STORY OF FAILURE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1479, 29 June 1912, Page 18

STORY OF FAILURE.

ANGLO-GERMAN RELATIONS. BISMARCK, SALISBURY, AND BEACONSFIELD. OVERTURES FOR COMPROMISE. (By the London "Telegraph's" Correspondent.) Vienna, May 8. Much speculation has been excited Here by the news'of the forthcoming change in tho German Embassy in London. Incidents of tliia kind are, it need hardly bo said, of much moro importance than their mere face value. At all events, the suggestion has been made, and widely bolieved, that a fresh and more deliberate attempt is on foot to break down the existing jealousy between Gormany anil Great Britain, and to carry out the policy of a better understanding inaugurated by Lord Haldane in his receut visit to Berlin. It is not tho first time by any means that oilers have been made by the Wilhelmsfcrasso to attain to a sort of working compromise in 'the relations of tho two unfortunately embittered nations. I wonder if the statesmen of to-day aro aware that at least three definite attempts in this direction have been made within tho last forty years, and that two of thorn were due to. the initiative of Prince Bismarck himself. Englishmen, as well as Germans, are apt to look on Bismarck as a statesman not naturally inclined to care for friendship with England. Nor is thoro any doubt whatsoever that shortly after the Franco-German war, when his desire "to bleed France whito" was checkmated partly by Russia, but still more by the personal action of Queen Victoria and the British Government, Bismarck poured the vials of his wrath upon the English Princess who had married the German Crown Prince. But circumstances change courses of policy, and the German Chancellor was much too clever an opportunist in foreign policy to fail to shift his pails to the passing breeze. I repeat that on two distinct occasions Bismarck made overtures to England, and that a third allempt in this direction belongs to the time when von Bulow was at the head of affairs. Bismarck and Salisbury. Let. me begin with the second of these efforts, for which there exists distinct documentary evidence. I can fix the exact date. On November 22, 1887, Bismarck wrote a private letter to Lord Salisbury, sketching certain proposals, the purport of which was that Great Britain should join Austria and Italy, and, therefore, become a partner in the Triple Alliance. It was a very unusual step for Prince Bismarck to take at the height of his power. Probably lie had never written in this fashion to any foreign Premier. But this only proves the importance he attached to Lord Salisbury's answer. The answer of the English Prime Minister is amongst the private records in the Berlin Foreign Office. Tho general character of it i» evasive and wordy, but it conclusively shows that Lord Salisbury wanted to keep free from Continental entanglements. He obviously desired that the European Powers should keep Russia in cheek, but without England's participation, and he revealed some signs of bitterness when he discovered that Germany realised the selfishness of his policy of "splendid isolation." I have'said that the English Prime Minister desired as much as tha German Chancellor to keep Russia.in cheek. It is. in truth: the attitude of Kus>i-a, together with the. fluctuating relations between Berlin and St. Petersburg, which give the keynote to BismarcVs am- . biguous and often debatable diplomacy. Sometimes he sees the importance of Russian friendship, and then he makes such leagues as the Dreikaiserbund- the leagtto between the three Emperors—and that somewhat mysterious Russu-ftermau treaty, which, after some vicissitudes, disappeared in 180(1. At othei times Rus.-ia becomes menacing in the East of Europe, and,then Bismarck turns elsewhere. In 1887, a special danger existed' in the growing friendship between France and Russia. The rise of Boulanger sremed to threaten possible complications, while for many reasons, chiefly connected, it must be confessed, with commerce, furious anti-German articles appeared in Russian newspapers. It was ill circumstances like these thai the Gorman Chan.cellor thought fit to communicate directly jwith the English Prime Minister, in order that Germany, Austria, and Italy, with the addition of England, might ha able to offer a solid obstacle to Rus ; oFrench ambitions.

