The San Francisco call., 1904-04-10
British Foreign Sec
retary Is VOW in
High FAVOR.
Special Dispatch to The Call

PARIS, April 9.-Although the
Anglo French colonial treaty just
signed makes no specific reference to
any protectorates, it is now recognized
that between the lines the treaty
means the establishment of a French
protcctorate over Morocco similar to
the present protectOrate of France
over Tunis, and that it makes perma-
nent the British protectorate over
Egypt. Thus the effect of the treaty
is to transform the entire political
geography of Northern Africa, with
Great Britain dominating the eastern
shores of the Mediterranean and
France the western shores.
LONDON, April 9.-The Anglo
French colonial treaty marks the cul-
minating point of Lord Lansdowne's
recovery from the injury done his repu-
tation by the South African war, and
crowns a notable series of diplomatic
acts, which raises Lord Salisbury's sue
cessor TO the first rank of British For
eign Secretaries.
Lord Lansdowne's quality as diplo-
matist was first manifested when he
refused to follow the lead of Chamber
lain and other Ministers in abusing the
Beers and reviling their leaders and
initiated the courteous methods which
transferred the final stages of the
South African problem from the sphere
of violence to the sphere of reason.
Then followed a policy of firm and
definite opposition to Russia in Asia
and Europe In this respect Lord Lans-
downe stands almost alone among lat
ter-day British statesmen.
His outspokenness has startled many
responsible personages in London and
amazed the statesmen of ST. Peters
burg, where the tradition prevails that,
however much Great Britain may pro-
test, it has no intention of seriously at
tempting to arrest Russia's advance
when Russia is actually ready to move
forward.
Great Britain, thanks to Lord Lans-
downe, is committed to, hold Tibet and
the Persian Gulf against the Czar and
even to see that Russia does not seize
any pretext to overturn the existing
political structure of the Balkans.
The grave nature of this policy is ap-
preciated in Downing street and ac-
counts for Great Britain's rather re-
4
der to obtain broad and stable basis
for peace with that nation. The British
Government is determined, if possible,
so to buttress Britain's international
position that Russia will never be en-
boldened to assail the principles Lord
Lansdowne has laid down.
ANGLO-RUSSIAN OvERTURES.
The press learns that the exact status
or the much-forecasted Anglo Russian
understanding is as follows:
After King Edward had given his
personal assurances to Emperor Mich
elas that the anti-Russian comments
in the British press did not represent
the feeling of his Government Foreign
Secretary Lansdowne informed the
Russian ambassador, Count Benken-
dorff, that he would be glad to reopen
the negotiations looking to a settle
ment of all matters now in dispute be-
tween Russia and Great Britain.
Lord Lansdowne did not stipulate
or enter into any details. ambassador
Benkendorff expressed his pleasure at
the offer and transmitted it to st.
Petersburg, where Lord Lansdowne's
action is understood to have been taken
as a material expression of King Ed
wards personal messages. There, for
the moment. the matter stands.
Negotiations beyond Lord Lans-
downes offer have not been COM
menced and are not likely to assume
any definite phase in the near future.