Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-10-31
FRANCE PROPOSED
PLAN OF PEACE.
10 Her is Due the Honor Of Avert.
Ing War Between Great Brit
ain and Russia
HER OWN PEACE WAS INVOLVED


ST. po.cHbure O.. 3n.Th' world
doubtless WU take particular ml.a-
faction u according Emperor Nicholas
TO whose initiative Tho Hague cony'n-
ton owed lis existence the honor and
crel.tof having proposed un honorable
solution of the North t Incident
which might hlyo plunged Russian
and Great Britain into war; hy 1000 ape
peal 10 los rules
Nevertheless tho pross learns on hIgh
authority that th.g diplomatic triumph
belongs 60 49, Dclwma thc French fore
cgn minister Whom the yellow book
of France and tho nu, book of Great
Britain covering tms Incident oro Is.
sued some very interesting diplomatic
history wiIl be disclosed.
Tine great gravity of the situation,
especially boz Great Britain who're The
mHempd state of public opinion might
at amy moment have driven tnc Coy
crumeut to pXtnm. measures, ana The
danger involved In delay wore kcen.y
appreciated at the French capital
Frances stake rs almost equal tO that
of the parties directly interested, and
the very rcacC of the republic was in.
vOlyod as 70 upJurc between Great
Britain and Russia. pyonu1tiug IN war
by putting Nrcut Britain and Japan
n the position of making common
cause against Russia. inevitably would
result Do an appeal TO France to lul-
Gll her obligations under thg dual all
lance.
n. Dclcasse, therefore, nc the very
outset went earnestly 90 work ls %
friend of both countries TO nnl am
equitable basis OF adjustment The OPP
porunIty came when Admiral R0jest-
vensky's report raised a direct issue OF
fact NJ. Dolmssc at once suggested an
Inquiry To establish the facts through
an international commission under The
Hague convention Offering the sugges-
ton simultaneously Ia both govern
ments. through Ambassador Cambon 90
Foreign Minister Lansdovue and
through Secy 30uuuOn, in Ambassa-
dwor Bompards absence, 20 Count
lamsdorff
The IDEA found instant favor both
here and In London, ana Thursday
night the Russian and British proposi-
Hons, Identical I'm effect, actually cross
ID each other ON the way TO the rcspec-
tive capitals There was, however this
difference between them Lord Lans-
downs instructions 10 Ambassador
Hardinge authorized him 10 submit the
proposition ON behalf OF the British
government whereas Count Lams-
iorh's Instructions were tentative and
rather ln the nature Of "a feeler as
Count Lamsdorit although ne knew the
Emperor was favorable To- the plan, had
not yet secured the absolute consent
ot his majesty TO whom he arranged TO
submit the matter finally on Friday
lfternoOu
In the meantime, on Friday morning,
the British proposition reached the ior-
algn minister az Tswk0e-S el0. and
Friday afternoon the emperor gave his
nearty approval
The British proposition presented
earlier IN the day remained unnn-
swered. Exactly what trnnsplred In
London when Ambassador Bcuker-
1orff presented the Russian proposition
Ni VIC NNllN ~ INV lHllIi|Nl NIINNINN rs
not known. except that Foreign Minis
Ter lansdowne dld not insist upon the
question Of precedence. apprecIutiug,
doubtless, that Russia. being ngura-
lively the offending party, had the bet.
ter right % offer 10 submit the deter.
mInaton OF the facts 10 am impartial
tribunal
The omperor's proposition, settling
lhe matter I'M principle was therefore
accepted, and the same evening Count
Benkondorn telegraphed Foreign MINI
ster Lamsdorn as follows
'ln "a desire 10 bring everything that
occurred 10 the North sea Into thc
cleWest light possible, our monarch
considers % beneficial 10 submit the
affair Co an international commission
lf inquiry ON the basis of The Hague
convention for thorough investigation
Your eXceIlency ls directed by Imperial
command Go propose this means of set
Element OF the question 90 the British
government
no this Count Benkeudorfr replied on
Oct 9S:
81 have communicated your excel
encys telegram 90 Lord lAnsioWue
The British government accepts the
proposal to submit the North sea I'M
,Ident IN an its extent to examination