Evening star., 1907-11-16
|CROMER FREE TRADER
Promises to Become a Par
liamentary Leader.
ROUTE OF AMERICAN MAILS
Fortunes Left by the Bishops of
England
NATIONAL RAILWAY OWNERS
Shamrock Fourth Will Add to In
terest in Yacht Racing Next
Year
Special correspondence of The Star.


Lord Cromer who bids fair TO become a
leader in parliament ana lift his voice in
favor of free trade opposed to the
tariff reformerS. created an excellent I'M
preston this week when he was given
the freedom of London. His person does
not belle the prestige of his personality
He feoked the great proconsul and
worthy of being the central figure in the
brilliant scene in the crowded Guildhali
as he rose to speak and held for twenty
minutes the great audience riveted in
breathless silence.
With the flag of Egypt hanging loos
above his head. neighbor of the semi
folded Union Jack. Lord Cromer stood
out clear clean cut and satisfying. en-
phatically aristocrat and a man And
he spoke with the voice of "A man. or
the first five minutes or so every syllable
could be heard everywhere over the great
hall The enUnciation was perfect. To
ward the end his voice failed little, and
it was not so easy To catch every part of
a sentence. though he made use OF a
glass of water.
1t was a scene m memorable in every way
where the central figure was in harmony
with the splendid symbolism about him.
In his speech Lord Crnmer gave inter
esting information about the Egyptian
habit of boarding money. He had
heard he said. of an Egyptian who died
leaving a fortune of $50 900, the whole
of which was found in gold coin in the
cellar. Another had bought an estate for
G2J.OU. Half an hour after the contract
had been signed he appeared with train
of donkeys bearing on their backs the
whole of that sum.
Lord Cromers audience seemed amused
to hear of these boarding methods. But
he did not, man familiar with Egypt
tells me. relate why the Egyptians still
follow the saving habit of antiquity by
buryng their money when there are sew
eral trustworthy financial houses in
Egypt. The Egyptian may be represented
to the British public as incapable OF gov
erning his own country, but he is. unde-
mia bly, one of the most careful men in the
world for looking after his own money.
The fact is the oriental peoples, Who are
exposed to the domination of the occi-
dental powers. are afraid of losing their
means of living through confiscation in
case of complications of a grave political
nature arising. After the Franco-Rus-
sian war a section of the Algerian people
revolted against French rule and France,
after suppressing the revolt. confiscated
100000 hectares of land and 10000. tOo
francs. The circumstances may not be
the same in Egypt. but so long as the
English occupation continues Egyptian
distrust of the foreign control of their
country, and in consequence Of money
deposited in banks, will not be dissipated
from the Egyptian mind.
Future of Queenstown.
During the past few months 1t has
been freely rumored that Queenstown is
Atlantic mail steamers. The American
assistant postmaster general was recently
in England investigating this question,
and 1t was said that as result of his
visit the abandonment had been definitely
decided upon. This, am informed by the
director of mail contracts at the general
post office, is entirely incorrect. so far
as ths British post Office is aware said
he, there is no foundation whatever for
the statement in question
From other authorities | learn that the
abandonment of Queenstown would in
volve the surmountng of many serious
difficulties and the conduct of certain deli
cate negotiations. Moreover, it has not
yet been proved that the time saved
only few hours-would justify the dis
location of the existing arrangements.
At present it takes from two to four hours
to transfer the mails from the steamers
to Queenstown railway station. according
to the weather and other varying con-
ditions. The train and boat service thence
to Holyhead occupies between eight and
nine hours; the run from Holyhead to
London between five and six.
Now the Lusitania can steam from
Queenstown to Liverpool in about ten
hours, so that a few hours might be saved
If this ocean flyer were to proceed direct
from New York to Holyhead or Liverpool.
But all mail steamers are not Lusitanias
and all companies are not organized in
the same manner. Moreover. the Ameri-
can Post Office Department controls the
eastern mail services and has the power
to vary both steamer and ports at its alb
so!ute discretion. The British post of
fce and steamer companies could only
offer gestions, which would, of course.
be accorded due consideration
On this side serious inconvenience would
arise were the mails not regularly landed
at some stated port. and this naturally
increases the difficulties of making any
change. Altogether. although the aboli-
tlon OF Queenstown may perhaps appear
desirable from certain siandpoints. the
change does not appear imminent Should
1t ultimately be decided upon it would not
only prove a serious blow to Queenstown.
the Irish railways and Ireland generally.
but would also necessitate the reoreaniza-
ton of the English railway services con-
carned.
Another Royal Engaeement.