Holstein. If I am asked oil what evidence my assertions vest, I answer that the evidence is given in a series of letters of the utmost importance, which I have recentlv read, by Baron Friedrich von Holstein. 1 " It is, I suppose, unnecessary for mo to explain the importance of Flolstein's testinionv. He was for more than thirty years head of the political department of the German Foreign Office. Ho was the power behind tho throne. He was, in fact, the repository of the Bismarckian tradition, and 110 one knew so well as he did the projects of the German Chanrcllor. Moreover, a point which is germane to the present argument, he was no'.oriouslv friendly towards England, and, as a matter of fact, based his objection to the programme of the German Navy Leaguo on tho fact that it would alienate Great Britain and make her draw still closer to France. His Testimony is still more valuable in references to the proposals of von Billow, to which I shall come presentlv: but: in the early months of 1901 he wrote certain sentences, which I quote textually Is the British Foreign Minister or the Colonial Minister aware; of Bismarck's private letter to Lord Salisbury of November 22, 1887? Lord 1 Salisbury asked Count "atzfeldt if Prince William, who had suddenly be- ' come proir.mtiit oning to the unfortunate controversies about the Crown, had Russian sympathies. Whereupon Bismarck, although he was under no obligations to answer, wrote a perletter to t Lord Salisbury explaining that a German Emperor, as such, could have neither an English nor a Russian, but only a German, policy, and that personal svmpatliies were entirely baside tho point. Now. Germany's natural allies were Austria "arid" England, but Germany would be obliged to approach Russia, if sho could not. reckon on tlie support of "both" these Powers. Tho following is a critical passage:— Prince Bismarck's taking sucli an unusual stop at the height of his power—l never remember his writing directly like this to any other foreign Primo Minister—shows the importance attached to Lord Salisbury's reply. As I have already said, that reply was found unsatisfactory. Henceforth, Bismarck sought Russia, and Herbert Bismarck went further still. But even so, Bismarck did ' not want to leave England out. i . Berlin Confiress. Such sentences, written in HoMcin's own handwriting, are conclusive. And now perhaps, I can refer to the earlier episode, which bears the dale of 1878. Mark the year. It was tho date of the I Congress nnd Treaty of Belrlin, which met under the Presidency of Prince Bismarck. It will bo remembered I hat lite object of the Congress was to review Hie I Treaty of Sau Htefa.uo, March 11, 187 S. by which tho Russo-Turkish war hint I been brought to a conclusion, and which seemed to give lairger nnthorilv to the Northern Empire than was convenient lo the other European Powers. Great lirilain had risked a war to prevent (he Russian occupation of Constantinople. Yd (hp San Stefano Treaty seemed to lie quile as fatal to the Ottoman dominion a* (lie fall of ils capital. Naturally enough. Russia did not want to have any-Berlin Congress at all. Count however, on the pari ot Austria, mill Beaconsfield, on the pari of dreal Britain, insisted on a revisic.i of the earlier Treaty. It needed Bcacon»Ssld'<- masierstroke of mobilising the Militia and bringing Indian troops to the .Mediterranean heforo Russia would give way. And perhaps, even so, she would not have, yielded hiul she not discovered that tho diplomatis ijippoit jrkicb, sis ejected, tow

