The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-09-10
THE ANGLo-GERMAN TREATY.

Hon. Joseph Chamberlain, British secre-
tary of state for the colonies, signalized his
arrival in the United States on a visit by
frank interview with a reporter, in which
he stated that a new treaty between Great
Britain and Germany has been actually
signed This is the first official information
that has been given out on the subject, and
it may be significant of the growing friend
ly relations between England and the
United States that it is given through an
American newspaper The first dispatch on
the subject from London Sept. 2, said re-
port was current there that such a treaty
had been completed Some of the London
papers discredited the report, but the Pail
Mall Gazette stated that it had information
from a trustworthy source that the treaty
had been signed, and characterized it as "a
new and momentous departure in our for
eign policy The same paper on the 9th
inst. stated that it had learned that tho
treaty was mainly commercial" but that it
provided basis for the adjustment of all
differences regarding territorial questions
between the two countries in all parts of the
world. On the same date, Sept. 6, the British
Foreign Office officials stated that the
agreement was yet incomplete. AS Mr..
Chamberlain was on the ocean at that time
it is probable he has been advised of the
signing of the treaty by cable since he ar
rived in the United States. Rumors on the
Stock Exchange confined the scope of the
treaty to the acquisition by Great Britain
of Delagoa bay, on the coast of Africa, thus
disposing of a vexatious controversy be-
tween England, Germany and Portugal, and
the acquisition of Syria. a part of Asiatic
Turkey, by Germany. Mr.. Chamberlain sim
ply states that treaty has been signed,
leaving its subject matter and scope open
to conjecture. 1t probably does include the
points above indicated, and may include
more. Delagoa bay is important harbor.
and is connected by rail with Pretoria. Eng
land wants it as a base for her operations
in Africa, and if she mas obtained Ger
many's consent Portugal will not stand in
the way of her acquiring it. The German
Emperor, on the other hand, has senti-
mental desire to become possessed of the
Holy Land and try German colonization in
Asia. With Englands assent he can do this
though his experiment will have no practical
results.
But while it is probable the new treaty
embraces the points named it may have a
much wider significance. The Pail Mall Ga
zette of Sept. 2. in declaring its belief that
an Anglo-German treaty had been signed.
quoted Mr.. Chamberlain's Birmingham
speech of last May 10 as foreshadowing such
a treaty. That speech was the first official
utterance in favor of an Anglo-Saxon alli-
ance and was widely commented on in the
United States 1t did not mention Germany
but it made distinct reference to the United
States. There is a powerful and generous
nation" said Mr. Chamberlain, speaking
our language, bred of our race and having
interests identical with ours 1 would go so
far as to say that. terrible as war may be,
even war itself would be cheaply purchased
if in great and noble cause the stars and
stripes and the union jack should wave to-
gether over an Anglo-Saxon alliance" The
argument of the speech was primarily in
favor of an Anglo-American alliance or I'M
Outstanding. but also in favor of such other
alliances as would enable Anglo-Saxon ma
tons to cope with any combination of pow
ers that could be made against them. In It's
broadcast sense an Anglo-Saxon alliance
would include Germanic as we'll as English
speaking peoples, and this may have been in
Mr.. Chamberlains mindvwhen he made his
speech of May Is. AT all events, it is sig-
nificant that less than four months after
the speech was made new treaty should
have been signed between England and
Germany and that the British secretary of
state for the colonies should make the first
official announcement of the fact from the
United States 1t seems quite within the
bounds OF reasonable conjecture that he has
come here to pave the way for a treaty or
agreement between England and the United
States similar in spirit to that already con-
Guided with Germany A tripartite agree
ment Of that kind would furnish an easy