The New York herald., 1869-05-13
w WASHINGTON.
The Reported Triple Alliance
Against America.
THE ACCOUNT DIsCREDITED.
Views of Secretary Fish on the
Effects of Such an Alliance.

WASHINGTON. May IL. 1899.
Tho Rumored Alliance Against the United
States-N0 Trouble Feared by tine Govern
ment.
The cable kilograms published In some OF the New
York papers yesterday TO the efiect that England.
France and Spain had formed an alliance pledged
to resist the supposed foreign policy OF the United
States meets with little credence here in oicia cir
ces. It Is regarded by some simply as rumor
thrown out to feel the American pulse on the sub
ject Of trpartte alliance and by others as pure
invention of the news sensationists or the gold
speculat0rs both OF which clamorers gen
orally manage % make something out or
these highly exciting canar,s. Those who re-
gard 1t az +eeler, declare that England, France
and SPAN. or any one OF these three Powers,
might very well resort 30 such method OF drawing
out the views OF our government on the subject OF
European anti.American alliance such methods
have been adopted before, and have enabled shrewd
statesmen to judge toleraby well as to what results
would be likely to follow certain causes. Thus for
instance In this the mere announcement over
the cable OF intended trparttc alliance is well
calculated TO tempt our administration into "a decla-
ration Of how IL would regard such
combination aimed directly against the in-
terests OF the republic. II it does not
accomplish this result 1t will at least he certain to
draw out the newspaper press OF the country. and
thus develop beyond question the real American
sentiment on the question Of European interven-
tiOn In our affairs There are some who profess to
know that this is the real explanation OF the tee-
gram, and who at the same time express the hope
that Grant will disappoint the European inquisitors
10y remaining perfectly "mum' on this, az he knows
well how to do on other subjects. There are
yVh cah1
should not DC believed, but the principal
are these:-Frst England would not be likely
join such alliance account OF the Irish diff
Guilty. Second France would be quite as unlikely,
because she has particular interest in supporting
English and Spanish claims; because she has Prus-
sia and Russia as well as republican France to look
after; because she has the old national spite against
perddi0us Albion, and because her own people would
not sympathize in such an alliance. On the other
hand, there are those who say that France
might JOIN such an alliance just to play Eng.
land q sharp trick. She might bolster Eng
land up until England got so far committed
to be unable TO recede, and that then she tFrance
would back out and leave England to 'go 1t alone"
This Is a solution rendered by enthusiastic believers
in Napoleonlc shrewdness The Secretary OF State,
Mr.. Fish with whom your correspondent had an in
terview this evening, takes stock in the cable tele
gram whasever. He regards 1t as o stockjObbng
gold gambling job. put up by INSCRIPTIONS parties
on this side with their correspondents on
the other side OF the water to excite the
market. These parties have taken advantage of
the feeling known to exist IN England grow
ing out OF Senator Summers speech on
the Alabama claims treaty. Any alliance OF the
Indicated between England France and
Spain Mr. Fish regards not only as improbable, but
under all the circumstances absurd. In the first
place the present administration has not declared
any foreign policy except the general one Of protect
ing its citizens and their interests In all parts of the
world. There is nothing particularly new in this
and nothing that could possibly excite either the
opposition or the envy OF any foreign Power. With
regard to Cuba the Secretary says England can find
no fault with US, because she IS In precisely
the same box In fact, she has from the
first followed our lead In all matters pertaining
to Cuba and the nsurrection there. She has been
compelled to do this to certain extent because,
being much nearer the scene OF action than she is,
our government Is advised OF what Is going on ut
least day in advance OF England. About month
ago. when the Captain General OF Cuba issued his
edict relative to vessels found in Cuban waters pro-
posing to treat them pirates Great Britain united
with our government In protesting against It to the
government at Madrid, and upon the joint action OF
the two governments the Infamous edict was re-
As soon as our government had advised Great
Britain OF the circumstances connected with the
case, she at once put herself IN communication with
the Spanish government and took our view OF the
matter. The flibustering story amounts to nothing
Mr.. Fish says that the only instance in which the
Spanish Minister here has called his attention to the
fact that ship was about TO sale with hostile nten-
tions towards Cuba was the Quaker City, and the
government had taken measures to have her de-
tanned. A revenue cutter was now lying across
her bow for the purpose OF seeing that she did not
leave except for a legitimate voyage lie does not
deny that our people have sold arms and ammuni
ton to the insurgents. that the government had
done So but so had the English and the French
On this score, therefore these two nations had no
special cause to complain against us, whatever
Spain might do. But even supposing England and
France disposed to enter into an alliance such
az stated with Spain, Mr.. Fish IL OF opinion that
neither OF the parties concerned could very well
anord to do II. England has her hands
full already. and her peculiar territorial relations in
America would make her hesitate before entering
upon hostilities with the United states. This, to-
gether with the discontented and hostile element In
Ireland ut her own door, would act as partial
check al least upon England. France, Mr.. Fish
thinks, will be slow 20 enter into any such alliance
while Bismarck lives. and Prussia stands among
the first, il not the first Power IN Europe.
IA for Spain. she can do nothing. Such
proceeding IN the opinion OF the Secretary OF
state, would give risc TO general war in Europe,
and end in n reconstruction OF the map of Europe.
Prussia would take care OF France, while Russia
would inevitably walk down 20 Constantinople and
settle the Eastern question In her own way. Spain
would lose Cuba In about seventy-two hours. These
facts Mr. Fish SAYS must be as clear 90 tho
statesmen OF Europe ~ they are 10 every
thinking man In this country, and makes tho
cablc telegram absur,lriy. The state Department
has no advces from Minister Reverdy johnson on
the subject which. ~ say the least IL suspicious.
To be sure Reverdy is rather heavy after his numer.
Gus duners, but he could hardly fall to be apprised
Of no important matter: would he be likely to
-. nnL,airiatic LIZ.