The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-06-29
RUSSIA AND ENGLAND
The Prince of Wales Failed to
Hypnotize the Car.
HE ACCOMPLISHED NOTHING.
Tho Emperor OF Germany Brought
Pressure TO Bear ThA, Changed the
Whole Aspect OF Afrsirs.
Harold Frederic IN New York Times.

Harold Frederic IN New t0Ek l4uiSss
London. May 1s--Tne Duke of Con-
nsurhf. accousran.e5 by his wife and
daughters and an imposing suite or four
persons ali told, left Charing Cross station
on Monday afternoon on their 1ouFey 70
Moscow 70 specially represent Great Brit
ain and its empire at the greatest corona
ton festival OF the century The comlngs
and soings Of the "Connaughts are not
matters in which LonGoners hao.tually
concern themselves much. and Monday
was no exception TO the rule. There We're
not wanting efforts 70 give the thing an
effect of pagesntry. The departure plat
form va. rallied of 20 keep back the gem
eral public. and the ancient red carpet
which the Southern railway reserves for
solemn functions was unrolled and spread:
some score or more OF military and court
officials and court hangers-on OF beth
sexes came. too. in uniforms or bright
frocks 10 help out this notion that some
thing fine was happening, but the general
public did not come at all. Perhaps a few
travellers bound FOR other places had time
to stop and ask a policeman what the
guarded inelesure and special train signi-
fed. but OF popular interest there was
scarcely a vestlge. The signal for start
ing was given, the little group OF function,
aries raised their tiny cheer. and the train
went of with London absolutely indiffer-
ent.
thoughtful person could but contrast
this scene with that which the same sta
tion presented sixteen months ago. when
the Prince of Wales returned TO London
from St Petersburg. Then there were not
only eager thronss inside the great sta
ton building, glad 10 wait any length of
time for the event which had brought them
together. but huge crowds outside which
blocked the Strand and Trafalgar Square,
and which cheered when al last the Prince
came, as he rarely heard London crowds
cheer before. Nor did this remarkably
f1asering reception owe much, IL any
thing. to organization. 1t was said at the
time that word had been passed around
among the Service and Pail Mall clubs to
go down and cheer the Prince, but the
gathering was for the most part one which
had nothing TO do with ciubland. It was,
indeed, as nearly spontaneous an affair
as is ever possible. The people were full
of the notion that the Prince of Wales had
been serving his country well I'm Russia.
The fact that he received particular prom
fnence among the mourners In the pro-
longed funeral services OF the dead car
and that he had remained in ST. Peters,
burg long after the other royal guests had
gone home, to comfort and advise his
nephew, the new car. appealed TO every
body's Imagination. There seemed to be
excellent ground for the belief that he had
succeeded in establishing strong personal
influence over young Nicholas II. and san
guinc people were talking about new An
glo-Russian combination as If the papers
had already been drawn up and signed.
Englishmen have so few opportunities TO
feel grateful TO their royal family for act
ual services rendered in the field of Inter-
national politics that they impulsively
made the most of this chance. On oil
sides the Prince OF Wales was praised as
a statesmaniike patriot who had under
gone the most arduoifs and tedious two
months toll to utilize his personal rela-
tons with the new car for the good of
his country. When. finally. he returned
to London. this thought was in the minds
OF the thousands who turned out In the
winter afternoon to welcome him. And
I am far from feeling that he did not de-
serve all the hearty cheers he received.
Very likely a coldly scientific analysis
OF the motives actuating his behavior In
Russia might have revealed some things
which this Charing Cross crowd did not
guess. Ii Is open to us. for example, 10
fancy that tho prince did not altogether
lose sight of the fact that. while with ono
hand he was creating what promised
then TO be q durable friendship between
the courts OF London and St Petersburg.
with the other he's was putting the EN-
peror Williams nose out of Joint Tho
British heir apparent Is an extremely
human person, and l imagine that this
thought OF how he was ''besting" that
insufferably arrogant German nephew of
his played a prominent part in his media
tons In those days. But there was moth
ing unpatriotfc or unworthy In this and
II IL had been possible for the prince TO
have alluded publicly TO this phase OF
what II was supposed he had achieved, I
am sure all England would have shouted
wish delight.
But he laughs best who laughs last.
Suddenly. one day in March Of 1895. an
unexpected chill struck the young and
fiourishing plant of Angio-Ruszan friend
ship It's buds withercd and its leaves
blackened literally over night. Before q
week had passed thereafter we could see
that II was dead. The story OF this swift
and killing change at 81. Petersburg has
not yet been told and may not be for
years. know only here and there dis
connected shreds of 70 In for the most
part what one could see on the surface
This much seems to be certain: On a GER
tain day in March. 1896. II was regarded
as at last definitely settled that NJ de
Staai. the venerable Russian AMBASSADOR
in London and the warm personal friend
of the Prince OF Wales and OF the Eng
Hsh alliance. was 20 succeed 20 the vacant
control Of the Russian foreign Office. The
news OF his appointment was indeed al
lowed Dy the ku&Sa0 censorship 10 be
telegraphet abroad and was received with
deep qualification by the English press
The very next day II wes announced thar
NJ de Staal had not been appointed but
that the post had been given instead 10
Prince LohauoT. the Russian ambassador
az Vienna In It's very moment OF an
parent triumph the breath had been
knocked out Of the Prince OF Wales cher
ished plan.
Who Dealt this unseen ana fatal blown
No one can answer with anything like
certainty. There was a theory at the time
II forget its parentage for the moment
that the appointment OF NJ. De Saal hai