268 IN THE DIPLOMATIC SEEVICE-XX 



ashore with eleven hundred men and returned with only 

 about five hundred ; but, to my regret, I found him using 

 the same argument as regards the sea that Count Minister 

 had made regarding the land. He said that the navy 

 of Great Britain was and would remain in a state of com 

 plete preparation for war ; that a vast deal depended on 

 prompt action by the navy ; and that the truce afforded by 

 arbitration proceedings would give other powers time, 

 which they would otherwise not have, to put themselves 

 into complete readiness. He seemed uncertain whether 

 it was best for Great Britain, under these circumstances, 

 to support a thoroughgoing plan of arbitration; but, 

 on the whole, seemed inclined to try it to some extent. 

 Clearly what Great Britain wants is a permanent system 

 of arbitration with the United States; but she does not 

 care much, I think, for such a provision as regards other 

 powers. 



There is considerable curiosity among leading mem 

 bers to know what the United States really intends to do ; 

 and during the day Sir Julian Pauncef ote and others have 

 called to talk over the general subject. 



The London &quot; Times&quot; gives quite correctly a conver 

 sation of mine, of rather an optimistic nature, as to the 

 possibilities and probabilities of arbitration, and the im 

 provement of the customs of war ; but in another quarter 

 matters have not gone so well: the &quot;Corriere della Sera&quot; 

 of Milan publishes a circumstantial interview with me, 

 which has been copied extensively in the European press, 

 to the effect that I have declared my belief in the adoption 

 of compulsory arbitration and disarmament. This is a 

 grotesque misstatement. I have never dreamed of say 

 ing anything of the kind ; in fact, have constantly said the 

 contrary; and, what is more, I have never been inter 

 viewed by the correspondent of that or of any other Con 

 tinental paper. 



