Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-08-22
He Is Physical Embodiment Of AL
lance Which Unitcs England,
France and Russia.
MEMBER OF FAMOUS FAMILY
1t Was He Who Signed Convention
Establishing Entente Corliale
Leading to Present Compact I'm
der Which Allies Are Fighting.

u
who signed on April 9, 1908. the me-
norable convention establishing the en-
tente cordiale completely reconstruct
Z ing the relations between England and
rance and leading straight to the
present compact by which the three
entente allies are fighting together to-
day.
when NJ Cambon was seen at the
french embassy by n representative OF
the Associated Press he was preparing
10 leave for Paris TO meet his brother,
NJ jules Cambon, who. as French am
bassador at Washington, signed with
president Mckinley the protocol re-
establishing peace between the United
states and Spain. after arranging the
memorable prelim!narics with Madrid
b. which Spain was to retire from
Cuba. Porto Rico was to be cedod In
Inc United States and the Philippinos
were TO pass under American control
by purchase
BROTHERS HAVE HAD
DISTINGUISHED CAREERS
The brothers are of that notable
Cambon family, all DISTINGUISHED in
diplomacy. who at times have repre-
scented France simultaneously at Lon
don. Berlin and constantinople-,hre
or the vital spots of French interna-
tonai contact. Just now the brothers
were meeting in Paris to see their
sons lighting ut the front, who in tho
luN OF operations had been granted
leave for this family reunion. The
Tisit TO Paris. too. gave the anbas.
sador opportunity to consul, with the
chiei French officials on tho many ques-
tons OF joint policy constantly arising
under the existing alliance
massive piles of gray stone at Albcr,
Gate. leading from the busy traffic of
kn!ghtsbridge and Piccadilly to tho
calm and beauty OF HYDE Park Here
". Paul Cambon has presided since
1898. and here was maturcd tho entente
cordiale. which is having such a mo-
neHtous sequel to-day in the war alli-
ance. The ambassador much resembles
MS brother Jules-of middle height
1.-the and athletic frame with iron
gray hair and beard and kcenness OF
manner which combined cord!ality and
unta!ling tact-diplomatic tact. which
has been the keynote to the notable
Cannon careers. The ambassador never
speaks for publication, Yet certain i'm
arcssioHs were gathered during the
Visit which indicate the role Of the
principal figures In tho negotiation OF
events leading UP 10 the present war
drama.
II was Lord Salisbury who first per
ceived the need OF rcconciling the diff
ferenccs long existing between Eng
land and France. Two main reasons
had been operating slowly, but surely
to make this need apparent. First, both
England and france had embarked on
extensive colonial policies. and these
colonies were so situated that they
were continual source Of discord and
Misunderstanding the world over-in
Siam. where the British interests were
on one side and the French Interests of
lndo-Ch!na on the other in Africo
with Egypt in the northeast. Morocco.
AlGiers and Tunis in the northwest and
the Congo and Niger and Nile country
IN the center; the Newfoundland fish
cries, source of controversy Tor 900
years. with Madagascar. New Hchridcs
and many other points affordirg points
for misunderstanding in colonial de-
velopment" Some OF these had become
acute. notably the Siam crisis and the
Fachoda incident. when the French ex-
redition under Captain Marchand
reached tho Nile simultaneous with
the arrival OF General Kitchener, two
weeks after his capture of Khartoum
These and like incidents had aroused
such feeling on both sides Of the chan
mel. and had caused such grave mis-
understandings that they gave the first
real impetus 10 the view, both In Eng
land and France, that some broad
policy OF reconciliation was cssntial he
tween France and England.
The second reason for such recon
citation had impressed itself rather
slowly on British statesmen---ihe need
or counterpoise TO the ambition Of
Germany. which. it was now apparent
by its alliance in Central Europe, was
seeking TO build UP predominating
influence on the course Of European
affairs. When Germany, after the war
or l87o-7l, was ready to crush France,
England was not aroused that such n
course might affect, not only France.
but the equilibrium of Europe, in ad.
Vanclng the imperial design of n nara
mount influence of the central powers
over the affairs OF Europe But later
events made this motive clear to Eng
ltsh craftsmanship. and 1T was the
second and decisive factor leading 70
the reconciliation OF France and Eng
land and all Its train of momen+ous
consequences down to the present hohr
SinguIarly, however Lord Salisbury,s
early conviction That tho time had
come for this reconciliation was not
realized because of peculiar obstacle
He had seen many French ministries
come and go. for some of them wera OF
brief duration, and these frequent falls
Of ministries impressed Lord Salisbury
with an idea that there was a lack of
stability and continuity I'm French
policy. For that reason the FIRST homes
of n reconciliation We're not realized,
halted because of the feeling that 1t
might not be enduring.
1t was in these circumstances that
the reconciliation moved slowly until
the decisive action Of Bismarck clearly
showed the design of n dominating CEN
trail influence. And even then negotia-
tons did not take n definite form until
shortly before the actual signing of
the Anglo-F French convention. NJ Cam
bon had arrived here few years he,