New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-06-22
INV CABLE TO THE TRIBUNE.J


,....ioh,. 1890 BY The New- York Tribune
,,aor lime ol-The first news of Lord SAILS
.,,r,s German treaty both a surprise ana
.hock The British public woke on wednesday
morninc to learn that the British Empire was noU
oute SO large as it was the day before. Inc
cesson of Ueligoland to Germany seemed to them
., first more than the acquisition Of Zanzihar; :;
nerhaps because it is not so far away Inc hrSo
word heard from the Opposition was a cry oi
Lord Saisbury's surrender. Then they ne'hous "'
themselves that only n fortnight ago theN "'u
urged in Parliament that this very iSiahu slIo",'
he given up to Germany. The Engiish ha"i0"''
and the Irish had Joined in this Ihe renlihisofh'c
,,o,,d no moro agreeable 10 the Ministry if one OF
their own colleagues had not resisted 'ho pi'-
nosa1 and protested against it in rather strong
language. Lord Salisbury had not then taken all MS
colleagues into his confidence nor is IT usual ior
Prime Minister to impart his projects 10 under-scc-
rctaries The public moreover, do not take pureIE
nartisan views nor purely detrimental views lheE
do indeed think 1t startling, as one Conservative
organ remarks for great Power 10 give up
without a war any portion of its territory, now
ever small and insignificant They listen aso
with some anxiety to the eXultations ol berHH'
Tb. substance of the treaty was officially made
known in Berlin before il was in London. lheN
also the absorbing topic was not, say me Ehgish
dispatches. the demitation in Africa, pnt the
ccssion of IIeligoland One writer says: III Is
agreed that this act of generosity Will do more
n mite Germany and England than any formal
treaty of alliance Generosity may he eit out
of the question. If it were an act OF generosi'N
deep and long would be the growl of the BRUSH
Lion. England relinqushes and Germany acquires
Heligoland as one part of large bargain. On
both sides price is paid for all that is ceded or
T1na &c vi
adequate.
Lord Salisbury is far too able Foreign Minis
fer not 10 take into account the gain of German
Goodwill He cares more for that. perhaps. than
for those vast spaces of African territory which he
somewhat complaccntly hands over. Having 10
elect between France and Germany, and Knowing
as every European statesman knows. that no oeil'-
fetal understanding for general European pu'-
noses can possibly be had with both togethef, "c
has cast the lot of England with Germany ia"
Mr. Gladstone been in power, he would haNc
chosen. not Germany. but France. The poiltical
equilibrium of Europe. in other words. turns on
the domestic policy of England. The attempt "
give Home Rule to Ireland has robbed France
of an ally or a possible ally. in England All
The weight of Great Britain in European councls,
still considerable is now TO lie thrown INTO the
German scale. There is no alliance, but there Is,
as there has been ever since Lord Salisbury came
into office. cordial agreement between these two
great Powers a cordial understanding, ana
common wish for peace, and substantial concord
respecting the means by which peace is 70 be pre-
served. The ccsson of lIegoland is in fact, part
of a much larger policy than appears on the sur
face 1t is meant 10 Strencthcn and perpetuate the
existing Anglo-German amlty That is equivalent
70 saving that il is ill-received in France French
journals suddenly show themselves sohcitons about
English honor, ard talk of Ilcligoland, which has
no military value, as if il were Gibraltar. Ihey
call it humiliation for England What they really
mean is humiliation for France if to be let "'it
in the cold is humiliation. VI. Clemenccau, who
sometimes speaks frankly, says: The division of
spoils is at our expense" Irritation disappont-
ment and angry surprise are visible In every
sentence Of French comment on this Angl0-6ernan
treaty which is the answer 10 NJ Rlbots nope
that Europe would back France in her efforts 10
elbow England out of Egypt. Italy ana Austria
are as content as France is bitter.
A question has been asked in both Houses about
Heligoland but the Gladstonians seem not quite
clear what line they may finally take on the
whole question. Lord Rosebcry's question 10
Lord Salisbury, whether the consent Of the people
of Hegoland had been obtained sounds like an
echo from the Midlothian speeches Of his leader.
Lord Salis5ur" answered drylY that he had
not thought it necessary TO take pchiscitc.
II is not on such grounds that public opinion IN
England can lie reused llcligolanders are not
English, and little do the English care for their
far-away cousins. lately their fellow-subiects II
is thought amiabe of Lord Salisbury 10 have
provided that they shall not in their new charac-
ter of German subjects he liable 70 conscription.
The cession depends the authorization OF
Parliament. but though there will be debate there
is no probability that Parliament will refuse 10
sanction Lord Salisburys act. To refuse would
he Ia throw ont the Ministry
So far as the African part Of this Anglo German
agreement is concerned, Mr. Stanleys approval
has satisfied the British public that the bargain
is good one for England. Mr.. STANLEY represents
to their mind the extreme party. and speaks for
those who most desire annexation on Imperial
grounds and for those also whose commercial in
terests are deeply involved. He went 20 Scotland
10 curse Lord Salisbury. He returned with bless
ings On his lips. lie feared that England mcdi-
tated surrendering 10000 square miles in Africa
She keeps all these and gets another half million
miles beside. lie makes light OF that severance
OF Anglo-African territory Of which 50 much has
been heard. The freedom Of transit, guaranteed
across the German lands, is just as good as the
land itself, cries Mr.. Stanley. The new empire
is magnificent; the agreement is grand agree
"eh'' Inc great explorer mas VISION ot Brltish
clviization advancing in Darkest Africa and inn
aroving The nations Of Uganda and Unyoro-6, 900,
900 OF the finest people in Africa. II is the day
OF days which has come for Africa. Christianity
is to reign, with the Union Jack waving over the
pulpit Not less is he delighted By the recovery
OF Zanzibar Tie Germans had actually got their
big. powerful paw Zanzibar: now they have
taken 1t on. And il is an island which does
$4,000, 900 annual trade with England. In this
as in other passages Of Mr. Stanlcy's fine New
castle speech, you hear the clink of the dollar
curiously mingled with halleujahs.
Major Wssmanns dislike OF the treaty will con-
tent the English not less than Mr.. Stanley's ap-
proval Of IT, That rather clustering warrior has
not yet been heard from directly, but his second
in command, Lieutenant Won Gravenreuth, de-
clares himself painfully surprised by the agree
ment, especially by the surrender of Zanzibar,