COUNT MOURAVIEFF AND ENGLAND.
(To THE EDITOR OP THE "SPECTATOR.")
Sin,—The story of Count Mouravieff's overtures to the Powers in regard to the South African War was, I believe, first narrated by me in the Fortnightly Review. At any rate I was instrumental in giving it a very wide publicity. As Canon MacColl has now denounced it as a canard, may I be permitted to say that my affirmation of its substantial truth was based on information quite as good as his clginenti When I say the information could not have been better, I do not use the words in any light or conventional sense.. Two European Governments regarded it as trustworthy, and, so far as my recent information goes, they have seen no reason to alter their opinion. Canon MacColl says (Spectator, June 30th) that well-informed Russians deny the story. Of that I • am also aware. But all tentative diplomatic dimarches leave a door open for denial, otherwise they would not be tentative. The test of their real character is the way in which they are understood, and no one to whom Count Mouravieffs observations were reported had any doubt as to their intention. When Canon MacColl further tells us that no Russian diplomatist makes tentative overtures on im- portant questions without previously obtaining the sanction of the Czar, I am' afraid he shows that he has not followed the recent, course of international politics. If he will glance at the Blue-book on the Anglo-Russian Railway Agreement of last year he will find that that arrangement originated in a sug- gestion made by a distinguished Russian diplomatist entirely on his own responsibility (C9,329, p. 12). I can confirm that statement by first-hand knowledge of the negotiations. A more remarkable illustration of the initiative permitted to Russian Ministers was. the military demonstration towards Herat organised by General Vannovsky a few months ago. I have been informed upon excellent Russian authority that General Vannovsky acted on his own responsibility, and that when he was asked for an explanation by the Czar he pleaded his zeal for the interests of the Empire as he understood them, and this excuse sufficed. The explanation may be true or untrue, but in that case it only illustrates the dubious value of all unofficial attempts—however well-informed—to explain away disagreeable overt acts.—I am, Sir, &c.,
DIPLOMATiCirs.
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