New-York tribune., 1906-08-12
GRID AFFAIRS VIEWED BY OBSERVERS ABROAD
FRENCH OPINION OF THE
SEAL POACHING INCIDENT
Especial by French cable to The Tribune
tcODyrlrht. 1905 by The Tribune A-soclu,ion.l

A~Opyr!ght, lDot. by The Tribune Association.
Paris. Aug. 11.-In diplomatic circles here the
opinion is that no serious difficulty will result
from the killing Of the japanese seal poachers on
ST PUul's Island. but that TO avoid future
plications time should be lost in frank ex-
ehange of views between the governments at
Washington and Toxic. with the object of franz
ing a special treaty between the two nations,
settling the disputed Claim OF the United States,
not admitted by the Bering Sea tribunal. TO en-
force the seal protection statutes beyond the
three-mie limit and consequently 10 treat as
pirates Japanese or other sailors outside of that
limit
NJ. Kurino. the Japanese Ambassador to
France, is absent from Paris. and the japanese
Embassy, which is being transferred from the
Avenue Marceau TO a new residence in the Ave
nue. HOohe, TO a house belonging to the Comte
de GTamont which is being beautifully decorated
by artists frcm Japan, remains silent in regard
to the seal poaching incident but a French
diplomatist of wide experience in Japan ex-
presses confidence that the japanese govern
ment. if requested by the United states, would
willingly become party to the provisions of
the Paris arbitration between the United States
and Great Britain for the preservation of seals
on the high seas.
THE PAPAL ENCYCLICAL.
The Papal encyclical instructions to the
French bishops are still kept secret, but all the
extreme clerical organs including the "Gaulois."
are positive that such instructions refuse TO
recognize the French association laws and urge
resistance The views of the moderate Repub-
Hcans. expressed by the journal des Debats."
are that it would be a terrible blunder for the
Vatican not to accept the inevitable and TO re-
fuse TO indicate the means of Cancellation for
the French Catholics. enabling them conscien-
tiousy to accept the laws OF the land NJ
Leroy Beaueu points out that for the last
thirty-five years, every time that the Catholics,
listening to reactionary advice, have attempted
resistance such is now enjOined they have
signally failed and irrevocably diminished
Catholic influence in France and have played
directly into the hands OF the socialists and free
thinkers.
THE TEMPORARY LAFAYETTE STATUE.
The violent thunderstorms Of the last few
days have caused d further deterioration OF
the plaster equestrian statue of Lafayette
erected in 1900 in the Square du Louvre OppO-
site the Place du Carrousel as model of the
one in bronze to be presented TO France. and
| for which the school children of the United
States subscribed SGOO00 No signs OF the
bronze statue are yet to be discovered in Paris,
although the present tumble-dOwn temporary
statue in wood and plaster has on several Oc-
casions in the last five years been repaired and
repainted in bronze color by the sculptor, Paul
Weyland Bartlett The opinion expressed by
Americans in Paris, well by one of the
leading French artists, is that it would be far
better TO remove the structure altogether from
its present conspicuous position in the Place du
Louvre, else speedily to set up the statue in
bronze, promised when this choice site was
accorded by the French government and by
the municipality of Paris After last nights
rains the statue appears TO be on the verge of
collapsing. One foot has melted away under
the combined influence of and rain. and
Lafayette and his charger are covered with
dozen unsightly white spots, caused by the
washing away of fragments of the outside
stained plaster crust, but these being hastily
painted over again by employees of the street
cleaning department.
FRANCE AND BIG BATTLESRTPS.
Admiral Fournier who directed the recent
naval maneuvres in the Mediterranean men
ttonS big batteships in his report as purely
weapons OF conquest" This conclusion of the
foremost technical authority in France is seized
upon by the Socialists and Radicals for a vio-
lent attack on the naval budget. Experts point
out that neither Toulon nor Cherbourg nor
Brest can properly accommodate enormous bat
tleships. such laid down in the United
States. England and Japan. Senator Baron
dEstOurnelles d de Constant also Jean Jaures
and NJ. Viviani. deputies, ASK Does France
need weapons OF conquest? If the country were
consulted this point the great majority of
the citizens would reply In the negative" They