The Washington herald., 1907-09-22

ing proof of the fact that she intends 10
remain at peace during the next FIVE, and,
possibly ten. years. by the official an
houncement that she will reaTm the
whole Of her army. Its present equip
ment-guns, rifles, SWORDS. bayonets, and
the Uke-is condemned as obsolete. de-
spite the splendid work which the Mika-
dos soldiers did Herewith in the recent
war with Russia II will, Of course, be
impossible for Japan 70 manufacture the
whole of the vast quantity Of arms re-
quired. and negotiations are already in
progress with the view 70 placing large
orders in Germany. France, and England
Machine guns will figure extensively IN
these orders. as the military authorities
Of Tokyo propose 10 make a much larger
use thereof in future warfare than mas
hitherto been the case, and it Is intended
that each company Of infantry should
possess two Of these guns. Now, no mat
ter how big the orders that are placed
abroad by the imperial war department
II. will REQUIRE a minimum Of five years,
and more probably nine or ten years, 10
complete and perfect this new armament,
all the more so when the fact is taken
into consideration that the empire Is con
fronted by serious financial problems, and
that there may be some difficulty about
obtaining with any degree Of rapidly the
money needed for this vast undertaking.
While it is IN progress Japan viii not
dream Of embarklng upon warfare with
any foreign power. In fact. she VIII De
ready % go 20 almost any length In order
70 avoid an international conflict until
the equipment of her army IS complete.
Il is not from the far Orient, but
rather from the near East. that the next
international problem viii come n
threaten the peace Of the civilized world.
Great events are impending throughout
the AIoslem world, especially in Arabia.
and over the whole of Northern and Cen
trail Africa. The present troubles in No
rocco. serious though they DC in al con
science. are a mere feature in the game.
and there Is no doubt that the civilized
universe is on the eve Of the greatest
Moslem uprising that has been known
for centuries England, France, Ger
many. Russia, and Italy are all preparing
for it. It IS now known 20 have formed
the subject OF conversation between Ed
ward VII and Emperor William when
they met at Wnhelmshohe. and before it
is over it IS possible that several Moslem
rulers viii have been driven from their
thrones. That indeed is the meaning OF
the appointment Of King Edwards broth
ct. the Duke Of Connaught. the only
field marshal on the active list OF the
British army. 70 the post OF commander
in-chief and high commissioner Of the
British possessions N the Mediterranean
and Of Egypt and the SoUdan. II is wei
/ lUctant 70 accept the post. believing that
IL would prove 10 be OF mere orna-
mental character. He did not care "a
exile himself for eight months Of the
year from England from his beautiful
home in London. AT Clarence House, and
from his charming country seat at Bushy
/ Park, from all his friends and associates
10 cut himself of from all intercourse
with his relatives, If there were nothing
10 do beyond maintaining a species OF
/ viceregal court at Malta. i was only
/ when he was initiated into the condi-
lions by which the British government is
I confronted, when he was made aware Of
Z the danger that threatens the rule Of
/ England and all other European inter
ests in the Levant and in Northern Afri-
/ ca. that he realized that his services were
/ likely 70 be needed as a commander and
as an administrator, that he yielded. and
decided upon breaking Up his establish
meut N England, and 20 take UP his res
idence az Malta shortly after Christmas
The nature Of the services that are
likely 10 be required Of the duke early
next year is sufficiently indicated By his
being invested with the powers not only
/ Of Commander-in-chief, but also OF a
I lord high commissioner; that is 10 say
with powers enabling him 70 assume in
case Of necessity upreme military and
civil control-in Egypt Now. this even
tuality could only arise in the case al
the deposition Of the present Khedive
The Kaiser ordinarily so accessible. has
until now Tefrained on various pretex-s
from receiving him. The Khedive las
not been to London. and although Al
Vienna when King Edward was al
Marienbad. Tefrained from calling upon
him.
Englands intentions with regard to the
Khediye are prompted not only by his
constantly growing hostility toward the
british protectors Of his country. who
/ have rescued il from the lowest depths of
ruin, bankruptcy. and despair. and con-
verted it into a prosperous and wonder
fully thriving principally. but also by
the discovery of his intrigues with the
/ SenoUssi Order which is once mere be-
coming threatening. Both the Khedive
and the Sultan have all along been sus-
Pected of SenOussi Affiliations. But now
the English government has obtained
proof Of the completely Of Abbas Pasha in
the projected MOslem jehed. which has
for its object the expulsion Of the for
eigner from all Mohammedan countries.
Perhaps purposely, reports had been
circulated for three years past 10 the ef-
/ feet that Sidi Mohammed el Mahdi.
grandmaster Of the great Order Of the
Senoussi. and son of the founder, had
died at Gouro, a point between Wadi and
Bournou To devout Moslems the news
was a source Of bitter disappointment
and sorrow, as he had been regarded as
/ the Moslem Messiah. who was destined
/ one day to rid Islam Of the Christian
| yoke, rendering Islam master over the
entire world. England, France. the
/ Netherlands. and all those countries pos
/ sessed Of dependencies inhabited by Mo-
/ hammedans breathed a sigh of relief. re
garding his demise as constituting the
elimination OF a great peril. Of a menace
4 which they had come 10 regard as a spe-
/ cies of nightmare. The secret was vel
kept For his movements, even prior e
/ his alleged death had been involved In
| the same amount of mystery as those OF
/ his father. the founder Of the order. and
/ like him he followed the example OF
/ Agosos 81 old vrbep bo ccr,e - g..