The Washington herald., 1908-06-07
BRITISH OFFICIAL SECRETS
Curious Inside History of King EdwaydS
Government
Government.


1t Is likewise a matter Of common
knowledge that a peeress of the realm.
and who is gifted with an exceedingly
able and somewhat vitriolic pen, is about
TO publish her "reminiscences and cOrre-
spondenee. Estranged from the courts
and from most OF her former friends, she
has given il to be understood that she
would give free rein 10 her muse and as
she was for nearly a quarter of a cen
fury not merely one of the leaders Of the
English great world, but also a most in
fiuential figure in political court and Of
fetal life, II naturally stands TO reason
that she Is in position to print conf
dental correspondence and 10 reveal Sc
crets. the disclosures OF which Will be, 70
say the least, extremely disconcerting.
Lord Esher. whose official title OF dep
uty governor OF Windsor Castle does not
convey any idea OF the vast Importance
Of his position in the encourage OF the
King and Of his influence and power at
court and with the government. is be-
lieved TO have had this in view when
ne put this question in the House OF
Lords last July, and owing TO the very
unsatisfactory nature OF the reply OF the
lord high chancellor, he is reported to
have devoted his leisure during the sub
sequent Parliamentary recess In drafting
bill in the shape Of an amendment OF
the official secrets law of 1889. with the
object Of extending its provisions in
such n manner as 10 cover all royal
correspondence and communications also
the correspondence and communications
Of people now or formerly in official life
In one word. TO provide against all in
discreet revelations affecting crown or
government II may be assumed that
this Is the measure which was presented
TO Parliament by Lord LOreburn. and
which has Just been withdrawn from fur
Their legislative consideration.
Certainly its tenor conveys the impress
sion that It is the offspring OF a discreet
courtier. an official devoted above every
thing TO his king. rather than that OF so
astute a lawyer as the present lord high
chancellor Of England. This impression
is strengthened by tho fact that the bill.
while manifestly aimed at the prevention
Of revelations such as those contained in
the "reminiscences Of former Ambassador
Sir Horace Rumbold, and of those threat
ened by the beautiful peeress, to whom
lutly no provision for the amendment OF
the law Of 1889 in such a fashion as TO
put a stop TO the work in England OF
foreign spies and OF their British confed-
crates at the expense Of the state.
There is no government IN Europe
which has not been disturbed and en-
barrassed by indiscreet revelations on
the part OF those who at one time or an
other have been in it's employ as am
bassadors, as ministers Of state. digni-
taries OF court. &c. Curiously enough,
the only great power that has enjoyed
almost entire immunity in this respect
is that Of the United States. the officers
Of which. although their term OF Office
is ephemeral. inadeQuately paid. and de-
VOID OF any reward IN the shape OF titles,
orders Of knighthOod. and pensions. make
II point Of honor never to reveal, after
their restoration to private life. the Sc
crets with which they have become ac-
Quainted while in the employ of Uncle
Sam.
Thus. two years ago Gen. Andre. the
most unpopular minister Of war who ever
held cabinet Office in France. revenged
himself, after he had been driven TO re-
sign, by publishing day by day in the
various newspapers a series OF letters
which he had received from the chief
magistrate Of the republic, from his col
leagues in the cabinet, and from states
men and officers OF every degree during
the years which he spent at the head Of
the war department in the Rue st.
Dominique. The manifest purpose Of the
general IN communicating these letters
10 the press was. Of course. to embarrass
the government. rs we'll as those former
colleagues and official friends by whom
he considered himself 10 be deserted.
In fact. the publication Of the CORE
spondence was prompted, not by any de-
sire OF justification. but merely by spite.
Gen. Andre, on being taken 10 task, con-
tended that the letters in question were
not the property OF the writer but Of
himself. since they had been addressed 10
him, and that be was in no sense bound
by the fact OF their being marked con
ldential" lie asserted that the word In
question was OF an advisory rather than
of an inhibitory nature. and that It was
not in any degree obligatory. unless he,
as the recipient Of the communication,
chose to regard II as such He argued
that an agreement between the writer
and the recipient was necessary 70 en-
dow any letter with a confidential char
acter. and added that the mere annota-
ton of a letter as confidential was not
sufficient IN the eyes OF the law 10 invest
IL with the immunities of a privileged
communication, since Il did not exempt
a slanderous communication from the
penalties Of the libel laws.
Delcasse, who was for so many years
minister OF foreign affairs OF France. IN
I'll ousted by Rouvier. did not hesitate
to endeavor to justify his policy in the
eyes OF his countrymen by making reve-
lations in the Paris Matin. characterized
by the grossest kind Of indiscretion, and
OF a nature 10 cause the most serious
embarrassment to his own government.
as well as 20 that of Great Britain. For
at the very moment when after the ut
most difficulty the unpleasar tness be-
tween France and Germany had been
allayed. and friendller feelings were be-
ing brought about between Great Britain
and Germany. the ex-minister laid bare
in the Matin all the preparations which
he had made before he was forced into
retirement. for a conflict with Germany
on tho subject OF Morocco, incidentally
disclosing the full extent to which Eng
land had committed herself in the matter
Of giving armed assistance to France by,
landing troops on the coast of Schleswig-
Holstein. and by sending her feet to
take possession Of the Kiel Canal. The
gravity OF the revelations lay in the fact
that they were not the mere utterances
Of more or less irresponsible newspaper,
but those Of a statesman OF international
reputation, who told the facts OF which
he had official cognizance while directing
the foreign policy Of his government.
Prince Bismarck IL may be remember
ed. after his deprival of office, was led
by his animosity against the present
Kaiser to reveal the former existence of
secret treaty between Russia and Ger
many at the time when the latter was