Year: 1874

TORY BY THE NAVAL OVER THE DIPLOMATIC
BRANCH OF THE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. OF
THE DIPLoMATIsTs


iYRon THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRrBUSE.l
BERLIN, Aug. 0-The tenacity with which tho
old regime here cngs to life is shown by the haste.
not 10 say skill with which it's partisans seize every
| occasion for embarrassing the Government. The
case of Capt Werner is the latest and one OF the
most striking illustrations Of this fact. The exploit
of this officer is not yet forgotten he was IN COM
mand of a German squadron off Cartagena when the
insurrecton broke out and recaptured from the IN
surgents two Spanish war-vessels which were flying
the Cantonal flag. The technical excuse offered by
Werner was that the flag in question was not recog-
nized maritime symbol and consequently the vessels
carrying it were better than pirates, Werner Is
scholar and an experienced sailor; hut his error
here be the theory itself more or less plausible was
in drawing the inference that he did or at least in
acting without reflection. Indeed an not sure that
this censure is strong enough. He belongs to the
political school which holds orthodox views on the
subject of society religion, the family property;
and it b almost certain that he strained his Dterna
tional law in this far than he would have
done had the unrecognized flag been that of Don
Carlos and his pous followers. The Foreign
Office promptly disavowed the Intervention
After long delay the frigates were re-





Werner was recalled and summoned before a
Court of Inquiry. The precise nature of the charges
against him are not publicly known. They have
never been published, and consequence the true
value of the judgment cannot be ascertained. But
in any case the judgment is one of acquttal. The
Kreus Zeitang the official organ, announced the fact
some time ago somewhat prematurely, as the Gov
eminent papers fastened to declare. But the state
ment is now made officially that the inquiry has
resulted IN acquttal and that the Emperor has ap-
proved the result. Now comes in the interesting
feature of the case. Capt. Werner was prosecuted
| at the instance of the Foreign Office. Complaint
was not made, perhaps, so much on account OF the
steps which he took as that he should have taken


any steps whatever without the direction OF


the diplomatic authorities, semi-official


notice in the press few months ago explained, by


way of correcting a common misapprehension," that


the military system of promotion did not prevail in


the diplomatic service of Germany. and that there


was other condition of advancement than merit


and the will Of the Government But if the Cnan-


cellor does not bind himself to rigid system of pro-


motion lie exacts military discipline from subor
| dinates The case of Count Won Arnim shows this
| Now Capt. Werner a naval officer, it is true;


but it is recognized axiom that in such affairs as
| that at Cartagena the marine Is the servant OF


diplomacy not of its own caprices. To acquit Capt.


Werner is to affirm the contrary, and thus to smlte
| the Foreign Office in the face.


| A man more patient than Prince Bismarck would


not bear that treatment with equanimity, and di-
| pomacy spoke at once. The Court of Inquiry IN


the case of Capt Werner" said the Norddeatsche
| AlIqemeine Zeitung Prince Bismarck's organ has
| found verdict of acquittal and the Emperor nn-


willing TO interfere with the course of military JUS


tice has approved the verdict The result will be
| disappointment to the diplomatic branch OF the
public service. 1t must be evident that If military


and naval officers to be permitted to interfere OK
their own will in the political complications OF other
States the conduct of the diplomatic affairs of the
Government through the Foreign Otfce VIII become
difficult if not impossible The article was Ike q
| clap of thunder. Such language from the prosaic
gentlemen in broadcloth to the yictors of sadowa


and Sedan was unprecedented. 1t was bad enough


to see radcalism in politics daily crushing the life


out of the old nobty--was the military noblesso


likewise to be placed under the control of set OF


elderly bureaucrats, who wore spectacles and took


snuff


| The Norddcutscbe AHgemeine Zeiiaag limited at


conflict and conflict there really was. The stan
| do not conceal their contempt for diplomacy anu
| for that matter of all craftsmanship. Goethe was
| by no means political satirist, but he makes the
Chancellor say, in the second part OF faust tha1


the priests and the knights, church and army are
| the two chief props of State and IN theory not
essentially different from this the Prussian soldiers
are trained. Accordingly the profession OF dplO-
| macy long held low rank here In SO far as the
opposition of the military class was the natural op-
position of brave and straightforward men to
service which is too often associated with
trickery and fasehood, the feeling re-
spectable Unfortunately it did not end
herr. nor was this its true basis. 1t sprang
out of the narrow contempt felt by all Prusslan
soldiers for civil occupations and is now stimulated
nv jealousy for service which is becoming such
powerful and indispensable service of the State.
Prince Bismarck really created Prussian diplomacy.
Before his advent it routine machine, soiDe-
what like that of England in which respectable Old
gentlemen with titles were sent into retirement.
Bismarck himself first gave the example OF an
active diplomatist, and afterward' becoming
Premier. he made his example the rule of the
service. He cemented the Italian alliance aud
threw dust in the eyes of France while
the army was fighting In BOHEMIA;
he kept Russia firm and friendly whle
the Second Empire gong down under the
charge of Moltkes legions. The Prince himself
once described modestly his own services in the late
war. 1t was on the eve of great victory ana men
were locking around to congratulate him. He said,
81 know nothing about strategy or the science OF
| war Let Moltke and the army have the credit.
But YOU have seen Bavarians to-day on the held.
Well the presence of the Bayarians and other South
| Germans here fighting with you, and not on the
other side is my work" Is it probable that man
who can describe his own achievement so modestly
aud yet so firmly will suffer his diplomatic work to
be thwarted by score of military martlnets
Nevertheless the matter rests at present where 1t
was left by the article in the Norddeatsche The
other journals, notably the organ OF Capt. Werner
and the Junkers, took up the subject and 1T Is still
current in the press but nothing is added. The
| nd there IL oV