The Portland daily press., 1875-06-01
F OR e I G. N.
The Recent War RumOrS.
Lord Derby Explains the Attitude of

Lord Derby Explains the Attitude of
France and Germany.
LONDON, May 31.-In the House of Lords
this evening, Earl Russell asked that the cor
respondence between Great Britain and the
central powers arising out of the recent war
alarm be laid before the House.
The Earl of Derby replied that he sympa-
thized with the curiosity of those who had
watched the course of the foreign affairs during
the past few weeks. The government desired
to conceal nothing it had done, but it would be
impossible to give fair account without large
ly using confidential communications relating
to the policy and opinions of other govern
ments who would object to such discussion.
The publication of these communications
would prevent English diplomatists from re-
covering information in the future, and to
submit mutilated correspondence might mis-
lead the House. The causes of dispute were
liable to recur therefore it was not desirable in
the interests of peace to give publicity to the
details of the controversy. Lord Derby then
proceeded to state that persons highest in au-
thorty in Berlin of late had openly declared
that the French army had become source of
danger to Germany because its magnitude
showed determination ON the part of France
to renew that war; that Germany in self
the first blow to secures peace and
that it was necessary that the French army
should be considerably reduced. This language
repeated by the German representative here
aud elsewhere created extreme uneasiness in
France. The French government Immediately
disclaimed all warlike intentions. Lord Derby
said he accepted this declaration as entirely
sincere He believed no statesman in France
contemplated a renewal of war. France after
her humiliations naturally desired to have an
army which would give her the influence to
which she considered herself entitled. One of
the difficulties was that the French were una
BILE to conceive that the German appreheusious
were genuine. They regarded the representa-
ton made by Germany as pretext for fresh
war; 1t seemed to her majesty's government
there was a mutual misunderstanding which
might lead to grave consequence, for Germany's
next step might have been formal request for
France to discontinue her armament while
France on the other hand would probably &C
celerate it and thereby confirm the suspicious
of Germany.
The existence of this mutual distrust afforded
a good opportunity to offer the friendly offices
of England The Russian government saw
things in the same light and the visit of the
Emperor Alexander to Berlin supplied the
means of supporting England's representa-
tions.
Lord Derby concluded by dclaring that Eng
land had done her duty without sacrifices past,
present or prospective. She had entered into
no engagement and made no pledges but her
policy of now Intervention, and did not mean
isolation or indifference to the peace of Europe.
An unsigned letter in the Times gives an ex-
PLANTATION of the recent warlike rumor. The
writer says that few weeks ago the German
representatives at the various European courts
officially complained that France was arming,
with view to the early resumption Of war,