Evening star., 1902-01-23
WHOWASAMERICAS FRIEND
INTERESTING QUESTION STILL BEING
DISCUSSED IN EUROPE.
French Government Throws Entirely
New Light on Subject-What
Russia Says.

A dispatch from Paris last night says:
In view of the statement made by LORD
Cranborne, thesBrittsh under secretary of
state for foreign affairs in the house OF
commons Monday on the subject of repre-
sentations made to Great Britain before
and after tlle;qoutbreak Of the Spanish
American war and the dispatch from Lon
don yesterday. on, the same subject, the
correspondent made Inquiries in an authori-
tative quarter here and received the follow
ing explanations, which throw somewhat
different light on the subject:
In the first place, in the Spanish negotia-
tons at the end OF March. 1885, 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 un-
til they ascertained the intentions of the
others. Russia. settled the matter by the
late Count Muravieff's blunt rejection of
the proposal. Subsequently, after Gen.
Woodford's conference with the Spanish
premier and Senior Gullon, the foreign min
lister, ait which the latter indicated the ex-
tent Of the surrender Spain was willing to
make to the United States demands, the
Austrian government believing Spain 8
surrender was sufficiently complete to salts
fy the United States, instructed its ambas-
sadors to propose to the European govern
ments that note be presented at Wash
ington urging the United States to accept
Spains offer and avert war;
The Spanish ambassador in London saw
A. J. Balfour, the first lord Of the treas
ury who must at that time have been act
ing as secretary Of state for foreign af-
fairs during the absence Of Lord Salisbury
at Beaulieu, France; who promised to in
struct Lord Pauncefote to act alone, or
with his colleagues, with the view to MAIN
foi, w eff
nitely agreed upon, though Russia, France
and Germany were disposed toward a
movement which would avert an outbreak
of hostilities. A few days before the war,
however it was declared that Mr.. Balfour
had raised the objection to which Lord
Crgnborne alluded in the house of COM
mons Monday against any note which
would have the appearance Of putting pres
sure on the United States or offering an
opinion on the United States attitude. The
Austrian proposition then fell through and
the subsequent joint resolution Of Congress
rendered any further action out Of the
question. -
This was the extent of Great Britain's
action in favor OF the United States
The statement of prominent British
foreign Office official. quoted in the Lon
don dispatch regarding the alleged sup
port by France Of the Austrian proposal,
is declared to be incorrect France did not
back up the proposal, and the French am
bassador in London confined himself to
British government took Of the matter.
Frances attitude throughout was friendly
to the United States well as to Spain,
her ardent desire being to avert war. She
took no initiative-in any suggestion tend
ing to put pressure on the United States
and at no time encouraged Spain to re-
sistance. Her influence was always di-
rected in the pourparler of the powers, to
maintaining peace.
The exact value which should be placed
on Great Britains leaning toward the
United States can be gauged, 1t is de-
clared, by the fact that when war was
declared Senior Gullon was furious firstly
against Germany, secondly against Russia
and only thirdly against Great Britain
His resentment against Germany was due
to the latter having encouraged Spain to
resist and then having abandoned her at
the last moment, 5ayai
day says: The correspondent here has OBJ
tained the following statement from the
Russian foreigh Office regarding the an
nouncement made In the British house Of
commons Monday concerning negotiations
between the p0wer8Sbefore and after the
outbreak Of the Spa5Ash-American war and
the assertions made by British foreign
office official onthefsame subject:
Russia has always been and now is ex-
relations with sthe United States Russia
never had any idntention of participating
in any collective step in the Spanish Amer
lean dispute whichssdid not directly con-
Germ her. Nor did Hussia receive any prop
osition having Auchs action in view. In
deed, we received no information rega rd-
ing Austria's alleged initiative or about
an attempt on me part Of any of the pow
ers to interfere In the interest Of Spain.'