NEWS BY THE MAIL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11535, 21 November 1900, Page 6

NEWS BY THE MAIL.

LORD ROSEBERY ON IMPERIALISM. ' London, October 27. Lobd Rosebeby's reappearance /before the public and his enunciation of a new definition of Imperialism has caused something, of , a sensation. Speaking on Friday before a meeting of the Christian Social Union,: Lord Rosebery struck a note which meets with universal approval from all sections of the Liberals, even those who were most bitterly opposed to the former leader. Imperialism," he declared, ■'* depends on the integrity and heart of the Empire for its virtue." Continuing, Lord Rosebery said: " What is an Empire unless it is pillared on an imperial race? ; ; The heart of the Empire is Great Britain, and the heart of Great Britain is London. You cannot afford to let the sources and centre of the Empire decay or be poisoned, and that is what you are doing if you allow this Imperial race to be vitiated and poisoned in the dens of crime and horror, in which too many of them are reared at this moment." Lord Rosebery's subtle turn in | making the virtue of Imperialism depend \ upon internal reform has opened a door to | the malcontents, and the Star, which fought His Lordship tooth and nail, to-day declares: " This is the true and only Imperialism for this Empire of Great Britain.'-' Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman, who has been the Liberal leader in the House of Commons up to the present, is said to be ready to accept Lord Rosebery's leadership. Combining this with the former Premier's (Lord Rosebery) partial retirement from the turf, the expectation is rife that he will return to the arena of active politics and make the fight of his life again the " mammoth majority" of the present Government. OSCAR WILDE DANGEROUSLY ILL. New York, October 20. A cable to the World from Paris says: — Oscar Wilde was taken to a hospital a few days ago. Yesterday he underwent a surgical operation, and is now lying dangerously near death at the Hospital la Salpetriero. Since making Paris his home the English poet and playwright has been subject to many hardships. Lately he has been almost absolutely destitute. He has grown bloated and absolutely helpless. A few admirers of his former talent kept him alive by charity. If he recovers Wilde will go to Scotland, where he has been offered a homo. THE PARIS EXHIBITION. Early in November the Paris fair becomes a thing of the past. It closes its existence victorious over its detractors, who have been forced to admit that nothing more complete was ever accomplished. Crowds remained faithful to the last, and at one of the closing fetes 930,000 tickets were sold at five francs each. Concessionaires who complained of burdens are having examinations by courts of arbitration. Justice, and more, will be done them. It is said all who brought forward something new and not too dear were well recompensed during the Exposition. France was probably much benefited by the fair, though largely through securing political quiet and a consolidated Ministry. THE LOOTING OF PEKIN. Dr. Morrison, the Pekin correspondent of the London Times, in his account of the siege of the Legations, says:— game of general grab followed the success of the relief expedition. The Japanese seized the Board of Revenue and must have found a huge amount of money there, to judge by the length of the line of pack mules that it took to carry it away. Through a mistake, it is said, on the part of the Americans, the French got possession of the palace of Prince Li, said to contain treasure to the extent of many millions of dollars. The Russians also got some treasure, seizing on a large bank. The Russians succeeded in winning the last large prize, the Wan Shen Shan, or new summer palace, seven miles out near the western hills, racing for it against a body of Japanese and coming in a quarter of an hour ahead, having had a long start. Alongside of this official looting, private looting on the part of foreign soldiers was freely permitted during the first few days; in fact, tho city was abandoned for the most part to the soldiery. To save themselves from the rough Russian soldiers and their following of French, many Chinese women committed suicide. A British officer saw seven hanging irom the same beam in the house of a well-to-do Chinaman. These stories, says Dr. Morrison, reflected credit upon Chinese womanhood, and something very different upon the armies of Europe, which are supposed to be the forerunners and upholders of civilisation in this particular campaign.

COUNT ZEPPELIN'S AIRSHD?. Count Zeppelin's airship ascended at Friedrichshafen on October 17. The manoeuvres attempted were completely successful, all the tacks were properly performed, and the machine was steered against the wind. The King and Queen of Wurtemberg witnessed the trial from the deck of a steamboat. The balloon eventually took the direction of Immcnstadt. It remained for three-quarters of an hour at an elevation of 600 metres, and, after carrying out a number of successful manoeuvres, alighted safely on the lake half-a-mile from Manzell. „ CHOLERA OUTBREAK IN AFGHANISTAN. According to advices received by the official Russian Medical Department from Afghanistan, cholera broke out in that country in June, and spread rapidly to many towns, Cabul among others, where great mortality is stated to have occurred. The Ameer Abdurrahman Khan, with his family, left tho capital. The inhabitants, who were seized with panic, fled towards the east. The epidemic abated in the middle of August, when the Ameer returned to his capital. Among tho districts reported to have been affected were Ga7.in, Kandahar, Jalalabad, Badakshan, Faizabad, and Shignan. THE EMPRESS FREDERICK. A Daily News Berlin message says: — Some months ago, after her return from the south, where she had been accompanied by Dr. Spielhagen, her Cronberg physician-in-ordinary, the Empress felt very well. Later she suffered acute pain in her back. As she possesses a very firm will, she tried for a long time to conceal her sufferings, so that her immediate attendants noticed nothing. She took her daily drives during the summer. The work at the Saalburg was inspected, as was also the restoration of the old church at Cronberg. In fact, the public noticed nothing of Jier serious state of health, but four weeks ago the disease entered upon an acute stage, and the pains increased. Dr. Spielhagen was summoned several times a day to the castle, and finally took up his abode there, the Empress wishing, on account of the sudden attack, to have him near her. By Her Majesty's express wish only very little information has become public. The servants at tho castle have enough to do to answer the many visitors who come to make inquiries, and to offer all sort? of advice and patent medicines. How anxious the Empress is that nothing should become public about her condition may be gathered from the fact that only with the greatest difficulty could she be persuaded to have nurses in turns by night and day. She said : —"Now, it will, after all, get into the papers." Her energy and strength of will are greatly contributing towards her improvement. She has now resumed reading, and again takes some interest in daily life. But even her nearest relations are only allowed to see her for a very short time.

THE ANNEXATION OF MANCHURIA. The correspondent of the Daily Telegraph at St. Petersburg states plainly that Manchuria is annexed to Russia. Whatever official denials may have been issued, no dementis can dispose of the fact. Although the Russian Government has frequently declared that it seeks no territorial acquisitions in China, the actual state of affairs in Manchuria refutes the sincerity bf this disinterested attitude, and seriously calls in question the political good faith of Count Lamsdorff and General Kuropatkin. In St. Petersburg it is no secret that, in spite of the promises of Russia, Field-Marshall'Count Von Waldersee will never become the commander of Muscovite troops. PRINCE TUAN'S EXHORTATIONS. A despatch from Prince Tuan to the local mandarins and heads of guilds in Shanghai has arrived. Prince Tuan announces that the Court is now in safety, exhorts those to whom the message is addressed to have patience, and points out that when the River Pei-ho is frozen the cold will cause great losses among the Allies in the north, while the falling of the Yangtse will only admit of the use of that river by small . gunboats. Prince Tuan also urges the officials to keep the arsenals in constant work, and warns them to bo ready when the moment arrives to massacre all the foreigners.