The San Francisco call., 1898-03-20
ANXIOUS FOR
 AN ALLIANCE Sincerity of the British for an Enten te With
 Un cle Sam.
It Is Argued That a Compact of
 Anglo-Saxons Would Pre- serve Peace of the World.
England Willing to Regard This Country in the Light of a Friend
 and Brother.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

LONDON, March 19.-The remarkable unanimity of the approval of both classes and masses of the mere sugges- tion of an Anglo-American alliance compels belief in the sincerity of the desire of the British public for an en- tente with the United States. The fact that most of the cable dispatches from America have proclaimed that the sug- gestion has been seriously discussed is heartily welcomed here, and is regard ed as extremely important and gratify- ing. as evidencing friendly spirit.
 There are," as a diplomatist put it, inspiring hopes that the difference of the past will be buried, and that the AngloS Saxons, in the near future, will be found issuing identical notes to all opposed to their common interests
 The diplomat continued: Tt is not any stretch of the imagination to say that such union has been longed for by the best men in Great Britain. many years. not only because of the genuine wish for closer bonds of friendship, but because 1t is known fact that all the statesmen of Europe realize that close alliance between America and Great Britain would constitute, not only the surest guarantee of the peace of the world, but would afford proof
 
 liberty is to be extended for the beneht of mankind, in spite of the efforts to extinguish it made by reactionary rul- CTS and governments.
 The weekly newspapers pay con- siderable attention to the subject. The Speaker says: Tt is impossible for the statesmen of either country to find a nobler object to which to devote their energies and their lives. What ever the actual relations in which the Governments of London and Washing ton regard the matter, the American people may be assured that if they wish for an agreement the people CT Great Britain also wish for one. We do not wish to ask the Americans to fight our battles, just as we feel con vinced that they are too proud to de sire that we should fight theirs. But what we do wish and what VA men on both sides must earnestly desire is that each nation shall feel that 1t has in the other friend and a brother on whose sympathy it can rely in time of need"
 The Spectator, noting the good feel ing expressed in the United States, says: Tt does not follow from any de sire to court the old country because it may be useful, but is due to the report ed coalition on the continent against England" Continuing, the Spectator remarks: "The danger, or supposed danger, or the BrltlSn aWOke race IeSl- ing with a rush, and the difficulty with Spain only served to increase the latent sentiment essential to the unity existing among Anglo-SaxonS. The possibility that the Spanish quarrel might bring them face to face with a continental coalition made the Americans realize that our race is not beloved on the con- tinent and that we may some day have to make a common cause. Americans are quite right in assuming that they will have the support Of the BritiSherS should a continental alliance attempt to oppress them. If our people once real ize the condition of Cuba half of Eng land would be calling the Americans hard names because they have not in- tervened earlier to stop the horrors per petrated at their very doors."
 The curious mixture of pacific assur ances and announcements of active preparations for war which are coming from the United States keeps the pro phets guessing; but, the opinion is gaining ground that the outlook is inn proving and that war will finally be averted by a Spanish retreat under some more or less spacious excuse and an agreement to recognize the claims or the United States, for, in spite Of stor- ies to the contrary. Spain is we'll aware that it is useless to build hopes of sym pathy from the European powers.
 > Commenting on the attitude of Presf- dent Mckinley, the Saturday Review says it is suggestive commentary on government by the people that the only means of preventing what the President calls an unholy war has been for the Government to face popular clarnor in an attitude of indifference such as might be expected of Russia
 Reading between the lines of the re- assuring cable messages. the pessimis- tic Spectator thinks nothing has hap pened to improve the situation. and says: While the President is sincere ly anxious to avoid war, doubtless his desire will be strengthened by the ad- vices of the navy and army depart