Bismarck mid lioriiia-iv lailcil iwr. Sr. Vj. came about Unit, tlii" lid lin tj|i!j»rivs met on June 111, nml tli'e sii.bsc.i|ii(:l.it' U'rciviv was signed on July in, jlc.i.c w'e may obr servo tins s.'iinij condition- wi.ii'ch via have already ,-r rn cpcrat.i.ve ;ii the lalur da(<of ISS7. Uu-.-ia is (mi M'.r.oii.s. I!.iii>l'a i? tu be feared. Tlit'l'M'ore;, I'ruice Biviiiffrt'.k' tuniS to England. it nin.y l'« known In somn of tho ('liriiici'.i!cr.li'> iif lyuropo. but it is assuredly knfi'v.u at tire Wffiio.lilv-stla-M\ that Bisinaixk had ail. informal conversation with 13oac:oiisfieii|. ii> Berlin with reference to ' a pcissiMe Aagl'iv-Oi.'er-nian understanding, pointed nut Unit Uerinany control-li'if J-'iij-ope by her army, and that if t'lrua't Britain could exercise equal control hi: her iv'avy, An-hria would lio'lsl j.iv chork .l?.ii=sian designs in Ihe Near If •!■!! alliance, bused on tiie'se lines-., were oii'i:'o. eeuieiited, the peace of tire world pniii'd: be secured for at le.TSj; a e.c'i'ihiry. \\ hat was I.ord Beucou s (ie.!d's. tiu-Ke.fi.r It i« the etl'eet that it would 'lake.him .twelve months to prepare Iviigljsli jiriMle (ipisii.sin for such a change 1 .. ;Jfe was Pot unfriendly to the proposal, however. Only, unfortunately, tile eliaiigp of Cnvernnieiit in (ireat Britain, aiut Mr., Gladstone's furious denunciation'.of Ai:.-trian jsolify, together with all the excitements .of the Bulgarian atrocities, '■ transformed : tlie whole course of event?,, tiiid nic.de further negotiations impossible;.; Tim fact rests on the testimony ci ho fewer than three, per.-ons -Montniine Corry, afterwards ] Jj.grU Kowtoii., .. Yon Holstein, and third,, a well-known 'diplomatist who gave i.ne "this, iiii'qrntatiyii. An amusing story ,ndds': .a. touch of' .Virility to the interviews.. ' tall?in.E: with Bismarck, after assiiriifg.- him that: he would do all in hi? power to forward the idea of a future' alliance, siii.'d-r "But please do not tell;' Salisbury anything, for if I am supposed to . bo in favour c( the scheme, Salisbury wil.t 'bp sure tb take the opposite view!.''*

A Third. Effort,. T come now to a .tliird and possib.'iy still more important cceu.-ion, wlie.i once more 1 have the direct festi'iii&n'y Uf llolstein in 1901. Bi-mavck is liriw: iio in power. The German .'C'liunceilor is' Prince von Bulow, .sueceedlii-r io the aiir Ihority and posi tiou. ; ,.'iirst; :of t'ij'privi, and then of. von Hohenlplie;' . AVIu. t was .the v position of affairs 'iii .1901? There had been Hio wildest hostility'.'to Kngl'iiiid/iii'. conseiiuence of all tlie. feelings excited by the Boor War. Av.Navy .Bill 'liad bbe'iv introduced in January;, 1!W0. In the Mission of l'JOl Admiral. y.i;Vi; -I'li-jiitx, tlii! Minister ot'" Marine,, -ersser'tcd. Hi a! the naval programme of l'.iSO woiild:: have tu be enlarged. But •rfe^' (dare more, than once Uu;t Gi-rniiiii naval armaments were purely liefeiisi've,' iiiixf. that, no sensible people." jiv either ep:uritrv couhl contemplato the. |,'a.-^ilii'.itv of ail Anglo-Merman war. that the German fluuicellor. had' in lijs mind a rcdistribulioii of- power in Evirrope, in which Gennaiiy was .to timi;. Great Britain as hri:.['?rie'nd, ; atid ,'iiot^hftr;' ioe. It: is true tliat llerljert was still keen for :iiiii.Viii'flers'tfiii<l iiig,..*;v:i tji Kus'sia, but, of coin'.-?"dir■Ofo\t^l.Uul"--'V!ffpp'irto : much more difficult since'the entente behreen the A'orUiern .Eiiirar.e ; aiid. 