The San Francisco call., 1898-06-11
ATTACKS LORD SALISBURY
EXCITING SESSION OF THE
 ENGLISH HOUSE.
Chamberlain Defends His Birming- ham Speech From Bitter Criticism by the Op-
 position.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

LONDON, June 10-Sir Charles Dilke, in the House of Commons to-day, nov ing a reduction in the Foreign Office vote, attacked the Marquis of Salis- bury's foreign policy of concession. Re- ferring to the United States he said:
 Our better relations with the United States are mainly due to the good in fiuence of her Majesty's Ambassador at Washington (Sir Julian Pauncefote), for the Governments policy has been rash and feeble. Everyone Wi welcome an alliance of hearts with America, but no alliance could be a war alliance"
 Continuing Sir Charles said he did by the Secretary of State for the Colo nies (Mr. Chamberlain) of an alliance with Germany.
 Sir William Vernon Harcourt, the Lib eral leader in the House of Commons. asking for information this afternoon as to the foreign policy of the Govern ment, proceeded to criticize at length the recent speech of Mir. Chamberlain, Secretary of State for the Colonies, at Birmingham. He referred ironically to the "pitiful spectacle of the Secre- tary of State for the Colonies standing,
 
 seeking an alliance, remarking: The Chinese question must be settled on friendship and concert with Russia" He asked whether 1t would not have been better for MT. Chamberlain to postpone his insults to Russia" until the talked-of alliance had been se- cured.
 MT. Chamberlain, who, on rising to reply, was received with Government cheers and Irish Nationalist misses, de- nied there was any discrepancy be- tween himself and other members of the Cabinet.
 MT. Chamberlain declared the object of his Birmingham speech was mot to lay down policy, but to state facts to the country as to what I conceive to be the conditions and great problems we are called to face.'
 Repeating the leading features of his Birmingham speech MT. Chamberlain declared:
 If it became known we were willing to consider alliances it is not unlikely that advances would be made to us A mutual understanding with one of the great powers would save a very large addition to the navy"
 In concluding, he referred to the i'm portance of close understanding with America" adding:
 ''In my opinion, on such matter the United States would not listen to the Irish vote"
 But whether England or America were menaced, he said, he hoped 1t would be found that blood was thicker than water, and, without desiring to force either nation to enter into an al- liance with which majority of both peoples did not thoroughly sympathize, he would repeat his conviction that the closer, the more defined and the clearer the alliance between the United States and England, the better 1t would be for both nations and for civilization. MT. Chamberlain's speech ended amid loud cheers from the benches
 John Dillon, the Irish Nationalist leader, protested against MT. Chamber lain's insults to the Irish in America
 Sir Charles Dilke's motion for a re- duction in the Foreign Office vote as rebuke to the Governments foreign policy was rejected by the House by vote of 254 against 128.
 A. J. Balfour, First Lord of the Treasury and Government leader, re- plying to a question as to whether, "in view of the condition of the population of Cuba and the sufferings and evils arising from the Spanish-American war, her Majesty's Government or any of the European powers have any in- tention of intervening to secure a ces- SdlloU OI IloSliiieiSS oy AiuuCiht oHe UT both belligerents to negotiate terms of peace," said:
 Her Majesty's Government will glad ly take any favorable opportunity for promoting a cessation of hostilities and negotiations for peace, but any action upon their part for this purpose can only be undertaken if there is reason able prospect that it will be well re- ceived by both parties and likely to lead to an agreement between them. Unfortunately. there is not sufficient