New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-07-21
NETTING or THE EMPERORS.

The significance of the meeting of the En-
perors at Cronstadt lies in the precedence that
has been accorded to Russia. William III is
to pay his respects to three Of his crowned
associates this summer, but Alexander Ill re-
ceives the earliest attention. This is some
thing more than dynastic compliment. Will
lam ii has made an ostentatious display OF
zeal in carrying out his grandfathers policy,
and that sovereign never failed to maintain the
closest and most friendly relations with the
Cars. His meetings with Alexander III and
Alexander III were always of a most affection
ate nature, and intercourse between the two
ROYAL families was never affected by acrimoni-
Gus controversy between the Petersburg and
Berlin press, nor by sharp divcrgences OF opin-
ion between the two Foreign Offices. The
autocratic powers of the Gar increased the i'm
portance of the maintenance OF these personal
relations The sovereign who has absolute
power to direct the policy of Russia in accord
ance with his caprices as well as his convic-
tons, and who can bring on war in Europe
in hot fit of resentment, lives, nevertheless,
in seclusion, apart from his advisers and sub
jects, and is likely to be swayed by personal
prepossessions and preiudices. 1t was his dis
cernment Of this fact that led Prince Bismarck
to insist upon breaking off the match between
Prince Alexander and Princess Victoria. He
knew that the Car would neither forgive nor
forget the affront, and that the marriage would
cause a wide breach between the two courts and
disturb those personal relations which William
| had cultivated with painstaking care. The
same wise statesman has lost no time in ar
ranging a meeting between the Car and the
Young sovereign of Germany in order that
there may be renewal of good feeling between
the two courts.
This is probably the real significance of the
royal conference at Cronstadt. The sovereigns
will be better friends in consequence of the
meeting, and in this sense the ends of Eu-
ropean peace will be promoted. The event
will not pass however, without stimulating
the diplomatic energies of press correspondents
in all the leading capitals There will be
rumors and coniectures without number re-
specting the immediate future Of Bulgaria, the
settlement Of the Eastern Question and the re-
moval of the causes of arrangement between
Austria and Russia II will be safe to assume
that gossip and theories Of this kind are pre-
mature since William III, conscious of his in
experience, will not desire to interfere in any
manner with Prince Bismarcks plans The
Foreign Offices will continue as before to con-
duct negotiations respecting the complex ques-
tons of Eastern diplomacy, and no important
decisions will be reached at Cronstadt The
ceremonials in the harbor and in Peterhof
Palace will serve the double purpose of estab-
fishing cordial relations between the sovereigns
and of bringing William III prominently be-
fore Germany and Europe as the successor of
the aged Kaiser. Prince Bismarck will remain
as before the most industrious and powerful
of diplomatists-th real arbiter OF the fortunes
Of the Continent