Evening star., 1902-01-21
ENGLAND WAS FRIENDLY
LORD CRANBORNE REVIEWS SPANISH
WAR INCIDENT.
Declares Great Britain Refused to
Join in European Concert
FavorinE Spain.

A dispatch from London yesterday says:
Amid an absolute silence that was a strik-
ing tribute to the deep interest felt in the
matter, Lord Cranborne, under secretary of
state for foreign affairs, in the house of
commons today made the first official state
ment which has ever emanated from the
British government regarding its private
attitude toward the United States in the
war with Spain.
The subject of proposed European inter-
vention in the Spanish-American war was
brought up by Henry Norman QiberaD in
the form of question asking whether any
communication proposing or concerning
joint, or collective, action by the European
states, in view of the outbreak, or ex-
pected outbreak, of the late war between
the United States and Spain, was received
from the Austrian or any other govern
ment, and, If so, what was the nature of
the reply Of her majeSty's government. Mr..
Norman further invited Lord Cranborne to
lay the papers in the case on the table.
Lord Cranborne, in reply, said no such
communication had been made to the gov
ernment after the outbreak of the war, but
that Immediately before the war COM
munlcations were received from other pow
erS suggesting the presentation of joint
note to the President Of the United states.
Her majestys government agreed to join
With the other powers in note expressing
the hope that further negotiations might
lead to peaceful settlement, accompanied
by guarantees acceptable to the United
States for the preservation of order In
Cuba The government first took steps to
ascertain whether the presentation of the
note, as well as it's terms, would be accept
able to the President.
Her majesty's government, Lord Gran
borne continued, declined to associate it
self with other subsequent proposals, which
seemed open to the objection Of putting
pressure on the government of the United
States, and Offering an opinion on it's
action.
The under secretary concluded with say
ing that he was unable to lay the papers in
the case on the table.
This statement was received with burst
Of ringing cheers, such as seldom greet the
mere answer Of a parliamentary question.
Inquiries made of further disclosures con-
corning the subsequent proposals. men
toned by Lord Cranborne elected impor-
tant information from the foreign office.
There it was stated that Great Britain
had been twice formally approached on
this matter, but only once after the COM
mencement of hostilities between Spain and
the United States. Lord Cranborne's refer
ences to more than one proposal were evil
IDENTIFY generalizatons, which included ten
tative proposals not officially recognized.
The occasion upon which Great Britain
deliberately put down her foot was, accord
ing to the foreign office, when the Austrian
ambassador at London interviewed Lord
Salisbury and asked him if Great Britain
would be willing to join in collective note
from the European powers urging the
United States to desist from war with
Spain. Such note was not to threaten re-
prisals or Intervention, but was to be in
the nature of strong protest and plea
for arbitration. Lord Salisbury regarded
this proposition as unwarrantable interfer-
ence in the affairs Of a friendly country,
and frankly said so, declaring that Great
Britain would not be party to such steps,
especially in view of the late President
McKinley's attitude toward the ante-bellum
efforts of European powers to avert war.
The foreign office heard nothing more on
this subject, the matter Of collective note
apparently being dropped.
Regarding the muchdisputed point to
what powers were previously prepared to
sign this note had Great Britain acquiesced
thereto. the following statement from a
high official of the foreign office, through
whose hands all secret dispatches passed,
had best be given in his own language. This
official said:
1--WE have no documentary evidence to
prove that any power than the one which
formally approached was concerned in
this effort to send a collective note to the
United States. the purport of which, how
ever polite the wording, must necessarily
have been that of a threat.
I'VE had at the time, however every
reason to believe that this power was
merely put forward a sort of buffer in
order to sound us, and that France, Ger
many and Russia We're behind her, and only
awaiting our assent formally to announce
their own. We have never had reason to
change that belief which, in the case of
France, amounts to moral certainty.
There are a hundred and one diplomatic
secrets which. pierced together, convinced
us that estimate of the situation was
correct. and doubtless there are documents
in the European chancellories which detail
the negotiations that occurred prior to our
being approached. Subsequent diplomatic
reports convinced us that not only was the
collective note dropped on account Of our
refusal, but that we incurred not a little
enrnity because our action was sufficiently
| ra ten to Ohyia oil of
tualy having possession of copies Of those
diplomatic interchanges which resulted in
our being asked to sign the second protest
to America"
Opinion in the foreign Office Is somewhat
divided as to the advisability of today's an
nouncement in the house Of commons sew
eral high ofhcials OF this ofi1ce believing 1t
would only tend to strain the relations be-
tween Great Britain and the continental
powers. Mr.. Norman said:
Il am delighted to get such an unex-
pectedly frank and important answer. My
question was down for the opening day Of
the session. but the government asked me
to postpone 1t until today. I did So but
with little hope Of securing definite pro-
nouncement for such things are usually
arranged between the government leader
and one Of his supporters. While, Of
course, I am one Of the most outspoken
critics Of our foreign policy, there was no
put up job. I merely wrote the question
because I thought there was more hope of
getting some sort of an answer at that
Stage OF aIalrS tnan at any 0ther. 1 think
Lord Cranborne's statement reveals con-
dition Of things more serious than any one
suspected, for it shows that practically the
whole of Europe was ready to attempt to
coerce the United States, even at the risk
of war
AFTER the hostilities with Spain had COM
menced, the selection Of Austria to be
spokesman for Europe showed excellent
tact, for our relations with that country
were Of the most friendly kind To point
blank refuse her must have cost us no
little prestige
Beyond what Lord Cranborne said I
know little. But that think sufficient. for
it shows the excellent feeling of the British
government I'm it's relations with the United
States, which l believe to be the most i'm
portant relations We have"
Chapters Untouched by CranbOrne.
The State Department will not be drawn
into the controversy which has sprung up
between the European powers respecting
the efforts which were made by them to
prevent the United States from going to
war with Spain. Lord Cranborne's state
ment in parliament yesterday is recognized
as absolutely correct as far as 1t went but
there are chapters in the story which he