New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-06-03

II is not always that man even OF the widest
experience in public affairs can arrange MS rerin-
tscences so that they eliminate at dramatic inter-
walls with what may be called international trag-
,dy. But the concluding volumes OF LORD Augustus
I,oftus's autobiographica memoirs nave TINS Iorii
without any effort the part of the author'
His change from Berlin to Munich IN ieoz was
like a vacation But in 1865 Earl Russell sent
him again as English Ambassador to the Court
Of Prussia and thereshe remained until the ciose
OF the Franco Prussian war and the formauoh
Of the German Empire. Shortly af'er"aru ne
r,os cen. n Russia. where he completed his dip
lonatic career with the experiences OF 'ne war
between Russia and Turkey in 1871 and 1873 and
the subsequent negotiations for peace. IL was
his view as n statesman respecting the fitness OF
things which led him after the Franco-Prussiah
war to ask for his own recall. The great polit>-
cal changes which had taken place in Germany
seen,ed 10 him to demand a new Ambassador
from England But If he had been thinking OF
tho matter from the level Of literary achievement
he could not have come 10 a wiser conclusion y
chanter OF vast import In modern history hau
been closed Thenceforth. probably for a gener-
alton the life of Germany would be less AMI
mated To another rather than TO one WHO
had witnessed and perhaps shared the ahimoSi-
ties of the war period belonged the task OF "a'ch
ing the inner growth Of an empire Inc au,nor
does not say so, but the same skill In reaulhg
the signs OF the times which led him 70 anticlpa'e
the war between Germany and France may nave
enabled him to divine where the next CONNECT
~ Euronean significance was to take place. A
more prosaic reason for his wish TO leave Ter
many after the beginnings of the Empire may
have been the feeling of dislike toward England
which he had TO meet. 1t was MANIFESTED hrst
while the war was in progress and the primary
cause of II was the suppositon-in the opinion
of the author wholly groundess ana unwar-
ranted-that English preferences were adverse
TO Germany. and that Englishmen had violated
neutrality in the character of the traffic which
they carried on with France. These ac-
cusations." remarks Lord Augustus LOTUS.
"were ably and satisfactorily repudiated by LORD
Granville. but they left their traces behind, ana
for some time after the war strong anti-English
feeling continued to exist in Germany; but hap
pily II evaporated and there now exists, and
more strongly since the fall of Prince Bismarck.
that cordiality between the two countries which
/ trust will never be disturbed
The mild allusion TO Prince Bismarck is quite
as severe as the author permits himself to make
10 any one. 1t shows where the responsibility
Law in his opinion for the feeling which he had
10 meet But ne had spent nearly the whole OF
his active life in Berlin. He had been sucessVely
Charge dAffaires, Envoy Extraordinary, Am
bassador 10 the King Of Prussia and AmDas-
eador 10 the North German confederation ana
had been a witness-if not pacific actor-in
two wars Of the greatest magnitude that had
taken place in our era " The fact that German
representatives at foreign courts and foreign
representatives at the Court Of Berlin bad 70
receive fresh credentials gave him the oppor-
~ reiin -hi
post and of allowing new man 10 adjust him
elf to the new conditions. The change in Ger
MANY was hardly greater than the change re-
ouired in the world at large TO adapt itself TO the
results Of Sadowa and Sedan. The author a.
illustrates this by the record OF HIS own views IN
respect TO the Prussian war with Austria as
compared with the German war with France.
In the former his sympathies were with
Austria: in the latter they with Germany.
Prussia as the leader of Germany had taken on
different aspect since Prince Bismarcks plan
for German unity began to be realized. States
men who had been thinking all the while of the
Z fragmentary Germany which history presented
10 their eyes now saw that the fragments had
begun TO fuse, not by the artifce OF politicians,
but by the heat Of popular sentiment. The revo-
luton in the popular feeling was concealed be-
=. cause there had been up to the time Of the war
its existence was shown in the lightning-like
swtftness with which events followed each other
until Austra's humiliation accomplished. At
this time Lord Augustus Lotus shared with his
chief Lord Clarendon. then at the head Of the
Foreign Office. the feeling that war on the part
Of Prussia was inexcusabe. On the other hand
he appears 10 have agreed with Lord Clarendon
IN speaking Of the Humiliation" which Prussia
sought to put upon Austria and to have ap-
proved the choice which Austria made or war.
"a disastrous war" wrote Lord Clarendon. cpl
dramatically '1s better than voluntary dis
grace" When Lord Augustus LOTUS read Lord
Clarendons dispatch TO Count Bismarck the
latter expressed his gratitude for the friendly
interest shown by England in Prussian affairs.
Then speaking Of Austria ne added Il might
use the words Of Richeeu to his disca rdcd
mistress We are not enemies. but we no longer
love each other He had list Of grievances
against Austria, particularly the Holstein dis
mute But the real point upon which he insisted
was that war could not be avoided. He had no
desire for IT; on the contrary he hoped for peace.
Blu. he thought only the sword could decide the
differences between Prussia and Austria. 1t was
characteristic and perhaps cynical In him to say
that the opportunity for settling all disputes was
now favorable--"an opportunity that might not
OCCUR again for a century" He was not at all
impressed by the rather od-fashioned suggestion
OF Lord Clarendon that 1T would reflect great
credit upon Prussia II before she went out IN TINS
duel with Austria she volunteered to place her
self in the hands Of seconds upon whose Impair
TALLY she could rely, and with whom her honor
would be in safe keeping" But this remark mad
, an apparent effect on the King. The latter for
a moment rather favored the thought OF arbitra-
ton and even went so far as TO ask the Crown
Prince 10 write TO the Queen OF England re-
questing her good Offices as mediator, In the
light Of this action on the part Of the King Lord
Augustus LOTUS again spoke to Count Bismarck
10 prevent any. Misrepresentation as to the con-
> duct OF the English Foreign Office but was met
with the hint that I've should address our
ssives 10 Vienna for Austria was the party who