The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-09-05

pllclt testimony concerning the momentous
change which had taken plnce In Englands
view OF the Cuban question, Capt. l.. ].
MAxsR, the editor OF the National ReUiclD,
who is known TO nave confidential relations
with sonlo OF the most influential members
of the British Cabinet, divulged tho whole
plot contrived by France to humillate and
thwart the United States. Disguised, he
said, at the Interested misrepresentation
circulated on the Continent by those who
had been hoist with their own petard, he
was determined that tho facts, to which
he was privy, should DO placed on record.
Ho challenged contradiction for the as
sertion that, when the Cuban crisis came
to a head, and 1t became manifest that a
war between the United States and Spain
was imminent, France undertook to max q
European question OF Cuba, to turn the
island, II possible, into a second Crete, and
to treat the States as Greece had been
treated. In this scheme rance was eagerly
seconded by Austria, and, We regret to add,
she also secured the acquiescence OF Russia.
Italy, we learn with satisfaction, held her
self aloof, but the Berlin Government
responded cordially to the proposal, merely
STIMULATING that its accession to the new
concert should be contingent on the CO.
operation of Great Britain, a condition will
ingly assented to by the other powers,
which did not regard it as endangerlng the
project, in view Of the position steadily main
tanned by England with regard to Cuba for
the previous seventy years. England's sup
port was counted on the more confidently,
because her relations to the United States
were supposed to nave been strained by the
Venezuela message, and by the strenuous
advocacy by Americans OF home rule for
Ireland. Then, again, 1t was thought that
England could but recognize that the
acquisition OF Cuba and, perhaps, Porto
Rico, by the States would lead ultl-
mately to the appropriation Of the Brit
ish West Indies, if not Of Canada, by the
same aggressora So, at least, NJ. HANo-
TAUx argued, the wish being father to the
thought, for he well knew the Importance
Of securing the aid of the British Navy II his
attempt to browbeat the United States were
to be successful.
Capt. MAxsE went on to tell us that at the
time when the plot was devised Lord SAILS
BURY was abroad recuperating his health,
and Mr.. A. J. BAIFoUR was acting as For
eign Secretary. The latter conferred with
Sir JULIAN PAUNCEFoTE concerning the
precious plan of alleged i" friendly media
tion," which, IL triumphant, could spell
nothing but disaster for both of the Eng
ish speaking nations, because it would di-
vide them by inefTaceable rancor. The
outcome OF this conference was a dis
tinct intimation to all whom it might con-
Germ that the British dissented from the
view that the American desire to suppress
a hell in Cuba was a piece of wanton aggres-
sion, and that, under no circumstances,
would Great Britain be a party to anything
that might be even construed as unfriend-
ly to the Washington Government. The CO.
incident outburst Of opinion in the British
press of oil parties showed the combine"
that it could not even rely on British neutral
ity, and that it would, therefore, be danger
Gus to threaten the States. The Cuban con-
cert" consequently, melted away like now
before the sum-, leaving 30 few traces behind
that its very organizers are now emboldened
to circulate denials Of its existence. The
proofs OF the plot, however, exist In the
Foreign Office of Great Britain and in that
OF every great Continental power. They
can be produced when NJ. HANoTAUx VEN
lures to deny under his signature hat he
undertook to bring about a pretended
Z" friendly mediation"
On the whole, we opine that, If the French
Republic sincerely desires to reiistablish the
thoroughly cordial relations which former
ly existed between it and the United States,
the continued absence Of NJ. HANoTAUx
from the Foreign Office will be conducive
to that end.