DIPLOMATIC TRICKERY.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 46, 24 February 1908, Page 8

DIPLOMATIC TRICKERY.

In March, 1907 (writes "Ignatus," in th? National Review, in an article on "Germany and England"), copies of a number of most important State papers came suddenly into the possession of the Russian Government. How the ygot there' just then it is still premature to narrate. But the story they told was superlatively sensational, and calculated lo kindle a flame of bitterest hatred between Russia and Great Britain. For I they went to show that a secret treaty had been drawn up and signed between Great Britain and Japan for the purpose of guaranteeing the territorial integrity of the Turkish Empire in Asia. The wording left no doubt that the convention was directed solely against Russia. The two contracting powers, foreseeing that Russia's next move would be in the Near East, undertook to place their respective forces at the service of the Sultan when his empire should bo menaced on the Asiatic side. That would purely drivo the last nail into the Anglo-Russian Convention scheme. Nor was thit all. There wao also I among tho Slate papers a* copy v of an important despatch purporting lo havo been indited by the Turkish Ambassar dor in London (Musurus Pasha), and addressed by him to the chief (secretary 1 of the Sultan, informing the latter that Sir Edward Grey had himself commum- , oated to Musurus tho exact terms of tho secret treaty. The exact terms having been communicated by Sir.>Edwarcl Grey, who concluded the treaty, there could of course be no reasonable doubt as to Un fact of its existence. To crown all, these papers mysteriously i found their way into tli3 hands of the I Russian Government during the momentouscrisis in Eropean history, when war was in thc-ftir. Now, in all probability these documents would havo wrought incalculable mischief if a man like Muravicil had been. Foreign Minister. i But Counts Lamsdorff and Benckendorff went to woik in the right way, and within 24 hoiu"3 the whole tissue of falsehoods was scattered to the winds. The Russian Ambassador in London informed the British Foreign ! Office of the contents of the documents, I an dfrom the absolute denial which his narrative provoked he drew his own conclusions. It was obvious that the ■ documents must be malicious forgeries, ! made for the purpose of causing bitter dissension between Russia and Great Britain. "Everything is fair in diplomacy and war."