On Tuesday a Treaty between. Britain and Germany was signed
in London providing for the settlement by arbitration of differences which may arise of a legal nature, or relating to the interpretation of existing Treaties between the two countries. We suppose that this will be represented on the Continent as "the firstfruits of the Kiel visit." In reality it is a purely formal Treaty, identical in terms with the Arbitration Treaties reckntly signed with France, Italy, and Spain. Any Power can have such a Treaty with us for the asking, and we are glad to think that Germany asked so 'promptly, as all agreements for "arbitrating" technical points must be welcomed by those who desire the continuance of peace. But though we are fully satisfied that our Government have done right in acceding to Germany's request for such a Treaty, we wish that in existing circumstances they would publicly point out its nature, and not allow it to be supposed by Continental public opinion that it denotes a movement towards Germany like that so happily consummated in the French agreement. We cannot be close friends both with France and Germany, and we want to see it made clear that it is France, not Germany, to whom the British Government and the British people are bound in ties of special amity.
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