A PAGE OF SECRET HISTORY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 5678, 28 August 1905, Page 7

A PAGE OF SECRET HISTORY.

(X’rom Our Special Correspondent.) LONDON. July 8. „ In tho current "Nineteenth Century there appears a fasc.nating article describing conversations with the late Lord Kowton, the famous secretary to Lorn iicaconsiicld. Particularly interesting are the passages dealing with the celebrated Berlin Congress. It has oiten been said, and writicn that Disraeli played a IPuffing mime pure and simple at that Congress, but Lord Kowton says be was "serious all through," At a vital stage in the Congress the English representative put forward lour points which were more or less in the nature of an ultimatum, for Russia's acceptance, the Russians—as always—sought to gain time by pleading that they must refer the points at issue to their Emperor. the Congress was adjourned for several days to enable them to communicate with tho Czar by special messenger, and one ot their diplomats actually left Berlin ostensibly to go to St. Petersburg. lie however, it transpired, never really went further afield than Konigsbeig tor reasons that will presently become apparent. On the morning after tiro adjournment Lord Boaoonsheid went to his nrivato secretary's room and said to Air Corry (as Lord Kowton uren was)— "1 have been thinking over this matter very ser.ously moat of the night, and I have quite made up my mind what to do. It seems to me impossible for Russia to concede these points, and rf they refuse, 1 have sketched out my plan. \\ e will return to England at once. My desire is, if possible, to get to London upon Sunday nrglit, and to have a good night's rest. On Monday morning I shall go down to Osborne- —or \V ind&or and after lunch I propose to lay my report before her Majesty. A declaration ot war with Russia will follow. Kindly make the necessary arrangements for our journey." Mr Cony discovered that to get to Lon don on Sunday night meant taking a sp.ecial train tiorri Cologne, and ho. therefore, telegraphed to the station master there,' ordering him to have a "special ready for Lord iieaconsiield at suen and such a time on the specified day. That telegram proved the turning point of tlie whole affair. Congress met again at the appointed time and Mr Corry wa.ted without. After sitting there for a couple of hours he saw tho door open, and the members of tne Congress come out, beaded by the Russian representatives. Last of all came Lord lleaeonsfield, who, grasping his secretary's arm, said;—

“My dear Corry. I have seen what I never expected to see. has given way on all four points.” Subsequently they discovered, of course, that the telegram bo tile station master at Cologne had been promptly transmitted to Prince Bismarck, who then recognised that •’Dizzy’’ was in real earnest. He also knew what the English representative only discovered much later, namely, that the Russian representatives had received orders from the Czar praoticully lo submit to anylmug rather than precipitate a war with England. And doubtless Bismarck gave, the Russians a plain hint as to when and how the British oat was prepared to jump. Hence no doubt their sudden “climb down.