The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-01-23
Not One, According tn OmciaI state
ments. Had Serious Intention of
Intervening i'm Behalf of spain.
FRANCE AND RUSSIA SPEAK
LIKE GERMANY, THEY VIGOROUSLY
DENY CRANBORNE's INsINUATIoN.
Both the Republic and the CARBON
Are DESTROYS of Retaining This
COuntry's Good VIII.

PARIS, Jan. PIN view of the statement
made by Lord Cranborne. the British UNI
der secretary of state for foreign affairs. in
the House of Commons Monday on the
subject OF representations made TO Great
Britain before and after the outbreak OF
the Spanish-American war, and the dis
patch Of the Associated Press from Lon
don yesterday on the same subject, the
correspondent OF the Associated Press
made inquiries in an authoritative quarter
here and received the following explana-
tions. which throw a somewhat different
light on the subject: In the first place. In
the Spanish negotiations. at the end OF
March, 1898. to secure the Intervention OF
the powers in her favor. Great Britain took
the same attitude as France and the other
powers. She neither refused nor consented
to join in collective action. All the powers
were hesitating until they ascertained the
intentions of the others. Russia settled the
matter by the late Count Moravien's blunt
rejection of the proposal
Subsequently, after General Woodford's
conference with the Spanish premier and
Senior Gullon, the foreign minister. at
which the latter indicated the extent OF
the surrender Spain was willing TO make
TO the United States demands. the Aus
trian government, believing SPANS sur
render was sufficiently complete to satisfy
the United States, instructed its ambassa-
dors to propose TO the European govern
ments that a note be presented at Wash
ington, urging the United States 10 ac-
cept SPANS offer and avert war. The
Spanish ambassador in London saw A. j.
Balfour, the first lord OF the treasury. who
must at that time have been acting as sec
rotary Of state for foreign affairs during
the absence Of Lord Salisbury at Beaulieu,
France, who promised 10 instruct Lord
Pauncefote to act alone or with his coll
leagues with view to maintain peace.
No action was definitely agreed upon
though Russia, France and Germany were
disposed towards movement which would
avert an outbreak Of hostilties. A few
days before the war, however, ii was de-
clared that Mr.. Balfour had raised the
objection TO which Lord Cranborne al
luded i'm the House of Commons on Mon
day against any note which would have
the appearance of putting pressure on the
United States, or offering an opinion on the
United States attitude. The Austrian
proposition then fell through, and the sub
sequent joint resolution OF Congress rem
ton. This was the extent of Great Brit
aims action in favor of the United States.
The statement of a prominent British
Foreign Office official quoted in a London
dispatch Of the Associated Press regarding
the alleged support by France of the Aus
trian proposal is declared TO be incorrect.
Since France did not back up the proposal
and the French ambassador in London con-
fined himself to making an inquiry as to
what view the British government took
of the matter Frances attitude throughout
was friendly TO the United States, as well
as to Spain, her ardent desire being to
avert war. She took no initiative in any
suggestion tending TO put pressure on the
United States, nor at any time encouraged
Spain to resistance. Her influence was al
ways directed, in the pour parlers OF the
powers, 70 maintaining peace. The exact
value which should be placed on Great
Britain's leaning toward the United States
can be gagged, il is declared, by the fact
that when war declared Senior Gullon
was furious. firstly against Germany, sec
ondly against Russia, and only thirdly
against Great Britain. His resentment
against Germany was due to the latter hav-
ing encouraged Spain TO resist and then
having abandoned her at the last moment