The record-union., 1896-01-14
ENGLAND WAS WRONG.
So Declares Henry Norman, the Lon
don Chronicle Correspondent.
Before Leaving for London He Talks
Freely on the Issues of the
Venezuelan Question.

NEW YORK, Jan. 13-The Mail
and Express prints the following
Henry Norman, whose work as the spe-
cial correspondent of the London
Chronicle" has done so much to in
form the British people of the attitude
Of Americans upon the Venezuelan
boundary dispute and of the strength
of their claim to interpose the Monroe
doctrine to prevent the despoiling of a
weaker nation, is at the Waldorf Hotel.
He will sail for London on the Majes-
tic on Wednesday.
Mr.. Norman is a keen-eyed. fluent
talking, observing man yet in his
thirties, and speaks modestly of his
work in this country, which has done
so much to bring about a better under
standing between this Government and
the British Foreign Office.
Il have no hesitation in saying the
Americans have the best of the argu- :
ment in the Venezuelan question" said
Mr.. Norman to a Mail and Express
reporter. Before ] left London to un-
derta,Se this inquiry it was manifest
that the British people had no expecta-
tion of war. They could not understand
the full force of the American purpose
to assert and maintain theMonroe doc
trine, but they could understand that
Lord Salisbury had declined to arbi-
trate an international question, and
that was an extent to which they were
not prepared to follow him.
THE notion of war between the
two great nations to grow out of a
question offering ample scope for arbi-
tration was. regarded as unthinkable
by nearly every Englishman with
whom l talked before sailing.
My first impression after my early
inquiries in this country was the stern
determination of the American people
to sustain President Cleveland in his
assertion of the Monroe doctrine I
was not liable to mistake this feeling,
for one of the two most useful inspi-
rations of my life was that which led
me to select Harvard University for
my alma mater. In my four years
there and since I acquired an acquaint-
ance with Americans and American
thought and purpose that has often
been highly useful and important in
my work.
After study of the American con-
tention in the Venezuelan question, the
conclusion was irresistible that it was
right, and that England was wrong
The facts and data upon which the
judgment is founded were readily
placed at my disposal After my inves-
tigating work was over, / had occasion
to see many American statesmen with
the view of obtaining their opinions on
the question of arbitration / had the
merest casual acquaintance with just
one Senator. but the kindly and hearty
way in which eminent Americans at the
Capitol received me was exceedingly
gratifying. They, without exception
approved of the results of my work and
of the correctness Of my view of the sit
uation.
Now, as to the newer ENHANCEMENT
which has superseded the Venezuelan
matter in popular interest, it is import
ant to note the difference in which it
has been received by the British people
War based upon the refusal to arDi-
trate, did not raise patriotism to any
appreciable extent Threat Of a foreign
Power to interfere with the treaty
rights of the Imperial Government
aroused the British people to stern pur-
pose to defend material interests at all
hazards. The Government this time is
right, and the people are unanimous in
their determination to uphold it.
THE act Of Germany in asking Portu-
gal to permit the landing of German
troops at Delagoa Bay, with a view of
encouraging the Beers to declare their
independence, comes very near to being
an act of war. If they had obtained
permission and acted upon it, war must
Immediately have resulted. The ten
sion of the situation. then, is very
strained. and war may yet result. 1t is
inconceivable that any encourag cement
should have gone out to DR.. Jameson's
misguided enterprise from England, al
though he may have had encourage
ment in South Africa. Still, the British
Government is in no way implicated, al
though it may be called upon to pay in
demnity
What I wish to mark is the distinc-
tion between the way the two principal
events were received by Englishnen.
The Venezuelan imbroglio scarcely
stirred their patriotic impulses, while
the South African complications has
aroused the nation to the most vigorous
and determined assertion of national
honor and power"