots, the cream Jugs
me porringers. the Apost!s spoons and all the
other samples OF eighteenth century silver. The
owner of this collection. the Hon. william F.
q Massey-N ainwaring. had died suddenly on