IMPORTANT SPEECH BY PRINCE BISMARCK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7270, 7 March 1885, Page 5

IMPORTANT SPEECH BY PRINCE BISMARCK.

In the German Reichstag the vote for the 180,000 marks for the salary and expense! of the Governor of the Cameroons came up for discussion, and, as was expected, led to an important speech from Prince Bismarck, in which he gave his ideas on the whole international situation, with special reference to Anglo-German colonial relations. "Tea years ago," he said, "we were perhaps surrounded by enemies or untrustworthy friends ; but now we see all around friendly Governments with which we have trustworthy alliances. The union of the Three Empires is strong enough to resist anything, from whichever quarter it comes. We live with Italy on terms of intimacy and good friendship, as also with Spain. With France we never had such good relatione as now; and this, I can say, is greatly due to the wise and moderate government of France, which knows and can appreciate the benefits of peace like ourselves. The Franco-German war was a great Continental calamity, which neither wishes to repeat. With England we live on good understanding. That England, conscious that Britannia rules the waves, was somewhat astonished to see landlubbers like un suddenly taking to the water, is not surprising ; but we stand with England on the footing of the old traditional friendly relations of the two countries, and we shall do well to retain these relations. If the English Government should completely adopt tb* , of many of its subjects on our colonial policy, we should scarcely be able ou u»tn.i- iiuyetiuua of deep interest to England to support English policy without the disproval of the German people. We should then perhaps be obliged to support those who, without wishing it, are England's opponente ; but, 1 repeat, we both live and shall live in good relations with England. So that I owe it to public trauquility to contradict the expression of the last speaker, which he used in order to deduci, very dreadful consequences—namely, that we are surrounded by enemies." Tbeee words of Prince Bismarck were delivered with a gravity and impre3siveness which produced a deep effect. In a later speech the Chancellor returned to the subject as follows :—" It has been intimated that there in a possibility of our being opposed to England with arms in hand. This possibility 1 deny absolutely. It is not in existence, and those questions which are now in dispute betweeu us and England are not of sufficient importance to justify a breach o£ the peace between us and Eugland, either beyond or on this side of the North Soa, and I do not know of any other differences which might arise between us and England. They have never existed. As far as I remember we have only once been at war with Kngland. That w»s in the years 1805 to 1806 ; but that was a completely unnatural situation, when the Prussia of that day found herself in the position of compulsion before the superior force of France. With, my diplomatic experience I cannot perceive any reason why a breach of the peace should be possible between U3 >and England. Our differences of opinion with England will never, in a humanly conceivable time, attain so much weight that they could not be satisfactorily arranged by honest good will and able, cautious diplomancy, such aa will be surely carried on on our side." While making these statements with the usual candour so characteristic of him, Prince Bismarek yet appeared to speak with much deliberation, as if attaching great importance to what he said. Eventually the first and second readings of the Bill were adopted almost unanimously.