The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-11-02
FAMOUS MISSING STATE SECRETS

fHNiUUS WlSOiNO y ri L SIo''I
= EcvJr.o,ies That Have Becn Pre-
ma,ure,y Published aud How the
Coup Was Executed.
Tho coming Oriental treaty Of peace. III
which all the nations who arc llnp!icateo
in the Chinese question, Will par'icipa'e'
makes a review of other famous doS"-
ments Of this character and incidents co!'-
ncc;ed with them, interesting. ->oL III
all cases, however, have 1feI-es peei'
ones OF peace; but they nave peeii' ~ 'ao
contrary, very varied
Before the treaty is absolutely cohcluu-
cd and made public, the negotiations re-
syectrg it between the States or Powers
interested may have been p:oceed.iis ioi
many months. perhaps years.
The preliminary papers arc Eisah"Ai'e
ieaIouslv guarded and. saving hlsh-placea
officials and ministers OF states, nooous
has access to them ne Pu. iolitii5
therefore of a treaty is exceptionally rare
hut notwithstanding the apparent in1:-
FEASIBILITY Of stealing such valuable
document. cases have occurred and are on
record where thieves have managed I"
get in and run OFF with State treaties, or
one should more correctly say, their con-
tents.
OF the six different forms-nameiy, Pc
itical. commercial and those fe!aiiils
to criminal justice, civil justice. wal
fare and considerations for speclai Sociai
OBJECTS. such as mails. te!esraphs, cables,
and weights and neutrality-suspicious. the
most important in point OF lndiNiduai
interest are those treaties relating more
especially to criminal justice.
Not very many years ago, a certain
Power was negotiating with Russia on
that subject, and; although no positive
information was Forthcoming, yet 1t was
generally agreed that the two countries,
or the ministers representing then, coutu
not come to terms. Both towers were
anxious to settle the points in dispute
and one or two years were spent In draft
ing out rough agreements for ratification
Nl1cr depended On the immediate 81
ing of the treaty so far as one OF the
countries was concerned, and as the reel
iuss of the Power in question were sfar-
ed by its political! ministers. one more cute
than the rest invited Il journalist to dlil-
ner a pennan in whom he placed inc VI
most confidence.
A JOURNALIST COUP.
Next day a full test OF the latest draft
treaty. appeared in the leading metro
nolitan newspaper much TO the conster-
nation OF the world. but how the news
uaper was enabled to print II 10 this day
rem&in, a mystery to many
Suffice to Say that it caused a great sen
sation, and, apparently, no one was more
astonished than the Mister of State re-
seTred to.
Russia was intensely annoyed, and
broke off all negotiations respecting the
subiect-natter OF the proposed treaty.
But it has since been ratified.
Great Britain was played similar
disasreea3le trick 10y a foreign Power,
with whom she was negotiating an i'm
portant commercial treaty. But in this
case, the terms had been agreed upon
aud all was ready for the signatures OF
.l, other PARTY Through some mys-
ferrous agency, the full text appeared IN
a foreign journal. which so srievousiy
disturbed the equanimty of the govern
ment of the country, that they imprls-
oned the PRINCIPAL members of the edi-
torial staff Of the paper. who after being
cut off from the outside world for Il fort
night, were at length released and al
owed to so back to work on their pub
lication.
Filled with the earnestncss OF their
profession. and with respect for its time
honored traditions, they refused to give
I'D the name Of the writer or informant
1t was afterwards discovered that tbs
informant was a person in oiticlo! authori-
~ under Government.
II is not often that you catch an Off
cial connected with the Foreign Office
of any great Power mapping
4 few years ago. the representative OF
q Journal at Washington wished to get
hold Of two naturalization treaties with
European Powers, which were being con-
sidered by the United States Government.
He simply went to an authority ana
asked TO be allowed to search the CON
fdential files. The request was prompts
~ acceded to, the newspaper man made
copies of both treaties, the originals were
returned TO the flies Immediately. and the
matter was published next day
1t can only be conjectured from the
very easy way in which The journalist
scored. that it was thought he CANA from
one of the other Government depart
ments.
It is difficult to say which is the great
err evil, a stolen treaty or q lost one. Bue
it is Very probable that only one treaty
has ever been lost and that unique dis
tinction belongs to Great Britain. But it
cost the country six millions sterling
The Foreign Office had been negotiating
with the King of Ashanti on matters po-
li;ical, and to embodv their several claims
and to make matters more agreeable
for both sides, it was agreed that ali
differences should be determined upon in
general treaty
8 Drafts were drawn out by England ana
presented to King hoffee by the repre-
sentative in Cconlassie, and. on the other
hand. the Kings advisers had submitted
theirs to the English Government. All
went well. and then the tlIiat document
was of1icalliy drawn up and presented to
the dusky monarch of Asnanl. Ior5 sigma
ture. The Foreign Office officials waited
its return from King. koffees pitai
They waited ana waited until their pa
tience became worn out They at isnsth
addressed a note to the King VINO I'M
medtateiy replied to the eliec1 ina "a ne