STRANGE DIPLOMACY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 143, 11 March 1908, Page 7

STRANGE DIPLOMACY.

— $ i KAISER AND MINISTER. DEBATES IN PARLIAMENT. COULD SUCH A LETTER BE PRIVATE? LORD TWEEDMOL'TH'S SPEECH. BY TELEGRArH—PRESS ASSOCIATION— COPVRIGITr ' (Rec. March 10, 9.25 p.m.) • London, March 10. In the Houso of Commons, replying to Mr. Balfour, Mr. Asquith stated that ho had nothing to add to his previous statement on the subject, except that Lord Tweedmouth, before replying to it, showed tho Kaiser's letter to' Sir Edward Grey (Foreign Secretary), who agreed that it ivas not official, and should bo'treated as confidential. Mr. Asquith addod that it was clearly out of t-ho question to lay on the tablo private and personal correspondence.' " Lieutenant-Colonei A. R. M. Lockwood (Conservative) asked whether a communica: tion on so highly important a question between the Kaiser and Lord Tweedinouth* could in any way be'regarded as privato and confidential. . ' ' .

Mr. Asquith said ho ha-d nothing to add to .modify or qualify his statement in any way.

Colonel Lockwood suggested that an opportunity should bo given to tho Houso of discussing Lord Twcedmouth's conduct in the matter. ( . .... Mr. Asquith did not reply. / It was afterwards known that at Mr. Balfour's instance Lieutenant-Colonel Lockwood refrained from, moving the adjournment of .tho Houso. ; IN THE LORDS. LETTER CAME BY ORDINARY POST. OPPOSITION VIEW. . ' PRIVATE MESSAGES NOT TO AFFECT ' diplomacy. ' . (Rec. March 10, 9,39 p.m.) ■ London, Marohi 10. In tho Houso of Lords, Lord Tweedmouth, premising that ho understood , that , some members wore inclined .to ' ask ' questions about. tho extraordinary outburst in tho Press, made an explanation, in tho courso of which ho said:— i..

The Kaiser's letter came by ordin- . ary post.- Sir Edward' Grey agreed that I should treat It as private; and ' ' unofficial.! I replied in tho same, friendly and informal manner. ' ; I bag to assure ycur . Lordships that 1 firmly bolieve that the course ; adopted is a; good one, and is cal- , culatsd to do what wo all so, much ; 1 desire, namely, to do our utmost to - foster a good understanding between tho German Empire and ourselves. Lord Lansdowno, on bohalf of tho Opposition, in a'suave, discriminating \speeph; accepted Lord Tweodmouth's statement, and remarked that what had been most worthy, of attention was less'tho outburst, than tho -substratum of fact on which'the r 6utburst' vras f9!mdod ( v,.:Lord..Xan^d9| ; no addtffltjS?' , it appears, that the 1 latter was un-f solicited, unofficial, and friendly' in ... , tone towards . Britain. I £ resembled ■ ' a verbal, communication which might , . yjltli propriety pass between a great V sovereign, and, a British Minister., '. I do iVot press for publication^ sinoe it is inferred that publication . ,v;as not intended';', but-', such com-, , munlcatlons must never be allowed ; \to.oreate a diplomatic situation different from thoso which are created ■ . by official recorded documents. Such communications should l occur only in very exceptional circumstances. Privacy, |f Intended, ought, to be , . strictly respected; ; Apparently only that amount : of privacy attached to this correspondence which; Is ■ ati • i tached to'; a 'private view at the Royal Academy.. My side does not desire to say, anything to add to' , public excitement or to - tho embarrassment which tJ?e occurrence . must have occasioned to Ministers. Lord Rosebery, in closing tho discussion, vehemently denounced the iiisano , inference that had been drawn from tho letter. Ho strongly censured' tho tendency of a section of tl oiPress in both England and! Germany to create bad relations between, tho' two countries, and to endanger peace.Berlin, March 9. ' The " Berliner -Tagcblatt". ridicules . tho pretence that a letter from the Kaiser can be treated as a private utterance if it is,connected with foreign-policy'.-., , " NAVAL ESTIMATES. V'' '■■■■' ' ' DID THE KAISER GET AN ADVANCED 'COPY? : ■ London, March 9. A correspondent, a recognised authority, in a letter to "The implies that Lord Twecdmouth (First Lord of the Admiralty) sent- tho Kaiser an advance copy of tlio Navy Estimates, before.their presentation to.'Parliament. ; A ROYAL VISIT; PRINCE OF WALES AND THE KAISER. (Received March 10, 9.25 p.m.) ...:' London, March 10. The Prince and the Princess of Wales will start on March 23 to visit, tho Kaiser and tho Kaiserin. *