The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-03-06
1t Is Feared That He Has De-
signs on the Country.
HE WROTE A LETTER.
To Lord Tweedmouth. First
Lord of the Admiralty.
The Public Demands That 1t
Be Shown That Letter.

London, March 6.-Emperor Williams
letter to Lord Tweedmouth, first lord
Of the admiralty in which, it Is charg-
ed. his majesty attempted to influence
the naval policy of Great Britain has
created a great stir in England and
much popular indignation. The emper-
or is accused of grave meddling with
the British naval estimates, and the
reply of Lord Tweedmouth that the
communication was prely personal is
considered unsatisfactory and has al
layed neither the anxiety nor the in
dignation of the public. At the close
Of this afternoons sitting of the house
OF commons, Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer Asquith alluded to the episode.
He said that an immediate statement
seemed to be required in the public in
terest.
It is a fact, declared the chancellor,
that on February 1S, Lord Tweedmouth
received letter from the German en-
private communication, conceived in an
entirely friendly spirit. My noble
friends answer was equally private and
informal and neither the letter nor its
to the cabinet. I may add in view of
the certain suggestions which have
been made that before the letter epi-
sode the cabinet had come to it's final
decision with regard to the naval estt-
mates for this year.
There Is an inSistent demand that the
matter be aired in parliament and Lord
Tweedmouth has 1ntimated that fur
ther information will be given out in
the house of lords on March 9. 1t is
munication of the German emperor can
be made public without the consent OF
the writer as well as that of King
Edward.
In the meantime. the matter was ta-
ken up by the cabinet at its meeting
this afternoon but no official announce
ment of any course of action has been
made. The episode was the sole topic
of conversation in the lobby of the
house of commons today. In liberal
is asserted that Emperor William s
letter dealt with certain criticisms OF
the British press on the naval policy
of Germany and the statement in a
recent letter sent by Lord Esher to the
navy league to the effect that nobody
would regard the retirement Of Sir
John Fisher, senior naval lord of the
admiralty with greater pleasure than
the emperor of Germany. 1t is declar-
ed that Emperor William took excep-
ton to this statement and the relator
of this version of the incident declared
that If the emperor's letter was made
public he would be the most popular
man in England next to King EDWARD.
the communication from Emperor Will
liam which was personal and not sent
him in his capacity of first lord OF the
admiralty, has done nothing to allay
British suspicious that Emperor Will
lam Is guilty of designs on the inde-
nendence of the country. The episode
has caused widespread excitement and
there are insistent demands that the
matter be fully aired in parliament. 1t
has been suggested that possible ex-
PLANTATION of the incident is that the
British government attempted to Sc
cure mutual limitation In the matter
of warship building by direct negotia-
tton with Emperor William; In other
words to achieve by indirect diplomacy
what The Hague peace conference Ia1l,
Tweedmouth, however, point out that
any such negotiations, ought to be car
ried on through the foreign office and
there is considerable anxiety to know
how far the alleged irregular proceeo-
ings have gone.
Arthur Hamilton Lee, conserva-
five member of the house of COM
mons, was civil lord of the admiralty
from 1903 to 1905, said today that the
matter was too grave to be discussed
without further information:
IT am my late ministerial col
leagues" Mr. Lee said, are going to
consider the best way to raise the
matter Officially"
According to one version, emperor
Williams letter to Lord Tweedmouth
gave executive details of the compar-
ative strength of the navies of Great
Britain and Germany and basing his
opinion on this comparison. the en-
peror said he thought the German
fleet could not be considered more
than one-fifth as strong as that of
Great Britain. This being so he
thought Great Britain had no need to
fear any rivalry in naval supremacy
from Germany. and that consequent
Iv there was no need of increase In
the ship building program of Great
Britain.
Lord Tweedmouth visited the lobby
of the house of commons this after
noon and was in earnest conversation
with several of the party leaders. His
object doubtless was to obtain their
views for the purpose of communicat-
ing them to the cabinet which meets
this afternoon. The incident of EN-
peror williams letter had slightly
depressing effect on stock exchange
prices when the trading opened this
morning. Prices rallied subsequently.
however. on Lord Tweedmouth's ex-
pIanation of the matter.