'Krii'hee. The suggestion nnulefjjy Jltiisteiii' 'was. that by means of C.'oit.nt Goliu.diow>ki and the Foreign Office at Aaonua, 'i,' England' should be approached wilh a view of attaching not only 10. the 1 riple Alliance., ;,Gei',iii'a'uy', !A'iis'tria, Italy, Great ißritaii'i,. : \aiut. jt ; .\iau: uniied in a defensive';'allijincc'.'i.iiigiit; v/ell; hold a Irctful ivorld'.iii'iiiivp; The Bundesrat. I spoke just now of tlie Navv hill, jntrodueed into, the HeichsUig iii lMCii,. in accordance with wliich:: i he' -niiiiiber: of tierman ships of j (j be doubled. This iitfpneV ifliistMtfoii i,f'i the strained relalioiiss 'ii'h icli,vexisfeii" .bi'tweou Great Britain aiid .(;»•! iuaiiv ai the end nl' 18M and Uie-.):e;,'iiiiiihg V.r lUilii; lor there can be no .( r ,;e>lioii. that tile Aiivy Hill was briiugiit Uirv.ard ot what had occuried to ilie..'.(fermrin steaiuslnp tlie Bundesi l afi: ' ; Slior|lv ■ after ! the outbreak of the Htier AYar'tlic Huudesrat liad been seized' oh :i he coasi of Africa and searched ,by a iiritisli iriiiser'. lor contraband of war;'. s ='I'i?v•..>)■ f'i* 1 <*>f. iiiv dignation blazed out in Berlin over this incident, and prolmidv few. penp!» ; .|'e aware wlul a -lighl' iiiiai vaj dividci! (lie Iwo countries from lipeu w;if.. Ureal Bri- : tain whs at that time' iii.no. liiiioil In/.li-ipir to anv augry exposlahiliiin- einaimthi.' from Berlin. Tlie soreii'e:ss,cau'sc.d. by 'tiii" German Emperor's telegram to. I're-i'-d'eui : Krugej' had to a cerlaiii . i-xti lit -u'l-ided. But bitter feelings were s'lil!. rife l.hrougi'i. out. Great Britain, .md tin: in.aiiilVdd tlis-j,-appointmcnts of Ihe ;: liiiei' H.ir] . not improve the uationa/r.-t'einiie.i': 'I'he Kaiser'.-- recent visit how- : ever, sensibly velievedj lhe-i'liptiiiiiatie' ti-ti- : sion. .■:•■ « - " "By Way nf Vienna." In reference to Billow'.-, iivei'lurc.- in 1901. 1 once more r|UoTe; J ;.f.i:ijiii -a- letter written by lloi-tein. . He write- liußhg' the early mouths of I'iOj:; . ..' • The jiresent inotne:;! 'is one of do-

risive importance, ikri\iisb::l)6.l.h. Ehjjiantl ami ( Vo'imdcncy towards a ' course, an u i ulp t>tniVrliiig la-!u-Kmi ihb ■■■ two countries, Midi-A-.. I tUi-.\U* fl-p.-iv-able, is made moro-'difli^ulf%''J'ii ! u'Uiiil. ■' mistrust. : 1. Hut, slill, Tlol.-lein. ihink.-s that, sonic.thin£f can bo done, nltlioiislf."riot; precisely 011 (lie linos attempt od; :i b v'VB j-in arck; .'ij'i 1887. Ho desires liinj piiipo'als should emanate from Austria; through.the agom v' especially of Count . .Goiiichciwski. Hero are the actual words:. To make the reversal of policy easier, having regar& ! 'sdi-jiiS • prSse'nt state of opinion, the practical course would bo to make tho rapprbehoment not a question of Alliance, but of getting. JSiiglaiul to join the Triple Allianco. 'Count von Goluchowski will befall;Jfo'r. Jttiis: .policy. Of course, Austria would 'he disinclined to take on her-.shoulders any obligation outside IJuroptf but since Kilssia threatens equally: tlie; iroiifjer of Galacia and the roiiticT' of' India, Goluschowski can hardly l regard: thestrengthening of theidefeiisitii flliiarice' • against Russia as aft. eitra'iE.ujbppaiv affair. The letter proceeds new element in tiie Germon;.;prbpqs;il:. If the broad outline '-.'of' an .Vlliar.ce scheme ,cnn bo laid;.''down;, 1 -really think something useful and lasting anight be achieved by" way' ofVienna.... I also do lint see why..Japan : shouTd not, at the same time, bo 'drawn Into the defensive Allianc-eJ That would make the combLnatip.ii jn: 'lininj:' Av.aj-s easier, for Japan is popuhr in Gei many. Japan mi;,-hi, perhaps, ho.t, think she got much oiil of this, but in any .case the prp'p.p'Ss!. coulil not harm her general p:witi,m, bc-causo she would find ho rse.lt''-.in gopd company. The Importance of .Japan. The suggestion, therefore, is that G.p'r-. many, Austria, and Italy should, .keep peace on the Continent, that . Great liritain should (oimnand was, and that' Japan might prove a. valuable ally in 'lie Par East, especially iti..fcl.iecking /Kussi'au ambitions. I believe it to bo a fact, which throws some cu'ribiis. .light on this proposal of 1!)01, that. Japan had offered her alliance to Russia;, .