The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-03-27
TALK OF FRIENDLY OFFICES
GOSSIP OF EUROPEAN MEDIA
TI0N CURRENT AT BERLIN

The Report Is Not Credited In on.
cinI Circles, and at the American
Embassy 1t Is Said That emperor
William Did Not Make the Re.
marks Credited 10 Him--rhe M.
val Ell Fight IA shnm battle.
BERLIN, March 26-The Boerser
Courier publishes dispatch from
Vienna today saying that according
to information from the best SQUIRE IS
European mediation between Spain anC
America is being undertaken.
BERLIN, March Pa report is cur
rent here that the differences between
the United States and Spain are to be
submitted to mediation of the powers
but it is discredited at the foreign office
and at the United States embassy.
Mr.. White says: Very earnest as
surance was given me from the highest
quarters that the emperor did not make
the remark attributed to him relative
to his showing friendship for Spain ir
case of a conflict with America, MOI
anything similar to that. AS a mat
ter of fact he does not hold the sentl-
ments attributed to him on that sub
ject."
The Prussian minister of agriculture
Baron Won Hammerstein LeXten, has
issued an official report on the Sar
Jose scale. setting forth that recently
numbers have been found in all stages
of development on apples. He adds
that it must be presumed that German
orchards and nurseries are infected
and he calls for a general inVeStiga-
ton.
The debate in the reichstag on the
second reading Of the navy bill was
only sham fight, and its acceptance
is foregone conclusion. The only
reason for the long draWn-out discus
sion was to enable the members OF
the reichstag to explain their position
to their constituents.
The discussion was chiefly interest
ing to outsiders from the fact that ii
threw light upon the ideas underlying
the scheme in the minds of the pro-
motors of the measure.
War in View.
Herr Bennington, the leader of the
national Liberals, was so impressed
with the Importance of the occasion
that he departed from his invariable
practice and spoke from the tribune
instead of from his seat. He confirmed
the view that the increase in the
strength of the navy was partly based
on the possibility of war between Ger
many and Great Britain and partly tC
enable Germany to maintain neutrality
in the event of war between Greal
Britain and Russia.
He said that naval experts express
the opinion that, after the realization
of the present scheme, battle in the
North sea might be successfully riskeC
against even the strongest sea power
Abiding to neutrality, Herr Bennig-
sen said in the event of an Arglo-Rus
sian conflict in the Baltic, Great Brit
ain might be tempted to force Germany
to take sides.
He further remarked that the prog
ress made by Germany had excited the
envy Of others, her exports and i'm
ports having increased 10000
marks from 1880 to 1896, while Great
Britain had increased only one million
This vast commerce, he continued
| must be protected. He then referred
to the damage, amounting to $4,000, 0Ot
suffered by Hamburg through priva.
teering during the Franco British
wars.
Herr Richter delivered a scathing cri.
ticism Of the bill, which, he declared
would increase the imperial debt by
100, 900 marks during the next sever
years. Continuing, Herr Richter de-
clared the establishment Of the septen.
nate principle was the first step in the
introduction Of absolutism in all mill
tary questions.
Bismarck Better.
Prince Bismarck is in good health
although his foot still compels him tt
use a wheel chair. He presided at {
| dinner party Of his family, and init
| f,ia toll
| poured in upon him. The officers Of the
| Second foot guards sent him a presen
| of a silver statue of a guardsman IL
| the uniform of 1918.
The prince is highly amused at the
| almost daily cable messages he receive:
| from America, mostly with prepayment
| for answer, requesting his views on the
| loss Of the Maine or on the Cubar
| question. He says he pays no heed tt
| these requests.
The weakening of the marines by the
| dispatch of large attachments to Kiao
| Chou will be rectified on April /, wher
necessary additions will be made tx
that force. The supplementary vote
for KiaoChou includes the costs Of the
| smaller works, but the harbor work o.
| construction will be undertaken by {
syndicate.
The latest absurdity in duelling chal
| lenges was sent by a Berlin student tt
| DR.. Going, president Of the senate. anC
head of the board Of law examiners
DR.. Going disciplined the student ant
the latter sent his brother, an army
officer, to DR.. Going with demand fol
satisfaction with pistols. DR.. Going re
| fused to meet the student. but the mat
| ter will have to be submitted to
| counsel Of honor
| The United States ambassador, An
drew White, gives his first diplomatic
| dinner tonight.
| Foreign Flashes.