The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-04-10
MAKES OVERTURE
TO THE RUSSIANS
British Foreign Secretary I axes
a Step That Surprises
Europe.

LONDON, April 9.--The exact status
of the Anglo-Russian understanding is
as follows:
After King Edward had given his
personal assurances to Nicholas II. that
Russophobic comments in the British
press did not represent the feeling of
the British government, Foreign Secre-
tary LanSdOwne informed the Russian
ambassador, Count Benkendorff, that
he would be glad to reopen the nego-
tiations looking to a settlement of all
questions now in dispute between
Russia and Great Britain. Lord Lans-
downe did not stipulate any basis 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 be have been
taken as a material expression of King
Edwards personal messages. There,
for a moment, the affair stands.
Negotiations beyond Lord Lans-
downe's offer have not been commenc-
ed and are not likely to assume any
definite phase in the near future. No
great hope was felt here that they
could ever reach a conclusion satisfac-
tory to both countries, though in view
Of the Anglo-French agreement even
the most pessimistic are unwilling to
be too dogmatic on this point Both
King Edwards personal action and the
step taken by his foreign secretary are
due to a great degree to the untiring
solicitation Of Queen Alexandra, who
has been greatly distressed over the
war which has involved her Russian
relatives and Great Britain's ally. Dip
lomats accredited to the court of ST.
James express surprise at the fact that
Lord LansdOwne has gone even so far
as he has. 1t is believed, especially in
German quarters, that the suggested
negotiations lived only in the magma
tons Of the press and that the author
tiles at st. Petersburg and London
tacitly sanctioned the fallacy in the
hope of reconciling the British and the
Russian publics.
Bold and Unexpected.
That Lord Lansdowne has taken
such an initiative while Great Britains
ally is still at war with Russia is re-
garded as being a somewhat bold and
unexpected step, all the more so be-
cause it is understood here that all the
Russians at st. Petersburg still stu
diously avoid visiting the British en-
bassy.
Russia and Great Britain secretly
negotiated to the same end eighteen
months ago, but the attempt to draw
up an agreement came to an abrupt
end when Lord Lansdowne announced
in the house of lords that under nc
circumstances would Russia be allowed
a port on the Persian gulf.
Since then that question has been
regarded as a deadlock. Under the
changed conditions and with the good
offices Of the French government Sc
cured through the recent agreement
Lord LanSdOWne is said genuinely to
entertain the hope of an eventual set
Element by which the Anglo Russian
spheres Of influence throughout the
world may be determined and the
ceaseless and costly rivalry between
the two nations ended forever. He is
also actuated by a strong desire to
cement the Anglo-French understand
ing which, as the Westminster Gazette
points out, can be made immutable
only by a complete understanding with
Russia.
On all sides 1t is pointed out that ar
agreement on outstanding matters with
Russia is far more difficult than the
recent arrangement with France. The
paramount questions are the delimita-
ton Of the Afghan frontier, access tC
the Persian gulf and the spheres of in
fluence in Persia.