■".nil' that "it; ivas; a certain alarm on: .. the ..pari of ! :the'. Western Powers at thh,ppssi.bijj.t'y of s,u'ph « .combination that eventually brought: about the Anglo-JapaniK-p- Treaty i Hoistein continues: Germany's goodwill is clear, from her behaviour ovpi thjv Tientsin Que*, lion, which quite i-m-prUni Sijr i'v Laseelles. The English .m'istimst' may . be got over. The way round J>y Vienna is tho, right one. It is no! a qr.e--tion, as in 18S7, of drawitfg England. Austria, and Italy together.- lint of attaching Knglnud iiiul J.apnn to. the Triple Alliance. With such absolute clearness wa« the' project conceived .and:' sketched out by German diplomacy. A Third Failure., The time has not yet come, pci'hiips, for throwing full light' itpun '.thisy. iiego' liation-i of 11101. Hemic et' the pmiiiilp-at statesmen engaged arO --ii 1 1: living. ■ l»iit this much may be -aid lor t.liO: ,\lr. Chamberlain mni)e. i'._ -| <-i- i. ill 1.-i; eester. which was punio?piy in iierlin. It was (ailed "an lndi-eiv-which,. in_ wlr mmievtl vernacular. v.-« wight dyserifc "giyftvs the show away'" too ;ly. At all eVtii't-, from Berlin came a piaiiiipfc ijeiiicirti. together willi the hint flidf I'M Hri-if.= ir Colonial }lini.-tor had. t».r)inp-. Ii misled by Lord SaliJjnry into-, hulking deiinito' proposals before they ivcfe as!,.ml iuv. If wo wish to know., ho\v<-vor. tijfc real rausc whifh rendered t.hcs.! proiui*iug negotiation} betwce'ii; ' Cteruiany stid' . Great Brjtaii abartirn, Uiq' la.

el::ar. 'i'lvo U'liiiK* rfihemo .h>(i. tp ll,i : g.i ou;ti<J-, iili : till! (illaij- \v?i»iothought out ifiiil tjiu 11 (utter piac.fjViill.v b.i'C'iiiiH', for. roii-ons .host kiin'.yn ■' to liintSpil, tilt? i 'hniHi'.l.n'. I'r'urn v'iril Biilott, .Middcnlv c'ljndifcii hi.-- lu'iml... lit: iiuiT p«s?iUly hivvo )>eiVii tfjVvul uf 1h.0.. .Mate pf. ptiiilic offiflion in fimuanv iii : l!rt»i-=—»l H h ilmilitfill it sutth'tiin-:' i/l'ify would have Ix'Oii rJimvu iiv aith.r'.r.o.f' his nMiio'cc-iWs, Oiii-iivi; or lioh.e.uia.hos: \ t ;Vny rail', j.he ppiuirtuuit-y was li)sf, and tiro m go'.iations :•! IHO'I i all'r-d -iv tdin jii'. l ! riy as t.Tit-si 1 . of IR.S7 a lid '18.78. T.ft ii'ifl .licuirj'iiti'ijsvto'. Bi>i.:un:i:c,k.'s .o.vtfr-' lures at the: jiorlvii ConsM'.-.* (ft Orfa'Vi llrilaii; fa.i'ltc! hccauM l.onl i3fi\<M)nsiio'd : : Ie!l I'ro'r.t power, iillil wiis s.ueV;>odt :1 liyAir. G.Vnl-tnnr. Ji.iSni rrrck V ovcrUnes to. Ol.ri'nt' liniitiu i.n TSS7.,. (;o:i.v.oyed. in a. 'pf'V'--;. voiiii!. lot'<T v.-i-i.Kcn to I.onl S:iis-inii-.v,. failed lii'Ci.iiise tl.in En<;li-di Priiiu 1 'Minis-.; I<:r a.d.hored to Iris" luiTii'j" of iioii.-ciitS.nK.lor; iiiont ivi't'i OmiimMUnl ijuesiioi'.- « ji<sl*fy, i.n foci, of 'Mploriilid isolation.'' Tlie. : ; third: set .o'f ovi'rtuvos—iioi'hrb!)-; Iho most lironii-iiiir '.01 n1 i - ii.itiatid : by' fru.ld.sv niyl ClunhHipi'lafn i.n .1001. eanse in an eml. far .ffaifOii:-. a.s. vet. a- l.itllo ohscu'rej biit., iiv all nrpliajjility, dowiuient 011 BiilinvV sudden change of front.