The herald., 1894-11-07

peans in China was promptly contra.
dicted. Your correspondent was there
fore Of opinion that the anxiety of the
British cabinet was due to the excite
ment which the Japanese victories had
produced among Asiatics, and to the
influence which further Japanese sue
cesaes might have upon the position OF
England in Asia and upon the relations
of the powers themselves.
Before many days were over the fact
gradually tranepired that overtures had
actually been made by England for q
joint mediation with a view to bring
about cessation or suspension OF hos
tilities. The anxiety of the British
cabinet in taking this step was 30 mani
fest as to leave no doubt as to the mo.
tives which prompted it. But it was
not to be expected that any OF the Eu-
ropean powers would be disposed to stir
in Difference to British colonial interests.
The reply OF the United States was
prompt and such as might have been
foreseen-its traditional sbstention from
entangling foreign engagements. Ger
many was more outspoken in
deprecating any interference be-
fore the issues OF the war were
more clearly determined; it would have
been unjust to seek to deprive the Jap.
anese. at this early stage, OF the advan-
tage to which the sacrifices they had
made reasonably entitled them. The
Kolnische Zeitung, in an inspired COM
munique. accentuated this reply. France
was no less opposed to interference, and
it's official organ in the press took occa-
sion to point to the impossibility of any
understanding or joint action in the af-
fairs OF the east 30 long as the free pas
sage through the Suez canal was con.
trolled by England's occupation OF
Egypt. The reply from St. Peters burg
was equally discouraging, while the
Russian preae, which never ventures to
express itself on matters OF state policy
unless prompted to it, availed itself OF
the opportunity to show an unusual
amount of bitterness towards England.
The unanimity and satisfaction with
which the continental press has been
urged to expose the failure of British
diplomacy in this instance only tends
to demonstrate the miatrust with
which the British colonial policy is
viewed, snd to accentuate the error
which the British cabinet COM
mitted-'a blunder SO great Gas the
Times characterized it in o scathinQ
editorial) as to be nearly incredible" )"
The anxiety with which the Daily
News, the official organ of the govern.
ment hastened to deny the existence
OF the circular to the powers, and to
contradict any proposal of active medi-
alton, only tended, by its hating and
feeble tone. to confirm, not the facts,
which are indisputable, but the rebuff
which English diplomacy received at
this important juncture. We are as
cured that no circular was addressed
to the powers, and that only tentative
proposals were made. Any tyro in
diplomacy knows that theae are 'circu-
lara" of every degree and shade circu-
lars for the guidance OF the issuing
governments representatives only; cir
culars for verbal communication circu.
lsra to be read only, or to be read and a
copy left with the foreign minister,
or to be addressed directly in writing.
The circular in question, therefore. need
not have been known to the powers to
whom the proposal was made, tenta-
lively no doubt, as ouch proposal could
only be made, in order to present, frat
of all, existing dispositions. In this
case the prevailing sentiment was ascer-
tanned in an unraistakable manner. prov.
ing as 1t did that England 10 longer
holds undisputed sway in colonial mat.
tarss that there exists defined pur.