The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-07-18
HEL1ooLAND AND NEWFOUNDLAND.
EnEiand's Affront to France aud Its Probn.
bile Consequence.

EnEiand's AHront to France aud Ia Probn.
bile Consequence.
| LONDON, July S.-If Panch were TO picture
Lord Salisbury standing In the bow Of a canoe.
regarding with knitted brow and wel-gript
| paddle u chute thick strown with threat ening
rocks, II would fairly typify the foreign pre-
| dicnments which, Just now. besot tho British
| Ministry. Not In many years has Cabinet
drIftod into such an international pothcr rs
that by which tho Tory Government is begin
| ming to SEQ itself surrounded. Most significant,
| too. Is tho fact that zach attonpt Mt concila.
| tion seems only to introduce a fresh difference
| and n new necessity for Intervention.
None Of the troubles of Lori Salisbury more
! directly interests tho United States than tho
| unlucky complication which now obviously
entanRles the affairs OF Newfoundland with
! the AnRlo-Gernan Convention at present
awaiting the ratification of Parliament. Nor is
| 1t premature to declare that the moment tho
Tory Cabinet exchanged HellGoland for tho
easements and privileges surrendered IN Fast
| Africa by the Germans. 1t closed tho door In
tho face Of similar reciprocal Arrangement
with France In the matter OF the Newfound-
land fishing rights.
Tho anxiety OF Eng'lshmen to SEQ how France
will treat the East African settlement as soon
as all its conditions shall 10 divulged can east
ly be understood. Had the Newfoundland diff
fculty been first disposed OF, there is hardly
any doubt that after some exhibition OF super
fetal sentiment In the Chamber Of Dupities, a
reasonably fair bargain could have been struck
between the two powers. AS was suggested
an absolute cession OF Dominica would have
sufficiently compensated tho feelings OF the
French for thoir voluntary and graceful retire.
mont from what they conceive to be their
treaty rights on the Newfoundland coast. To
such an adjustment OF the affair the Tories
have all along been endeavoring to incline
British public opinion, and at leasttwo French
Deputies OF influence and sagacty were ready
to defend an equivalent proposition on the part
OF the republic.
But tho Anglo German East African COM
pact, oven In its present FORM conceived and
executed rs it was without the slightest con-
sultntion with tho French Foreign office. will
inevitably postpone for years, II 1t does not
altogether and Immediately destroy, all chances
for such settlement as that on which the
British Cabinet has been complacently relying.
AS the Convention now stands. 1t will be bold
representative Of French constituency who
will urge his Government to abdicate what it
considers its absolute preroGatives In North
America merely to relieve Downing street OF
the unfortunate clauses Of English colonials.
And should the treaty between Germany and
England contain the suspected clauses, pledR-
ing English naval assistance to Germany In
event Of a war with France, still holder would
be the English Minister who would dare to
commend such bargain to the wrathful ad-
minstration across tho channel.
The proveroial sensitiveness Of the French
with regard to the surrender OF territory might
possibly have been allayod before Gen. Caprivi
and Lord Salisbury came to their pregnant
understanding But such solution OF the
Newfoundland question became simply pre-
posterous tho moment England presented to
Germany the site OF one more fertilization in
return for surrender to British control Of
vast dominons in East Africa, from all con-
Germ with which France was contemptuously
excluded by the Indifference Of both contract
inc powers.
lnsteadof being in a mood to entertain the
only compromise which can prevent the New
foundland question from becoming one Of tho
protoundest international importance. French
public opinion. irritated by this fIesh il!ustra-
ton Of the peridy OF Albion. will. beyond
doubt take Oh an aggressive shape. and de-
mand that instead OF annexin; Zanzibar.
England shall retire from Egypt. Justly spurn-
ing the Anglo-German offer TO let France con-
tinue to exercise her supremacy in Madagas-
gar as a concession about equal in value 10 re-
newed permission for her occupation of Algeria.
in the mean time. as soon as the Newfouud-
landers realize that their lesser matter has
boon overwhelmed by the prepondernnt parity
OF British interests in Africa, very dsAgroe-
able season will sct in for the English Gov
ernor of the COLONY, and n series of annoying
and embarrassing episodes involve tho Eng
lish naval commander on the station. And
when one remembers that the sturdy popula-
ton OF newfoundland Is largely made up OF the
q l1stI IL, -
believe that the United States will turn deaf
ear to the appeal OF n neiGhboriug American
community coercGd into an iGnomnious sur
render OF its very means of subsistence by the
co Jperaing fleets Of two European powers
especially when that appeal Is framed upon an
Intelligent faith in tho virtues and the sincerity
OF the Monroe doctrine.