The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-10-06
A BIT OF HISTORY
How Queen Victoria Prevented a
War in Europe.
EMPEROR WILLIAM DESIRED 1T
France Was Growing Too StrOng-On Sails
Dury's Suggestion Fer Majesty Addressed
Note to the Czar-It Was Effective.

/ lSpec1alto THE HERALD-Examlner Dispatch
BERLIN, Oct 4.-IBy cable to the New
| York Herald Never before has the outlook
IN WAhelmstrasse been more peaceful than
a' Vne present moment. But from what 1
learn on the most unimpeachabe authority
IL 10 the calm not that precedes but that
| sometimes comes after the storm. for | am
10 day in position to send Won a most
startling and dramatic bit of history. re-
VeaLng the narrow escape that Europe had
'nls summer from being plunged into war
ana that fairly appalls strong nerved
statesmen, who only within the past week
nave been appraized of danger now hap
PLY averted
| Readers of the Herald have donbtIess
remarked the recent protestation go for
Hsliy and ostentatiously announced first
at Canabrusk by the chancellor of the en-
pre-, General Won Csprivi, and again at
hemscheld by Herr Won Boetticher, Prus
sian secretary of state for the interior.
Ihey both declared cat no time has
peace been so surely guaranteed as at pres
ent-" Moreover, the obnoxious passport
regulations IN Alsace- Lorraine were an
hulIed at the very moment that these ofic-
laLs' protestatiOns were made. and the
German foreign office, perhaps for once
forgetting the maxim, Qui s'ercuse s'dccuss
announced that this measure was intended
as evidence Of a peaceful intent. This
chorus OF peaceful protestations coming
without any apparent cause was almost
Ike bolt from a blue sky, and
set many persons thinking. [ have now
authority to say that had it not been for
the excellent WOman's common sense of
queen victoria and sound Judgment of the
Gar, VINO In moment of emergency acted
In perfect accord, Europe would perhaps ar
this very moment be in the throes of war
Inc 1acts are these: Last summer when
emperor William was at Osborne he was
one evening asked by the Queen to accord
MIN confidential conversation upon a mat
Ter OF the utmost Importance. The reauest
was accorded and the Emperor said in sub
stance; nave something on my mind;
l seek your counsel. The situation in Ger
many is 1ntoleraOle it cannot last twelve
months longer; the country cannot bear
tAe present nnancIal strain required to
keep up its present lighting strength.
socialism Is daily assuming more terrible
proportions. Germanys allies, especially
Italy, are no longer able to keen mn the
present pace. The strain is too great on
her. France, on the contrary, is becoming
stronger and stronger; but France ia iso-
lated. Ii is absolutely necessary that Ger
many snoulc seize the first occasion to de-
clare war upon her. The latest moment to
which this can possibly be put off is the
spring of 1922
The Queen listened attentfvelv to all the
Emperor said and replied: '.As long as /
live firmly hope that peace will be- main
tanned am old, but still l feel that NV
last years shall not be saddened by more
blood flowing. The responsibility that
rests upon you is a terrible one 1t would.
IN my opinion, be criminal for any sover-
elgn or statesman to attempt to precipitate
events In any case, what you have said
causes me the greatest unaasiness"
The conversation ended. The Queen that
very evening sent for Lord Salisbury and
informed him of this strange conversation.
and desired him to talk with the Emperor
about it.
81 am afraid that would only make things
worse. your majesty" replied Lord Sails
bury, for if l attempted to discuss the
question the Emperor might cut the matter
short by taking me by the shoulders and
pushing me out of the window. Besides. it
might excite his majesty to do exactly the
contrary to what l might suggest. No,n
continued Lord Salisbury, there Is in my
opinion only one thing TO do. Write an au-
tograph letter to the Car telling frankly
what has occurred and urging
him, in the interests of the
peace of Europe, to lose no time
in making a friendly advance toward
Franc in order to convince Emperor Will
lam that Russia would not consent to sea
France wontonly attacked. This would
cause the Emperor to reflect, and in nv
opinion this is the most effective way OF
preserving the peace. 1t would be we'll"
continued Lord Salisbury, elf England
should also simultaneously make an adj
vance toward France"
The Queen at once followed Lord Sails
bury's advice. A confidential envoy was
forthwith intrusted with the Queens auto
graph letter to the Gar. The Car fully
appreciated the critical situation. The
French fleet was then in Sweden. The
Gar Immediately sent an invitation for it
to come to CrOnstadt. The Queen at the
same time invited the French fleet to visit
Portsmouth. The rest is alread matter
of history.
The above facts reach me from such per-
sonages and in such a manner as to inspire
the utmost confidence. l am not at liberty
to disclose the sources of my information.
but were l to do so they would carry with
them the greatest weight IN London as well
SIS in Berlin. With this comment l send
you the above bit of history for what it is
worth.