The sun. (Wilmington, Del.) 1897-19??, 1898-05-16
England Checks Europe.

Special Dispatch to The sun,
New York, May l5.-THE Sun has
received from its correspondent IN Lon
don the following important cable dis
patch:
LONDON, Nay l5.-The moment is at
hand when the American Government
and American people must decide the
destinies OF Christendom for at ea.t a
generation to come. 1t is absolutely i'm
Deratiye that the attention of the United
States should be turned from the daily
events of the Spanish-American war to
the vastly greater issues which involve
the future political history OF the entire
world.
have repeatedly urged upon the read
ers of these dispatches in the past few
weeks, the importance of the great crisis
in the affairs Of mankind OF which the
present war is only a single feature. 1t
will serve, perhaps, to demonstrate this
Importance ii | mention single fact,
knowledge of which has been confined
until now to diplomatic circles 1t is
this:
Had it not lie II for the sharp veto Of
the British Government, the United
States would have been confronted,
several days ago, with the difficult prob
lem whether to withdraw Dewey lgno-
miniously from the Philippines or fight
combined Europe. | make this state
lnent on the authority of two prominent
members of the Salisbury Cabinet and
its accuracy is beyond question. More
over. it falls far short of conveying an
adequate idea of the manifold perils,
plots, and counterplots which the stu
alton contains.
Some of these dangers wera indicated
Yesterday in Mr.. Chamberain's remark
able speech, which is the most. pessl-
mistic ard alarming utterance from a
member of the British Ministry in this
generation. His open charge of bad
faith against Russia amounted to a
challenge. He spoke, of course, from a
strictly British standpoint when he
advocated abandoning the traditional
policy against alliances. r.,
But the whole object and aim OF Mr..
Chamberlains speech were to advocate
an alliance with the United States and
there is no doubt that he won the heart
lest approval Of his hearers. There is no
doubt also, that it is because the British
Government is earnestly desirous of the
consummation OF such an alliance that
the fact is now permitted to be known
that Great Britain alone has avcrted the
active interference OF Continental Europe
in the present campaign between Spain
and America. The most superficial OBJ
server now understands that it was only
the fear that the United States and Great
Britain would be driven into an alliance
which prevented the unfriendly senti-
ments of the Continental powers from
finding an expression ere this. 1t is
doubtful il even this fear will avail till
the end of the war.
The shock of surprise caused by Mr..
ChamberIains announcement of the rad
ical change in British policy, change
which marks a new epoch in political
history, has for the moment silenced
public comment both in England and
on the Continent. Next week, when
the full significance of his momentous
words is realized in Great Britain and
Europe, the world will talk of nothing
else. The plans of the nations will be
revised. Vast schemes of ambition and
aggrandizement will be abandoned or
modified. The policy OF every Emperor
and every Cabinet in Europe will be
suspended to await the response Whlch
America may make to the British over
lures.
Hence it is no exaggeration TO say that
the political destines of the Old World
as we'll as the New rest at the present
moment in American hands.
The British Cabinet has definitely and
unanimously committed itself, in princi-
pie, to an Ango-American alliance If it
can be made upon terms honorable and
advantageous to both countries. The
British government having committed
itself to this radical new departure has
no disposition to drive sharp bargain.
1t is probably quite willing that the
United States should determine the
scope of the proposed partnership, the
general desire being to make it as close
and intimate as possible.
There is little douhs that Great Britain
will be glad to enter a full offensive and
defensive alliance. On the other hand,
| if America preferred, she would negotiate
\ partial or contingent alliance for
special purposes Of defence and nlutual
interests.
SThe point which Great Britain would
probably urge with the greatest en-
(phasis upon America wou.l be tat she