The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-08-27

Minister Curtin's Opinion Of How Miserably
the State Department Blundered.
Fish Hash with Sauce Tartarre-Does the Ameri-
can Secretary Of State Know the Rudimens
Of Diplomatic Intercourse f-Strange
Position of Bancroft Davis-A
Four Months Despatch.

LONDON, August 10, 1872.
The following facts will assist In the solution OF
this great International Conundrum:-A distin-
guished American travelling In Russia recently
heard the Chancellor Of the Empire express his
opinion freely on the Catacazy difficulty, and was
surprised to hear him say that but for blunder
tho affair could never have assumed any imp0r-
tant proportions.
Prince G0rtschakOa said 1.-THE recall OF Mr.. Cata-
cazy might at the right time have been settled in
an hour"
How so ?" was the natural and startled query
of the gentleman, who vividly remembered for how
many hours the disgraoefu subject had fingered on
the stage.
''smply by Mr.. Fish properly instructing Mr.. Cur
tin, your Minister here, or by leaving him to exer-
else just discretion with the instructions given"
GORTsCHAKOFFS HISTORY OF THE CATACAZY AFFAIR.
Some further conversation brought out the his
tory of the dificulty from the Princes point OF
view, pretty nearly as follows:-
Mr. Fish wrote to Mr.. Curtin to demand the re-
call Of Mr. Catacazy in July. At the time the des-
patch was received in st. Petersburg the Emperor
and Prince GortschakOf were both away,
and the Foreign Office was in charge OF
Mr.. Westmann, this gentleman, though nominally
in charge, could not venture to take
responsibility upon a subject of such Importance
quantance with Russia and Russian political life
would have made this evident to any person. Mr..
Curtin, of course, knew that his letter could not
even be received by this JOcMm tenenS, and yet
even our diplomatic service has enough red tape in
1t to keep our Minister from going to the Prince,
who was then In Germany, without authority
from Washington. So Mr. Curtin telegraphed ask
ing authority go to the Prince, and received in
reply an order to deposit his note with the person
in charge of the Foreign ONCE at st. Petersburg-as
il 1t were su bp9na, that could be legally held as
served when left at the mans residence. Out Of
this primary stupidity all the rest naturally grew
WHY THE DELAY?
Mr.. Westmann could not move, ana the letter
waited the return of Prince Gortschako but by the
time the Prince had returned to his post reason
had arisen for the Emperor's wishing that Mr..
Catacazy should remain for while longer at Wash
ingtOn. There was, therefore, in October an OBJ
stacle to an immediate compliance with the request
OF the United States government, though this
obstacle could scarcely be said to exist In July and
provision to overcome 1t could then have been
readily made.
TIE VISIT OE ALEXIS.
The Grand Duke Alexis was Just then, 1t will be
remembered, about to visit the United States. 1t
was necessary to have Russian Minister In Amer
lea during that visit, and 1t was then too late to
name new one His Majesty the Emperor, there
fore, in order that the contemplated visit might be
made, and in order that the sudden relinqushing
OF the visit might not create scandal through the
world, requested that his Minister should be per-
mitted to remain during his sons visit. 1t will be
remembered this concession was made by our gov
eminent, but made In such grudging and ptiful
spirit, and was loaded with conditions which in
their very nature impugned the good faith and
veracity Of the Emperor OF Russia
sHORT-sIGHTED WISDOM.
The distinguished American could but reflect
once more on the little wisdom with which the
world is governed, and could not but regret that
the part of the world in which he felt most interest
seemed q little worse or than the other parts In
this respect. It struck him also as noteworthy
circumstance that Prince Gortschakofr was wonder.
fully well acquainted with the contents OF the
dispatches that passed between Mr.. Curtin and
his government.
BANCROFT DAVIS FINGER IN THE PIE.
Now the fact that those stages of the Catacazy
difficulty which at one moment seemed to threaten
the good relations OF the two countries had all
arisen out OF the ignorant blunder OF not
authorizing Mr.. Curtin to follow Gortscha-
kOf, did not remain secret with
the gentleman who heard 1t from the Prince, and
in its peregrlnations OF Europe it reached Geneva
where it came to the ears OF Mr. Bancroft Davis.
This gentleman Immediately gave the story nat
denia-sad 1t was all untrue, and that such des.
patches or kilograms as described ever passed be-
tween the State Department and Mr.. Curtin.
WHOSE BLUNDER WAS TIP
HereupOn there was, it Is evident, an open ques-
ton Of veracity between the two governments, for
Gortschakoff is the Russian government, and evil
IDENTITY Mr.. Bancroft Davis Is the United States gov
eminent in the same sense. Hearing OF this diff.
ference, and understanding that our representative
had not asked for authority to go to
the Prince, and that Fish had Numbered still
more If the authority had not been given. deter.
Mined In search Of further Information, to call on
a gentleman who thought might have some knowl-
edge OF the subject. This Is Governor Curtin, now
in London, on his homeward journey. found the
Governor at the Langham, Of course, for all Amer
leans go there probably because 1t Is the worst kept
hotel London can boast.
AN INTERVIEW WITH GOVERNOR CURTIN.
The first subject we touched upon was Stanley
and the HERALD African expedition; for just it
Is impossible to get at any other subject except
through that. Mr.. Curtin expressed with great
warmth his admiration Of that splendid enterprise
Of the munAcence with which 1t was set on foot and
the energy and perseverance with which 1t was car.
rled to successful issue.
GOVERNOR CURTIN AND MR.. FIsH's DESPATCH
Governor" 1 said, 'when did you get the
despatch instructing you to request the recall Of
Mr.. Catacazy from washington ~
'In the month OF July, 1871" was the answer.
"was Prince Goptschakor then In ST. Peters
burg~
mo, sir; he was In Germany. Nobody of the
Court or the fashionable world would remain in st.
Petersburg In the Summer. 1t is very unhealthy.
swell, Governor" continued, "what, then, did
you do with the despatch ?"
"why, sir, was in some trouble about Il. There
was nobody at the Foreign once authorized to
transact business so important as shat. The person
In charge, Mr.. westmann. would not have dared
to receive my despatch. And could not go to