A dispute of a somewhat serious kind exists as to
a sentence supposed to have been uttered by Lord Derby in his answer to Earl Russell about the British offer 'a mediation between France and Germany. According to the Wolff Agency, the German Reuter, he said, speaking of the language held by high personages in Germany, "If there was an intention to attack Germany, she might feel herself called upon in self-defence to strike the first blow ; and it was added that, though Germany did not desire war, to secure peace it seemed necessary that the French Army should be greatly reduced. That lan- guage was repeated here by the representative of the German Government in this country, and by our representatives at foreign ports ; and it naturally created extreme uneasiness and anxiety in France." The Times' report leaves out the last and most im- portant sentence, which, nevertheless, was flashed by Reuter to
Germany. Was it uttered? If it was, what becomes tirthe Berlin assurances that there never existed any reason for the scare?
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