New-York tribune., 1903-10-01
DE BLOWITZ'S MEMOIRS.
Some Interesting SideHghts on
European History.

many years He knew thoroughly the statecraft
royalty and nobility of his time. and for over forty
years he followed the rapidly changing centres OF
action and interest in Europe In his memoirs
which are published by Doubleday, Page * Co, De
B-owitz makes explanation Of the failure oI
France 10 go TO Egypt with England which is par
ticularly interesting this time account OF the
situation IN Southeastern Europe. He asserts that
France did take part IN the events OF 1sSI be-
of the quarrel between Gambetta and De
Freyciuet He AYERS that the War portfolio IN the
Gambetta Cabinet Of 1851 was offered to De Frey
cinet and with that unders A3Ging he agreed to
the Ministry Later Gambetta insisted that
De Freycinet become Minister of Foreign Affairs
The latter mad set his heart on the War ONCE and
would have no other. De BlOwitz's story Of the
first breach the effort compromise and the break
aaI . quarrel that kept France out OF Esypt Is the
dramatic personal story Of a participant
\ heretofore unpublished interview with Bis
marck. had in 1875 q valuable contribution 10 the
literature relating 10 the Iron Chancellor. BIS
marck had just from the negotiation OK the
Treaty OF Berlin and talked with surprising frank
ness OF the stupendOus events Of the time and the
men who helped to shape them Here Is portion
Of the statement Of Bismarck:
The peace Of san Stefano was one o1 the most
Lho4shtiess actions o. nodern hstVrE. lsl,sIi5 i
ever have committed. He took everything that he
could get When an enemy Is vanquished; and one
has ones foot on mis- neck. he De made TO give
whatever one wants, but one must think Of the
consequences OF the victory as well az the conse-
1uences Uf the defeat. We should not be where We
n l
l had taken territory from Austria. At that time
every one was against me. 1 had said when We
any Austrian territory: for we must not re-
main enemies forever In ten or twelve years time
must be able 70 come TO Understs uding with
her When victorious. wanted
tbousb ard si1oe tbeI IoT baIs 6fe6 o had c,s
to congratulate myself that I dA So
prince in the face. and he at read IN my eyes
the question that vas Oh my lips. foC without
Know what You mean: you ar. thinking about
At that time France was in our hands Paris was
conquered the Commune brewing. everything
Should have demanded Picardy and Champagns
9| ra5 { never f & Iccq5a 70 amy amy Ss s apd aa |a
saying: No, Belfort is in the hands OF the French;
Metz. on seeing the despair Of poor VI. Theirs.
hesitated But as you know. at the GO eoncusiGa
into CONSIDERATION the military element and I was
so @ t So 10 SeI Loir - of he iav NET IN our hands
or in the hands Of the French means d difference
bira If 3Utti1 one hi,n5ra5 thousand more men
into active service at q given moment
Then. as all this recalled N. Theirs 20 his mind,
the Chancellor continued.
All the French were not Just TO poor Theirs,
And yet he was true patriot and the most strIk-
a2IITy 5 In bo ba3 t-aves9 tbpough Europe In the
impossible 10 obtain, and who kept crossing
and recrossing our lines around Paris. fired on by
our posts in spite OF the strict orders they had
received.
Included is a partly pathetic. a partly amusing
story Of rebuff put by Bismarck upon Theirs and
Favre 5y suddenly Ceasing to address them II
French and using German. which neither under
stood Bismarck himself tells the story, and it is
curiously typical Of the man Bismarck expressed
the warrnest admiration for NJ Waddagton. who
was highly regarded by Americans. Shu-alOf and
Beacou.feld and intirnat ted 10 De BlOwitz that ne
would like 10 meet Gambetta- De BlOwitz endeav-
Ored arrange meeting. as desired, but the plan
failed, because Cambetta oEstinately refused 10
premise refrain from discussing Alsace-LOrraine
in the event Of meeting with the German Chan
celor
In treating Of the exile OF the French princes in
1850. De Blowilz quotes extended statement made
TO him at the time by the Count de Paris. De
Blowitz depIOred the action Of the government ar
guing that exile placed the claimants the throne
in the best position that they could wish-that OF
being able to conspre 1T their ease. OF the Count
de Paris De Blowitz wrote:
He was waiting without eageruess or regret fOr
the hour that Providence should decree for him u
ascend the throne. He had very few illusions and
never HILlVt LOT nm ne "as tlI eAS-S loS J.l-s
81 & Violent i mSs9s RT5 ] gg % 9f ILL NIL n9s Sad as as &
MS DAYS peacefully; This was the precise moment
Of this model preJendeF' the halo OF exile.
OF his exile the Count de Paris said:
When I heard a; T6lavera that the bill OF expul-
sion had been laid before the Chamber. It was
my family thoasht Of my country. and felt
great sadness come over at the Idea that
the of prescription had Yet closed. and
that the children France should be wan
dertnG about IL q foreign land without any home
An intensely dramatic story IS told which
relates the circumstances under which the Due
Decazes then Minister Of Foreign Affairs, heard
that Lord Derby had bought aO.oOO shares Of suez
stock which gave England control Of the canal.
It was in 1870, and De Bowttz writes that he was
At the house OF the minister witching him play
a game Of billiards with a woman, \ secretary
entered with a packet OF letters and telegrams
Opening the packet says De BIowitz. the duke
BEGAN to read one Of the teegraIns Suddenly he
became red, then pale, and wiped his temples,
moist with sweat. Then. If maddened, with an
irresistible movement. he took the billiard
which he had put down struck It on the rim OF
the table broke II across his knee and threw the
bits into the fire. The persons present It may
ne IMAGINED, were in Il great state OF mind Sud
denly approaching me. his teeth set with anger.
he said. DO you know what I have just heard?
Derby has Just bought I00p1 Suez shares from
Isulai. while every possible effort has beer made
to conceal from Us not only the negotiations,
but even Is11aiTs intention Of selling them It's
an infanvi rs England putting ne- hand the
rzthrnus Of Suez and my personal failure has in
no way retarded the act. 1 authorize you to say
,rbat YOU have lust seen. I even beg YOU say
II and TO add that Lord Derby viii have 10 pay
for that And he added. half talking to himself.
YES I swear that he shall pay for it, re then
quickly left the room. and I. too, went out
De BIowttz sacrificed q great newspaper story
n his patriotism. and the minister. when they
met again. thanked MIN for his discretion and
kindness.
WEDDINGS.