The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-11-22

cover this deficiency King George his
son, has commissioned Lord Rose
berry, in conjunction with Lord Knoll
lys, to prepare a life of Edward. The
task will not be easy. King Edward.
unlike his mother, Queen Victoria,
never kept a diary, and as most of
his successes as diplomat were made
| in conversations with the rulers and
foreign ministers of the countries
with which he dealt, there is little
datum to go on.
England now possesses full squad
ron of eight battleships of the super
dreadnought type. the most compact
and powerful fighting force in the
world.
These eight ships, which mount in
the aggregate eighty 13.5-inch guns
and one hundred and twenty-eight
| four-inch guns cost the British ma
ton something over $70,000,00O, but
after all they form only a part of the
British fleet. The Ajax, the commits
sioning of which completed this
squadron. was the eighteenth battle
| ship of the dreadnought era to take
her place in the fleet that guards
these coasts, and it is less than eight
years since the first dreadnought was
| laid down. England has therefore
spent in battleships and battle cruis-
ers alone in those eight years upward
of 15O,OOO,OOO, and each year her
ships, each being an improvement
over the last. are costing her more.
The publication by Lord Eversley, a
former members of Mr.. Gladstone's
cabinet, of the circumstances under
! which the government refused the
post Of minister at Washington to
Henry Labouchere, has caused a good
deal of talk in political circles.
| AS is well known, Queen Victoria
refused to have Mr.. Labouchere
among her advisers. He was conse-
| quently barred from cabinet rank,
| just as have been other clever men
( for having made slips or having faults
| fused to overlook. Mr.. Labouchere
| always posed as a man who never
| sought office, but Lord Eversley
shows that he did ask Lord Rose
berry, then secretary of state for for
| eign affairs, for the Washington post,
and because he did not get it never
| forgave his old political ally, although
| 1t turns out, the cabinet and not Lord
| Rosebery refused to make the ap-
pointment.
Lord Rosebery brought the matter
to the attention of the cabinet by
| reading a letter from Labouchere, in
which the latter said that not having
been admitted to the new govern
ment, and feeling the advance of
years, he had no wish to remain long
er in the house of commons. He add
ed that II he remained his business
would be. as 1t always had been. to
attack the existing government, and
it was therefore to the interest of
ministers that he should withdraw.
He had been thinking over what was
possible for him, as a justification for
giving up his seat, and had come to
the conclusion that the post best suit
ed for him was that of minister at
Washington. Lord Rosebery said
| that IL the cabinet was in favor of the
| appointment, he foreign minister
would acquiesce. The cabinet, how
ever, decided against the appointment
and Lord Eversley expresses the be-
lief that the attacks on Lord Rose
berry, which appeared in Truth"
| thereafter. were made because La
| bouchere believed that Lord Rosebery
was responsible for the refusal of the
| appointment