LONDON CHAT. (From Our Own Correspondent.) London, November 5.

Otago Witness, Issue 2287, 30 December 1897, Page 23

LONDON CHAT. (From Our Own Correspondent.) London, November 5.

Last Wednesday was a sorrowful day ia England. Somehow we all seemed to feel as if the funeral of the late Duchsis of Tcck was th&t of a personal friend. "Jolly Princess Mary," of Cambridge, had endeared herself so deeply to the British public by a thousand acts of spontaneous human kindness and womanly gracj, that everybody had a sorb of unexpressed feeling that in her a "friend in need" might one day be found. She was so gracious, bo sympathetic, so considerate, so eoger to help in any good work, that it is not surprising to find the entire nation at one in genuinely mourning her loss.

Naturally the papers teem with anecdotes of the late Duchess, all tending to show her goodnens and her kindness of heart. Some indeed are sadly banal ; others are-pleasant enough. Friacess Mary had long Buffered from that painful and dangerous affection hernia — how caused originally is not known. It was strangulation of the hernia which some months back rendered a serious operation imperative. And it was a renewal of this grave symptom that compelled her medical attendants last week to undertake the second operation which had so sad a seguel — failure of the heart's action.

Some wonder is expressed as to how the Tecb family will manage now as to pecuuiwy means, as the public allowance to the late Duchess was n personal one, which in the ordinary coucao expires at her decease. Some years ago the Tecks were in sore financial straits. To so -serious a pitch did matters drift that a distraint was actually levied on their household goods. The bailiffs were in po«seß«ion uud the gco3s were ultimately sold by public auction, to the horror and disgust of the Quaeu, who, however, did not come to the assistance of her distressed cpusius. So it was, too, with the other Royal relations. They wero profuse in uttered sympathy, bub no monetary aid wab forthcoming. Private friends of tha Tecks bought for them some of their more valued treasures, but the rest were Bold just as they would have bstn in the case of any caramon debtor. It is thought by many that Princ3«s Mary never fully recovered her spirits after this dire disgrace, as she deeroed it. Extravagance wns alleged as the causa of this painful affair, but it will occur to moit people that for Ihe family to maintain the state expected of them on the relatively f mail allowance made by the nation to the Duchess was an utter ani manifest impossibility. What will happen now nobody seems quite to know, but everyone earnestly hopes that pecuniary difficulties will not be added, as is unhappily so often the cafe, to the pangs of bereavement. This, one would tbink, can hardly be The connection with the Throne is now so close* that such a state of thing.3 would be an intolerable scandal. It may therefore be presumed that suitable arrangements will be made for the well-being of the immediate relatives of our future K'ng and Qaeen. Deep sympathy is felt with the Duke of Teck in his irreparable loss, for he was known to be attached wi'h passionate devotion to his Itoyal and amiable wife, and all willjje glad to see him and his family comfortably provided for.

A new note of alarm baa just been souuded in England. Our army, vrc are told, is utterly inadequate to the increased and increasing requirements involved in our ceaseless effort* after " new markets." Mr Brodrick, who of course speaks as one in authority, baa been making a speech which is manifestly inteuded to serve as a " pilot bal'oon." We 7?mst have more eoldiew, he declares. And yesterday and to-day the prevalent question has been, How will the pnblic take it ? all this really means, however, in that any day the British Empire may be suddenly called upon to put forth its utmost force to save itself from absolute destruction. One of the chief factors in its safety is the apparent impossibility of reconciling the divergent aims of its would-ba assailants. But accident may any day being about a temporary agreement, and than Great Brit*in may have to fight for bare exHtonce. L?t us hope that this day may be long deferred. Meanwhile the military authorities insist that we cannot possibly provide an adequate military force without resorting to conscription, and it is suggested that as a sorb of half-way step the practice of compulsory bal'ofc for the militia should be resorted to. The idea is not popular, bub something of the kind will have to come.

Opinions differ a3 to the quarter whence danger may be looked for. liuisia, France, aud Germany are severally indicated as probable foes. That Germany would gladly rob uj of our commerce and colonies if she saw her way how to effect this is likely enough ; but the one essential — a powerful nayy — is lacking. Russia would willingly paralyse our opposition to her desired aggression in Eastern Europe, but her methods are tardy and toituous, and her time has not yet came.

France is a puzzle to many people. lam inclined to suspect that the omniscient newspaper special is accountable for much of the uneasiness felt as regards our nearest neighbour. When I was iv France last week I made a point of chatting with ao many as possible different types of Frenchmen. I al»o had the opportunity of profiting by the investigations of an impartial and observant English journalist who had studiously interviewed nearly every prominent politician and journalist in Paris. AU the results were identical. No ill-fe3ling was uttered or displayed as against EagUnd. There was gome little soreness with regard to England's prolonged occupation of Egypt, but not more than a few diplomatic courtesies and ostensible concessions would read'ly remove. Everybody ridiculed with profuse gesticulation the bare idea of war being possible between England and Prance. "England is too good a customer ef ours," said one business man, "for us to wieh to quarrel with her. All these rumours about strained relations and so forth are mere froth — there is nothing in them. No ; we are not your enemies. If you seek that you must go to Russia. Russia does not love you — you stand in her way. But we wish to be good friends with you."

Has Lord Salisbury's foreign policy been a brilliant success ov a ghastly failme? "The

former!" shriek the ConsOTvutivei. "Th« latter ! " howl the Radical*. It is claimed by Minister?, and seemingly with good grounds, that the English Premier has achieved a greats diplomatic triumph in saving Greece from the worst of the consequences which her own folly, encouraged by still more idiotio English sympathisers — notably the "Silly Hundred" M.P.'s— had brought upon her head. Tha Opposition leaders point to the difficulties which seem to threaten England on all sides abroad.

Ib is undeniable that tlisre does seem to ba some degree of reaction against the Conservatives. Middloton has to be added to the other four eeata (Southampton, Frome, Wick, and Waltham3tow) which the Radicals have won back from tbe Conservatives since the general flection in 1895. That means a difference oi" 10 votes on a division." Still, even when these 10 are deducted from the original huge Ministerial majority of 154 (allowing for the Speaker being taken from the Opposition side), ib leaves Lord Salisbury with 144- votes to the good. A "gross" of votes h a substantial working mvjority !

In 10 other by-elections, however, the Ministerial majorities have seriously diminished, while in only three cas«s has the majority for the Government inoreassd, and Ministers hare not yob won a single seat from their opponents. Does this state of things represent the ", writing on the wall " ? It may be «o, but luckily for the Government the present Parliament has still more than four years to run. So there is no hurry !

By far the worst news of this week ii the prolongation of the great engineering strike, by which 83,000 men are idle. The position seemV to become more and more hopeless. Neither side is inclined to accept intervention unless od tbe basis of a total surrender on the part of the other side being a primary condition. Mean* while foreign workmen arc subsidising th« ttriktr?, with the not unnatural desire to prolong a situation which diverts English trade into the'r own handu. But the deluded strikers see in thii clevtr dodge mere fraternal sympathy !