Show ANGLO GERMAN AGREEMENT division of south africa by the germans and english closing of delagoa bay absolutely essential to british success boers challenge gen methuen to fight indications that buller will lene the attack en itie new york des 29 A dispatch to the new from london says tho anglo german agreement remains a mystery the berlin lokai version having been quashed by official denial all well informed diplomatists are convinced however that germany will enlarge her colonial possessions in some quarter at the end of thi war and will have a free hand when she wants it in the future in asia minor or elsewhere it is not considered probable that lord salsbury has consented to the sale of goa macao and dabao to germany but the future of tho east african possessions of portugal was discussed without doubt at the foreign office with the german ambassador a year ago tha german emperor and mr chamberlain are known to have held a prolonged consultation at windsor a few weeks ago and by the process of exclusion the diplomats have reached the conclusion that east africa was the subject which interested them it may be premature or unsafe to carry out these arrangements at present in view of russian reprisals in herat and of french intrigues in morocco but the shrewdest observers in diplomatic circles forecast the ultimate occupation ot delagoa bay by great britain and the enlargement of german east africa southward to the the berlin disclosure is probably accurate to that extent but has been overloaded with fiction respecting portuguese possessions within the indian sphere the british government is embarrassed without doubt by the portuguese neutrality which cloaks trading on a large scale with the transvaal while the british army docs not have a free passage through portuguese territory into the transvaal on the shortest line 0 march to pretoria the boers themselves are receiving european recruits and military stores through lourenzo marques this back door would be closed it delagoa bay were either under british or boer jurisdiction but it remains open under a neu which is trading and double dealing it is evidently inconvenient for the british government to carry gift any prearranged scheme wl h portugal and germany the berne arbitration bit ration award respecting the delagoa bay railway cannot be made for taco months and that will be the base for financial dealing with portugal moreover lord cannot be eager to challenge russia to seize herat by the occupation ot delagoa bay meanwhile the right of search at sea is exercised and prize courts by condemning cargoes of may set awkward precedents for england herself which is dependent upon imported food supplies in pe ice and in war the american proposal for exempting private property from seizure was adopted even by the hague congress and neutral rights in war time are subject to the decision of prize courts as to what constitutes contraband of war this is the theo english view of tho case but in practice the prize courts at durban are not likely to rule that foodstuffs are contraband of war although there is a warrant or it in british seizures and confiscation ot rico during other periods of tho war continues to supply its dally bulletin ot news from the front natal alone being excluded from its scope tho man in the street is spared the necessity of reading many columns of belated ans confused dispatches from news agencies and special correspondents he will see at a glance this morning that baden powell was safe on december 12 that neither gal acre nor french lias met with any fresh adventures and that methuen holds his ground at modder river ox changing gun fire the enemy and constantly with bis cavalry brigade the boers have azen challenging gen methuen to renew the fighting the war office bulletins ara also gaining in variety tody s n eludes reference to a heavy rainfall this is a close approach to a port there is also something 1 ke a market report gen methuen has established a market at modder river where tea and other dry groceries are exchanged for milk and vegetables j this bulletin help to apprehension respecting gen mchuen Mt huen s ability to keep communications open behind him tor there is a direct reference to a reconnaissance gorji and west of enslin therea are few press dispatches from this but the war office supplies information that Is indefinite and reassuring rumors of important news t om gen methuen were current toward midnight in natal the censorship is again op aerating closely and only minor camp i incidents como through the london press having at last discovered that gen warren is with gen buller Is assuming that the battle will be speedily renewed on the tugela every ladysmith Lady smith casualty list enforces the moral that a rescue cannot come too quickly record includes seven deaths from typhoid fever the gloomy views which several journals express today do not appear to be warranted by the comparative strength of the two armies gen buller when re u forced by the bulk of gen warrens division will have certainly men exclusive of gen whites field force thero are more british soldiers than boers on the bugea and now that a siege train has arrived at cape town here is no lack 0 guns of long ranae it british generalship be equal to the crisis the relief of to be the natural consequence of brit sh superiority in numbers and artillery bravely and warily as the bleis will contest the passage of the river and hold their scientific lines of defense ex premier descombes combes Es death in natal is greatly regretted by south air cans in london he was a strong imperialist peri alist and ally of cecil rhodes he was regarded as a practical statesman who vas destined to work out the confederation scheme of south africa after the war and as mr rhodes natural successor in the english leadership you should see our holiday stock of shirts ties mufflers and dundei wear A KUHN BRO |