New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-06-15
THE PEACE or EUROPE.
LORD DE3BY's STATEMENT IN TIE BRITISH
PARLIAMENT.


RErLY-ENGLisH COOPERATION WITH RUSSIA.
lrRox TIE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF the TRIBUNE
LONDON June IA man who happened to have
any credit prophet would not have risked much
of it by predicting that about this time Earl Russell
would be heard from. Thore has been European |
war panic 1t has been dispelled, and the dsquet-
ing talk to which the scare was in measure |
DUE has died away. Europe. for the past ten days,
has enjoyed the blessings of sound sleep ana tran-
quill imaginations. But all this occurred without |
Lord Russels help and 1t does not suit the old man
that any mischief should occur in which he has not
o hand. SO last night he returned once more to the
subject in the House of Lords with his usual mo-
ton that the correspondence between England and
other Governments be produced. His real object he
told u.s. was not so much to get the correspondence
as to get an assurance from the Foreign Minister
that his negotiations had been conducted IN the
spirit of 1914 to whether that spirit had been
revived the policy of 1914 revived and new treaty
made like the treaty OF 1914 by which the bounda-
RIGS of France were settled and guarantees given to
England and the rest of Europe for the mantle
nance of peace and what is called system.
This it must be confessed sounds like the talk OF
man in his dotage. But it has had one good effect
It has brought out from Lord Derby very remark
able speech indeed speech from which for the first
time IL is possible to get authentic, though still
misty notion of what actually occurred during the
scare-a word for which We may now substitute that
employed by Lord Derby-crisis Further lght Is
also thrown on il by letter OF an unusual kind
published in The Times yesterday under the sigma
ture of verax. This letter is dated Paris, but 1t Is
90 doubt possible for correct intelligence to DO COM
municatcd by writer from Paris Before LORD
Oerby's speech should have said that the letter
sonyeyed simply what have previously described
as the Russian view of the crisis-the view
according to which the Emperor was actual arb-
ter of Europe Lord Derby's speech makes it prob
able that the statements put forth by Russian agents
have more truth in them than had been supposed.
Lord Derby to begin with, treats the whole mat
fer from a serious point of view. Whoever or what
ever produced it, there a crsis-nOt mere
scare There is startling frankness in the way in
which Lord Derby refers to some OF its circum-
stances. Language he tells u.s. had been held by
persons of the highest authority and position in Ger
many to the effect that the French army was being
increased to degree which was dangerous to Ger
many and exceeded the requirements of France, and
that the course being pursued in respect of that army
manifested determination the part of France to
renew the war of 1901 at the earliest period at
which she should be in position to do so. 1t was
further said continues Lord Derby that If such was
to be taken as the object which France had in view,
it might not be the duty of the German Government
to wait until France had made her preparations but
that Government might feel called upon to take the
initiative that Germany did not desire war, but that
if war were to be avoided it seemed necessary that
the French ornaments should be discontinued.
1t is by no means the first time that we have heard
of this language being used but it is the first time
that il is reported TO officially coming from
sons of the highest authority and position We have
heard of il unofficially and as have all along
thought, in an unauthentic way. 1t has been
ascribed for the most part to the new party-with
Count Molke at the head, if you please, and con-
siderable Court party at the tail But when Lord
Derby says persons of the highest authority and po-
sition, literal Interpretation of his words would
seem to indicate the Emperor and Prince Bismarck.
If he does refer to them, it II have to be taken
"a proved that the English Government believed
that the German Government was actually meditat
ing war on France-which Lord Derby denies-and
that the intervention of the English Government
whatever may have been its nature-was based
on this belief. Heretofore this view has not
seemed credible, and the statement would be of a
nature TO provoke very strong denias from Berlin
Prince Bismarck is not insensible to public opin-
ion-at least he does not ignore its existence nor
forget to compute it factor in a calculation of
forces Individually he mayor may not-despise
it, but az Chancellor of the German Empire he has
shown on many occasions great anxiety to secure it
TO his own side. The history of the way in which
the draft treaty about Belgium became public in
1870 would prove that, and there are many other
examples. He knows, of course, that the opinion of
Europe is strongly opposed to war on the pretext
lately assigned
This supposition, however, is so positively mega
lived by Lord Derby's subsequent words as to call
only for the remark that is surprising that language
sapabe of such construction should have been used
At all In respect to France, Lord Derby leaves us
IN no doubt whatever. France discaimed all inten
ton of renewing the war, and 81 am bound to say"
declares the English Foreign Minister, that ac-
repted and still accept that disclaimer as one made
In all sincerity" Neither" adds he did we believe
that the German Government were contemplating
an act so entirely repugnant to the moral sense OF
Europe as that of rushing into an unprOvOked war
with the intention of completing the destruction OF
her former foe" This sufficiently exculpates the
German Government, and leaves the burden OF the
war policy on what has been called the war party
that is on the military caste and Court faction. 1t
relieves from the necessity of suppOsing 1t to have
been Prince Bismarcks, but the whole speech, taken
together, allows one to infer that Lord Derby thinks
the came very getting the upper hand
Whether they may not prove stronger another
time is question on which Lord Derby has doubts
The points of difference he remarks, were OF such
nature that they are likely to reoccur. The action
of the English Government is applicable ON but one
theory-that the German Government, though not
intending immediate hostties seriously
alarmed by the preparations of France. If they con-
tnued to entertain these approximations the next step
on their part might, says Lord Derby, be a formal
request TO France TO discontinue arming. He is Of
opinion that had such request been made it would
have been very difficult to preserve peace. At this
point England ntervcnes persuaded of the good
faith Of both partes and endeavoring quietly and