Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-08
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Success of the British Post
master General.
WORKS WITH ENTHUSIASM
Complete Belt of Armor on Latest
Type of Warship.
TOURS OF PRINCE OF WALES
Recent Magnificent Ball at Apsley
misunderstanding Burns
Manuscript Sold.
TOURS OF PRINCE OF WALES
Special Correspondence Of The Star.

Special Correspondence of The Star.
LONDON, July %. 1908
Mr.. Sydney Buxton is one Of the sur
prises of the treasury bench. Just as In
the early days of this parliament he was
one of the ministerial failures, SO now
he is one of the ministerial successes. No
one not even his greatest friends. would
claim for him a superiority Of ability, but
as postmaster general he has found a
post so absolutely congenial that he has
thrown himself into the work with an
enthusiasm which can bring mediocrity
up to the level Of genius
Undoubtedly he is one of the greatest
postmaster generals Of recent years. and
government department that shows an
annual surplus figuring a about $19.-
100000 is something out of the ordinary.
The work he has at his flngertips. the
department he administers with wisdom.
sympathy and true understanding. Post
office budget day. the occasion when the
house in committee of supply considers
the finances of ST. Martins-le-Grand,a as
the p. P. o. is called, for Mr.. Buxton was
triumph. 1t was difficult to recognize
in this self-conf1dent. jocular minister
the head of department at one time SO
nervous and self conscious.
Enthusiasm and the knowledge of mas
terry gave him an assurance such as Mr..
Asquith himself might have envied. The
house laughed to hear him as postmaster
general sigh for a general election be-
cause it brings profit to the post office.
and in the same spirit he advocated agi-
tation. "Agitate, agitate!" said he. 80
long as it is done through the channel Of
the penny postage" Then. whether suf-
fragettes or opponents Of the licensing
hill the apitafO would have the double
advantage of bringing to an end this
Ubiquitous government" and at the same
time assisting the revenue of the country.
Profitable Crazes.
The country has crazes upon which the
post office depends for much Of its reve-
nue. At one time it used to be the now
much neglected valentine. then the Christ
mas card. next the picture postal card !:
this year it has been the limerick-as
Mr. Buxton expressed it. 1t is the sort OF
thing where you may get cottage and
cart for nothing.
At any rate. last year the public bought
between 100000 and 100000 sixpenny pos
tai orders. In the six months of this year
alone they bought IL, 400. 600 such orders!
In academic phrases Mr.. Buxton re-
ferred to the diminution OF this craze
but. despite his highly moral platitudes
there could be detected an undercurrent
of regret He was an anti-limerick man.
but he was also postmaster general. AS
to the accusation that he had been en-
couraging gambling he submitted. Il
have no option. II the people want to
buy my sixpenny orders. 1 can only sell
them"
thought of offering some public prize for
some craze which. at the same time.
would be both profitable and innocent.
escaping as he put it, "the scrutiny Of
the Anti-Gambling League and Of the
Manchester watch committee" 1t was
excellent comedy. which the house en-
joyed
The postmaster general had a fattering
tale to tell of concessions granted during
the year such as the penny postage to
America. With justifable pride he an
nounced that he had obtained half a mil
lion from the treasury in one and a half
years for the benefit Of postal reform. In
dealing with employees he showed a spirit
of justice and sympathy altogether COM
mendable.
With regard to universal penny post it
is apparent that the government will
agree to no further extension of the
privilege until it is possible to make 1t
European in it's scope. When the Ameri-
can extension was being. arranged the
prime minister foresaw that the reform
could not stop there. He has confessed
to deputation calling upon him that he
resisted as long as he could. but as he
IdflcO 10 get adequate support lie was
compelled to capitulate. 1t Is one thing.
however, to agree to penny postage to
America and quite another to make a
similar change in the postal arrange
ments between France and this country.
If letter were to be carried to Paris for
Id. 21ad. could not be charged for let
ter to Brussels or TO Berlin. Conse-
quently the reform. II it is to be made.
must apply to the whole Of Europe.
Such is the gist Of the ministerial argu-
ment. OF course. the deputation who
waited upon the prime minister came
away just a little depressed. But they
say they are by no means discouraged:
on the contrary. they will now carry on
their agitation with redOubled vigor. and
endeavor to arouse such reciprocal
where as now exists in France. When
that is done-and it Is not thought that
much time will be needed-the govern
ment will be given another opportunity
of considering their attitude.
Full Belt of Armor.
The Prince of Wales went to Canada
upon the very latest type of warship.
About many of her "novelties'' in design
and construction experts differ: hut in
one respect she exemplifes the attention
paid to a vitality important lesson de-
rived from the Russo-Japanese war. for
her belt of armOr is what is called com
plete." 1t may surprise most people to
learn that. as matter of fact. hardly
any British first-class battleships and
cruisers have a "cOmplete' belt of armOr.
In fact. until the Dreadnought era had
dawned. a, the big ships were turned out
with unarmored bows and sterns, 1t being
held that armor far forward and aft
unnecessary and tended to make the
ship less navigable.
The whole OF the Majestic and Royal
r.,
are in this condition of partial arma-
pert to be obsolete since the battle in the
Sea Of Japan. There every ship unpro-
tected fore and aft was knocked out in
five minutes. and since that event the
French and Germans have built no par
tially-armored vessels Moreover. France
and Germany We're protecting their ships
at both ends when England was still
building the Formidable and Duncans.
and she has still in commission no fewer
than thirty such f1rst-class yet apparent
ly obsolete ships. The whole Of this
vital question will, l am told. come up
for serious and probably protracted dis
cussion when the governments naval
program has matured.
Princely Globe Trotter.
The Prince Of Wales wonderful travel
record will be considerably increased by
the mileage Of his trip to Canada. The
prince has covered a good deal more OF
the earths surface than any other roy
atty. His great Bacchante cruise repre-
scented 1850 miles He Travelled over