Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1892-12-22
A DANGEROUS NEIaHBoR.

the last session OF Congress : as to
whether that cause Of the treaty
of 1917, which prevented Great
Britain and the United States
from maintaining more than one
armed vessel on the Great Lakes
was still in force"
Secretary Of State Foster has
Just replied. He says that the
agreement is still in force, nomi~
nally, but while Government
has only one antiquated war-ship
in those waters, the English ADJ
miralty has recently built on the
Canadian shores three powerful
fighting vessels, designed ostensibs
ly for revenue cutter duty, but
possessing, notwithstanding, all
the essentials Of modern fighting
vessels. These three chips are the
Constance, Curlew, and Petrol.
Each of the three vessels is pro-
vided with a curved protection
deck over the vitals and powerful
gun supports. The battery of
each ship consists of high-powered,
rapid fire guns,
Secretary Foster recommends
the construction Immediately of a
fleet of American vessels able to
cope not only with those powerful
antagonists, but also with the
much more tor midable vessels OF
war which England could mass in
the great lakes, by means of the
Welland Canal. at short notice.
The whole enormous commerce OF
our lakes, and the untold wealth
of our lake ports, are to~day abso-
lutely at the mercy OF our nations
al enemy. The rich cities of Chi
cago, Detroit, Duluth, Toledo
Milwaukee and Cleveland could
be wiped out in a week by the
power which has never tcrup!ed te
plumber and destroy a helplet
rival.
To protect n great Northwes'
from such a danger the Secretary
advises the costly expedient o.
building and maintaining a power
ful feet. The corollary PROPOSE
tion OF extensive and expensive
Notifications on land is necessarily
implied also.
The first and natural question
arises: why should we be put tt
such an extrsvagant outlay in
time of profound peace? The an
ewer is; Because we have a BAG
neighbor at our doors, q treacher
Gus, interruptions enemy agains
whom We must guard ourselves a
a private citizen would guar
himself against an evil duer.
But a private citizen would sci
tie such a difficulty in another am
more summary fashion. II he ha'
u treacherous neighbor whom b
had good reason to supsect of evi
designs on his life or property, an
if legal protection failed him, h
would disarm or kill that neighbo
at the first opportunity. There
nc legal protection for nations in
similar contingency; but the natur
al law of might IS on our eide t
reinforce the higher Jaw of rigll'
Great Britain should be told i
peremptory terms to take ava
those cruisers, to dismantle he
Notifications at B ,rmuba, Hal.fa
and Vancouver; to withdraw, i
short, every menac which she hs
ms identity offered to a peacefr
ncighbor, or take the consequence
We have the power. and no san
man will say that we have not ais
the right, to do this. Il the I'm
ted States were, as it is not, an az
gressive power; ii it had d: exhibited
as it has n 1t, the slightest desir
t. cncroaoh upon Canadian teri
torisl rights, the action of Gres
Britain might be excusable. Til
very of such conditions
VIGOROUSLY true. Nobody in til
United States eovets the acquis
ton OF Canada by conque-t. Yer
few desire lite peaceable annexation
But all the Americans, outside {
the amiable idiots who call Eng
land the smother country" kno'
that our aft .ctionate kindred acro
the water have never missed a sil
gle opportunity of stabbing Us i
the back, and would repeat tt
fonl policy to-mo-row if opportul
ity presented.
The simple practical question
the moment il: Shall the Unite
States save money and trouble
forbiddiug the presence OF a hoi
fill. fleet on the great lakes.or mu