In Tuesday's Daily Mail Mr. Julian Ralph gives a memorable
account of the way in which Russia led the way in trying to get up the coalition which was to forbid America to go to war with Spain, just as a coalition the year before had for- bidden Japan to reap the fruits of her victory over China. According to an eminent foreign diplomat who talked to Mr. Ralph on the subject, Count Monravieff and the Russian Cabinet agreed with the German statesman who declared that " the United States was a huge and shapeless monste r, which was as like as not to wrest the mastery of the world from the European Powers, if it be not throttled there and then." Russia conceived and tried to ripen the plan of a European combination against the United States. " All the Powers of Europe were sounded, and all those Powers welcomed the idea, except England. Some countries, like Austria, grew hot and excited for its fruition. It pleased Germany. France
had at last found a Papa in Russia, and played a more eager part than might be expected, even of an obedient child. But England broke up the plot."
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