The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1902-02-06
WHAT POWERS DID.
A Paris Authority Declares
English Statement False.
AN1E.SPAHISH- AMERICAN WAR FACTS
SPain's Proposals. For Intervention
Promptly Refused by Russia and
Germany-EnRl land Did Not
Hold Them In Cheek,

Hold Them In Cheek,
PARIS. Feb G-The following state
ment regarding European action at tn,
outbreak OF the Spanish American wal
Is made by an official who held very
nigh position during the early DAYS OF
| Inc trouble, and 1t is undoubtedly au
| thentic:
The Spanish government believed
1hnt Queen Victoria would support sny
step taken with view to preya4(lae
the war and coming to the aid of thr
queen regent. 1t attributed at that
time perhaps too great an importance
10 the intervention Of the queen in the
councils OF the British government. 1t
was not ignorant of the fact that Alr,
Chamberlain was in agreement with
Lord Salisbury In the desire TO endeay.
or to render the United States a signal
service, but Information of a very con.
hdehtlal character which reached IT
conveyed to tho Madrid government
.he loea that any mission of paciticn,
tion would be well received by Eng
lana. English society entertained the
most hostile spirit toward the United.
States. Ii had not been able TO forget
the venezuela affair. and In London il
was thought the proper thing to sup
port the apaniards.
Ih'ls the principal diplomatic effort
or Spain was brought to bear on tbc
central European powers and more
particularly Russia. 1t was not thought
that England would take the iultiatiyc
In It's favor; but. being convinced. and |
rs 1t appears, Justly so, that England
would not dare to stand aloof from n
common action undertaken by Europe |
TO bring about peace, Spain thought
before everything else to win over
Russia to her cause.
'rhe Austrian emperor for family
motives had taken the initiative in pro.
posing to the various powers an inter.
Vention tending to induce Spain TO
grant concessions and by avcrting war
10 strengthen the dynasty France and
Germany We're first well disposed to
the Austrian proposal, and an accord
OF the continental powers would I'm.
doubleday have been possible had Rus
STA given her support. The Spanish
diplomats of whom have already spo.
Ken told me that at Madrid those who
We're III touch with the negotiations
anxiously awaited the upshot of the
conversation that the Spanish embas. i
sador at ST. Petersburg was to have
with Count Muravieff. When the re-.
suit became known, the disillusion was
III the more bitter because hope had
been 40 high.
IF such a step said Count Mura.
Tieff, is confined to a simple co,,nci, II
I Will have no result, and if II implies
'hything resembling threat the re- I
'ult obtained will be contrary to that
leslred. This reply quickly undetcr-
mined the friendly disposition that 1
'ran'e and Germany had at first
hown toward Spain, and the pacific
ctlon OF the powers, instead of being
xercised collectively and of great NOR
J authority, reduced itself to individu. r
advice counsellng Spain 10 make y
onccsstons. y
England was not. therefore, called r
pom to declare itself The sympa thies {
certain statesmen in the Conserva
we cabinet were certainly for the
'nited States. but they were not re. r
uired to display them. They afterward !,
lsinunted that their role had been to
OLD Europe In check to the advantage Il
the United states. As Is seen from .
le foregoing they did nothing of the
ind"