, 1896-04-06
JOHN BULL and SPAIN.
They Form an Alliance of Vast
Importance.
ITS BEARING ON CUBA.
salisbury Government Will DO
Everything II Can to Check the
P~retenslOns Of the Wash.
ingtOn Government.
BEARING ON CUBA.

New York. April Ga dispatch to
the World from London says:
The positive statement came to your
correspondent from a leading ~financier
of the city (the money making part Of
London) that England has concluded
a treaty of alliance with Spain. His
final message was within ten days
Europe will be startled by the official
announcement of this fact"
Continuing the World correspondent
says:
Il give this statement with the re-
serve which it's national Importance
warrants, pointing out only that the
sensitive money interests of the city
are often better informed on such mat
tiers than is any part Of the community
except the highest official authority,
and that my informant is now, and
for many years has been associated
with the leading financial enterprises,
conspicuously in the international
oASo VI <ohuoh uuhhol Ills ldtllS, IL
| could mention it. would be recug-
nized as very authoritative by every
New York banker, as well as every
London banker.
Such a treaty would have \ vastly
important bearing Upon the cont
mental situation. 1t would have COM
mensurately important bearing upon
the Cuban question in the United
States.
Il quoted to my informant the state
ment in the New York papers reaching
me by yesterdays mail. that the Wash.
ington government had received a
semi-oflcial intimation from the Brit.
ish ministry that England would ap-
prove of the recognition by the United
States of Cuban belligerency.
His reply was that exactly the con-
trary is the case; that in the first place
the Salisbury ministry is disposed 10
do anything 1t al with safety and in
reason to check the pretensions OF the
ttIllcI lCdu government
II can furnish no further details of
this alleged treaty than that, accord
ing to my informant, it will include
giving to Great Britain the right to
harbor and refit her fleets in the Med
iteranean ports of Spain. The harbor
of Cartagena is one Of the finest on the
Mediterranean and would shelter tie
entire British navy. The Salisbury
ministry has openly and officially stat
ed one OF its chief reasons for the cx.
t%raordinary movement. the advance IN
the Soudan accepted as hostile by
France and Russia. was to make a
friendly diversion in behalf of Italy.
All Europe has in turn accepted this
sur as proof Of England's sympa
thy with the triple alliance, and even
Germany showed appreciation OF this
fact by voting with Italy and Austria
to assist E%ngland's war with the kha-
lif. France and Russia on the con
trary, are ablaze with hostile lndigna-
ton against England because of this
movement.
From all this the Importance Of an
Anglo-Spanish alliance to Great Brit
ain is obvious. Neither Gibraltar nor
Malta-England's only two ports on
the Mediterranean-is capable of eth
er harboring or refttihg a fleet. but
with both the Italian and Spanish
ports thrown open to the British navy,
the French feet at Tulon would be ut
England's mercy. and Russia could
hardly make a junction from the Black
sea with the ships Of the French ally.
Such are the apparent reasons why
Great Britain should wish TO make
such an alliance. 1t would, moreover.
leave her in safe possession Of Gibral-
tar.