| Show OUR LONDON LEfTER QUEiXSI INt > IGFATIOTf OVER THE COjYSTAXTXAOI MASSACRES Visit of the Russiiuii Imperials to Balmoral May Yet Turn Out to Be One of Most Extraordinary Importance Im-portance LONDON Sept 12 Special London letterThe orders issued to the Brit ish squadron to rendezvous at Salonica in October are distinctly connected with the change in British policy towards the porte which marked the arrival of Sir Philip Currie the British ambassador in Constantinople Sir Philip without ostentatiously declaring a more active ostentatously actve and isolated English policy has conveyed convey-ed the impression to other European diplomats at Constantinople that henceforth hence-forth the European concert will be adhered ad-hered to by England only so far as it agrees with a purely English policy of There must be no more massacres Christians nor Moslem mob riotings nor incitings to general murder without with-out practical intervention by England with or without the approval of the other powers The game which Russian Rus-sian diplomacy played under Prince Lo banoffs artistic hand of paralyzing interference in-terference in the sultans doings until the time became ripe for the utter ruin of Turkey t the aggrandizement of Russia seems about to end There i no doubt that THE QUEENS INDIGNATION over the Constantinople massacres had much to do with this change of policy Her majesty rarely interferes but when she does the interference is effective Apart from the message which she is understood to have sent to the sultan through Sir Philip Currie expressing her indignation and horror of the massacres mas-sacres the queen is known to be using her influence with the czar The visit of the Russian imperials to Balmoral which was supposed to be a purely family fam-ily affair devoid of all possible political politi-cal results is likely to prove quite the other way and to have more practical cal influence on European politics than either the visit to Vienna or Breslau and possibly more even than the Paris demonstration Mr Chamberlains absence from the colonial office is distinctly felt Lord Selborne his locum tenens has as under un-der secretary for the department somewhat some-what of a reputation as a promising young man but he does not appear able to deal with the sudden troubles aris ars ing in South Africa All bade for peace when Mr Chamberlain left for the United States The dominant control Cecil Rhodes had exercised in South African affairs was gone Rhodes himself him-self being under pledge to come to England Eng-land to be heard IN DEFENSE OF HIMSELF and the British South African company pany Now Rhodes usurping the function func-tion of General Sir Frederick Caring ton the commander o < f the British forces is trying t make peace with the Matabele chiefs He has offered them terms which General Carington refuses to accept and generally deals with affairs in Rhodesia a if he were still master of the situation Lord Selborne doubtle keeps l in cable dowbtEs eepS i cable contact con-tact with his cnieff but it takes a strong and early hand to deal with Rhodes The Matabele war if it continues con-tinues will owe its continuance to differences dif-ferences between Rhodes and Caring ton The former would make peace on conditions which would leave a large section of the natives armed the bait ter only on > their unconditional surrender sUr-render and disarmament The introduction of an Irs local government bill in the coming session of parliament is undoubtedly among the subjects which will engage cabinet cabi-net attention when the ministers resume rtenton te misters same their meetings Mr Chamberlains Chamber-lains remark on Mr Healy as the greatest Irishman living has already been commented upon by cable a made with a purpose In well informed inform-ed unionist quarters it is known that Mr Healy before Mr Chamberlain pronounced him the greatest living Irishman had informed Mr Balfour that he would support the unionist government In promoting any good measures of local government for Ireland Ire-land a THIS SMACKS OF TREACHERY but Mr Healy can defend himself by saying tw his principle is to take a home rule measure from any party There is to be a parliamentary inquiry in-quiry commission in the prison treatment treat-ment which deprives men like Dr Gallagher Gal-lagher and Whitehead of mental and physical health after prolonged confinement con-finement In the case of Irish political prisoners it i alleged by their friends who have watched their decay that their treatment by underling officials in Chatham prison laid the seeds of all subsequent troubles and whilst Mr Matthews was at the home office proof w laid before him that Daly and others were exceptionally badly treated treat-ed caused the removal of those subordinates sub-ordinates But the maltreatment was continued it is feared after the political po-litical prisoners were removed front Chatham The government cannot and dare not refuse the inquiry which will b demanded The colonial office responding to an inquiry as to the truth > 0 a report in American papers that the Pacific cable ca-ble commission has decided t forth with lay the VancouverAustralian cables ca-bles states that the report is incorrect incor-rect The cable commission has only affirmed the general principle of the desirability of a allBritish cable t Australia and will not deliberate further fur-ther on the subject until the views of Mr Laurler the Canadian prime minister min-ister are known < o < ka |
